Problems in Parenting in Helsinki, Absent Fathers

Guest blog by Sari Della Spina, Anniina Enovaara, Marjut Kauppinen, Marjaana Risku

Helsinki is, on the scale of Finland, a city of its own, with challenges typical to itself. The number of residents who speak foreign languages ​​is one of Helsinki’s new characteristic phenomena. Services are taking shape to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse customer base. Children and young people’s sense of security and well-being are challenged by many things. The root causes of the problems have been formed over a long period of time and stem from many changes in society and living styles. The challenges in the lives of children and young people with immigrant backgrounds and foreign languages ​​are manifold due to the implementation of language skills and cultural differences. 

Unveiling Growth through Harvard’s LEG: A Journey of Learning and Transformation

Guest blog by Caroline Lee-Schmid, LEG ’23

Embarking on the Harvard Executive Leading Economic Growth program under Harvard’s Building State Capability Program tutelage was akin to setting sail on a transformative odyssey. Over the immersive 10-week period, the richness of learning experiences and insights gained was nothing short of extraordinary.   

It’s not just the knowledge gained but the shift in mindset and new thinking process. The journey has set the stage for continuous learning and application, propelling personal and professional growth. The voyage doesn’t end here; it’s merely a waypoint in an ongoing expedition towards fostering sustainable growth and development. 

Integrating Immigrant Parents into Society in Helsinki through PDIA  

Guest blog by Johanna Marttila, Mari Luolamaa, Laura Leino, Mia Kivioja, Antti Lehto-Raevuori

Parents from multicultural / immigrant backgrounds are isolated and segregated. That´s why parents are not adapting into society.  

Meri-Rastila is facing a large-scale urban renewal project which will see the construction of new homes for up to 4, 400 new residents and also there are plans as well as revitalizing services. The area is home to many immigrant families. We focused especially in the area of Meri-Rastila and Kallahti in Eastern Helsinki where areal differentiation development has been identified (see Picture 2 below).

Organizing for Success: Ukraine’s Economic Recovery Post-War and EU Integration

Guest blog by Dmytro Lyvch, LEG ’23 

As you may probably know,  Ukraine is now facing one of the biggest challenges of the decade – full scale war that has its dramatic outcomes for the society and economy of Ukraine (GDP has dropped by 29% in 2022; total damages and losses accounted for ca USD 400 bn according to RDNA2 by WBG). Dedicated to Ukraine’s economic development and growth, I see the need to focus on Ukraine’s post-war recovery and European integration. Closely interconnected, these two processes will allow Ukrainian professionals to bring about prosperity to our country. In case of proper understanding of the Ukrainian development path, the synergetic and mutually beneficial effect of the development of all regions may lead to a balanced economy, and cohesive society.  

New Podcast: Reflections on Applying PDIA to PFM in Africa

We have released a new episode in our podcast series A Decade of Building State Capability. In this episode, BSC Director Salimah Samji interviews Joana Bento and Danielle Serebro, Programme Managers at Collaborative Africa Budget Reform Initiative (CABRI). They discuss the Building Public Finance Capabilities (BPFC) programme, developed by BSC in collaboration with CABRI in 2017 to help African country teams reform PFM systems using the PDIA approach.

Limited Broadband Infrastructure in Nigeria

Guest blog by Aliyu Aboki, LEG ’23

One of the best decisions I have made in a long time was applying for and gaining admission into the Harvard Leading Economic Growth course. It has given me the ability to analyse my growth problem, Nigeria’s Limited Broadband Infrastructure, as if it is like a 2015 journey or an 1804 journey, select between Solution and Leader Driven Change (SLDC) and Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA) as solution to the problem. I learned about the role of technology in development and the role of knowhow as the slowest form of technology which has a major effect on the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Productivity Growth and Job Creation in Guatemala

Guest blog by Jaime A. Garron B., LEG ’23

As a trained economist and international development practitioner with experience in diverse country settings, I can confidently say that common sense is perhaps the least common of the senses when it comes to public policy design and implementation, for a variety of reasons and circumstances. This scarcity, influenced by various factors and circumstances, poses challenges for nations aspiring to secure a sustainable and inclusive growth trajectory. Why is this the case? Moreover, how can we articulate our ideas to bring lucidity to our analyses, setting the stage for more productive engagements with stakeholders to tackle our growth challenges? These overarching queries drove my application to the Harvard Kennedy School Leading Economic Growth (LEG) executive education program in 2023. 

Diversifying an Oil Based Economy in Saudi Arabia

Guest blog by Farah Ismail, LEG ’23

The main economic problem that concerns me about my country (the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) is the over reliance of its economy on one resource, fossil fuel. Saudi Arabia’s economy has always been very oil dependent, between the years 1970 and 2000 the oil economy was constantly between 30% and 60% of Saudi GDP. Other sectors have been dwarfed by the oil economy. Non oil GDP is highly correlated with oil revenues and government spending (up until 2015 this correlation was at around 98%). While oil has created enormous wealth for this country and its people, we know that oil reserves will not be around forever, and that this type of growth is not sustainable. On the other hand, while Vision 2030 programs, strategies and initiatives have one core objective, diversification, however, Saudi Arabia has been diversifying into adjacent, lower complexity products, and Saudi Arabia’s rate of diversification into complex products has been slow, hence the economy remains on the product space periphery, distant from complex products. This over reliance on oil made our economy very volatile and vulnerable to fluctuations in global oil prices, which as a significant impact on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s economic growth and fiscal stability. Saudi Arabia’s government unveiled Vision 2030 back in 2016 with the sole purpose of moving from an oil based economy to a well diversified investment driven one, and over the past 8 years we have been planning, developing strategies, programs and initiatives to achieve our diversification objective.

Reducing the Rate of Illiteracy in Papua New Guinea

Guest blog written by William Beebe, Peter Jerry, Yoman Kumbu, Roselyn Mambu, Marsh Narawec, Emos Sibu Poirei 

Literacy is the ability to read and comprehend things well so that the response, either through writing, speaking, or just listening, is understood by the audience. Illiteracy, on the other hand, is the absence of that ability, and 36.6% of PNG’s population is illiterate. That’s about 3, 780, 755 people. Illiteracy can impede development because people do not know enough to take part in decision-making or have a say in their rights. So how can we teach this group to read and comprehend things easily to contribute to the development of their societies and Papua New Guinea at large? Do we target every age group from the tip of the population pyramid to the youths and down to the children who form the widest base?  

Hiring Personnel for the City and County of Honolulu, USA

Guest blog by Krishna Jayaram, IPP ’23

The Implementing Public Policy Course taught me that a successful and sustainable approach to truly complex problems requires me to be out of my comfort zone of being in command (and control) and therefore on target and on time. Instead, I have to approach issues with an open mind, a desire to learn, a willingness to listen, and the patience to take many small tentative steps, and many small set-backs, with a goal of gradual improvement. Importantly, I was also reminded that no matter how hard I work, or how capable I think I might be, truly complex problems also require me to gather others to the cause, instead of me directing others in the cause.