Developing and Implementing a Tax Arrears Management System in Liberia

Guest blog by Lasana A Kromah Sr

I took on a new task at one of Liberia’s professional public institutions “The Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA)” in 2015 as an Assistant Commissioner for the property tax division, where I was responsible to ensure the sustainable management of revenue growth and strategy development with respect to compliance and increasing the tax base. 

In 2017, I was charged with a new responsibility of implementing a policy challenge in the tax arrears management space. I began looking for answers on how to go about it. From 2017 to 2022 I was implementing the policy challenge “Develop and Implement a Tax Debt Management system” from a different perspective without the desirable results.

The course “Implementing Public Policy” was exactly what I needed to guide me through what I consider learning to the beginning of my new exposure. The IPP course took me beyond my expectations in implementing the tax arrears management policy and system in Liberia.

High HIV Incidences Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in South Africa

Guest blog by Masindi Mashapha

PDIA is influencing my outlook at a personal level because how I am managing my PhD study has changed drastically. While using the project management processes, I try and balance time and quality. I use learning and leads, moreover the iteration that brings different, improved, sometimes confusing results.

Sheltering the Unhoused in the St. Louis Region

Guest blog by Nancy Cross

There were several key learnings from the IPP course.  First, one person does not have all the answers. I wanted to work on sheltering the unhoused because it seemed as if there were enough financial resources to provide shelter for the approximately 1500 unhoused people in the greater St. Louis area. The truth is that housing the unhoused is more complex than just providing a roof over someone’s head and a bed to sleep in. A roof and a bed are the easy part, solving the root cause of why someone is unhoused is much more complex. Through the IPP I learned that if you really want to solve a problem you have to continuously peel the onion and not assume that you have all the answers solely based on the information in front of you.  

Using PDIA in Addressing the Non-Competitive and Inefficient Free Zone Scheme in Nigeria

Guest blog by Adesoji Adesugba

My participation in 2022 Implementing Public Policy was timely and rewarding. IPP is the second program under the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education series I have participated. The first was Leading Economic Growth, which I completed last December. The IPP program has exposed me to new policy ideas through shared knowledge, supportive learning and resourceful interactions with coursemates from diverse works of life and geography.

Adopting PDIA to Create Better Capabilities in the Public Finance of Oaxaca, Mexico

Guest blog by Tomas Gonzalez

No matter where you come from or how old you are, if you are reading this, it is possible that you are or going to be part of the IPP community, or maybe you care about how to try to solve public problems in the city, place, or country you live. Either way, you are here for a reason.

Indeed, you won’t find (all) your answers here, but questions that could help you endeavor to make your place a good one and better place.

Addressing the Lack of Employment Opportunities in Southern Mexico

Guest blog by Agustín I. Filippo

For you all considering or going through the IPP course, be ready for a transformational experience. If you’re like most of the people I met here, troubled, and somewhat frustrated with current practice in your development practice, you’ll get an amazing lot from joining. The closer you are from reaching your desperation point (professional, personal, etc.) the more you’ll get out of IPP. Perhaps my biggest learning from IPP came from its holistic approach; it teaches how to keep mind and soul, as well as health and professional or family circles, functioning in harmony.

Providing Quality Housing in Scranton, Pennsylvania

Guest blog by Eileen Cipriani

It has been a great pleasure to be part of a class with so many dynamic leaders, doing such diverse and important work and to be part of such an impressive program at the Harvard Kennedy School. After listening to the problems my colleagues were trying to solve, I thought mine was, say… maybe not quite as consequential. It wasn’t solving a national problem, or state problem, but hopefully it is solving a problem that every city in the world struggles to address. My problem was to develop a new rental registration ordinance for the city of Scranton, Pennsylvania, but the underlaying issue we are really trying to solve is how do we as a city, ensure that there is adequate affordable quality housing for our residents.

My original thought when I started was that I had solid experience in developing policy so this should not be that difficult, that notion soon faded…fast. After several fishbone iterations it became clear that the problem, I was attempting to solve was much more complex and would involve numerous authorizers, also explains why no one had addressed our poor ordinance previously. The fishbone served to lay out the problem, organize and prioritize my plan, but it was complicated and not everyone thought it was a great idea to try and tackle it.  

Improving Public Education in Panama

Guest blog by Antonio Saad

In 2018 I decided to start a certification in public policies at Harvard, understanding that the great challenges that my country faces, require a deep understanding of how the public sector works and also what tools could give me the bases to be able to provide better solutions to the most challenging problems.

That was how I started. The first program I took was Infrastructure in a Market Economy, understanding that the figure of PPPs could be an alternative to carry out infrastructure projects that would boost the economy. The second program was Leading Economic Growth, understanding that at the end of the day, a dynamic and healthy economy opens opportunities for human development and social well-being. When I finished the second program, I noticed that all the knowledge acquired (theoretically speaking) was of great value, however, I needed something more grounded, more practical and that would teach me how to really implement all those ideas and concepts learned.

Thus, when evaluating the options for my third program required to obtain the certification, I chose Implementing Public Policy. A program focused on two things that seem fundamental to me: action and shared leadership. In addition to a blended form that I found very interesting due to its duration and order.

I had high expectations of this third program, the Harvard Implementing Public Policy (IPP) and I have to say today, that they were even exceeded. I was right when choose this one for the end.

Access to Data and Affordable Finance to improve Youth Unemployment in Nigeria

Guest blog by Tejumola Abake Abisoye

I was hoping for a magic bullet to implementing public policy and I learnt it is simply the ability to focus on the problem and be driven by iterations until ones sees the expected outcomes – PDIA.

I currently manage a Government Agency – The Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (www.LSETF.ng), that was established to address youth unemployment by implementing different programs that enable job creation. The Agency provides this through access to affordable finance for growth of MSMEs, skills to aid employability and tech echo system support.

Promoting Child Development by Improving Care Quality in Public and Private Institutions in Mexico

Guest blog by Miriam Gastélum Aispuro

When I got accepted for the IPP Harvard Program, I was happy relief. I thought, “WOW,” we will finally have the answers to the problems we are trying to solve in the Foundation. The course started and after weeks of learning, discussions and lectures, I realized that my thoughts were wrong and that no institution, professor, or practitioner has a magic wand to solve any social problem, especially when we live in such a complex and diverse world.

Although the relief I had when I received the acceptance letter wore off very quickly; today, being part of the IPP Program has been an incredible journey. These months have given me various techniques to analyze a problem better and face it from different points of view. But not only that, but it has also been a journey full of personal learning that has given me the tools to be a better colleague, leader, and person.