Guest blog by Arnaldo Pellini Michael Woolcock, the Lead Social Development Specialist at the World Bank, gave the keynote speech at the International Conference on Best Development Practices and Policies organized by the State Ministry of National Development Planning (BAPPENAS) on August, 19-20 in Jakarta. He is one of the leading voices in the debate around…Continue Reading A new era for development – the future or already reality?
Busting Myths about Governance and Development
David Booth highlighted 5 myths about governance and development in a blog earlier this year. Two of his points are particularly relevant for PDIA. Myth 2: Governance-improvement is a good entry-point for developmental reform. In our experience, constructing local problems is the entry point to begin the search for solutions that ultimately drive change. We…Continue Reading Busting Myths about Governance and Development
Getting Best Fit in Development Projects is like buying a new suit
written by Matt Andrews I often hear talk of moving from best practice to best fit in development. When I ask what people mean by this I seldom get the same answer. But the basic idea is that multiple solutions are considered instead of a one-best-way solution. I like the idea in concept and have…Continue Reading Getting Best Fit in Development Projects is like buying a new suit
How do money, ideas and, reforms come together to produce better development outcomes?
Despite the considerable time, money, and effort that aid agencies, international organizations, and NGOs expend producing analysis and advice to inform or influence policymakers in developing countries, there is a remarkable lack of understanding about which of these instruments are most and least effective at spurring and sustaining reforms – and why. In an attempt…Continue Reading How do money, ideas and, reforms come together to produce better development outcomes?
PDIA in Indonesia: The new frontline service delivery policy
How does the government of Indonesia make its presence felt by all 250 million citizens across the sprawling archipelago? While decentralization provides district governments the authority to address local needs, effective execution of these functions relies heavily on the capacity of the local governments to analyze service gaps and drive more coordinated efforts to address…Continue Reading PDIA in Indonesia: The new frontline service delivery policy
Getting real about development; It is hard
Written by Matt Andrews I’m reminded so regularly that development is about change. If it’s done well it is about change that sticks, and even more about countries becoming adaptive (able to change continuously at the right pace and in the right way). This requires learning and building a specific type of DNA in people,…Continue Reading Getting real about development; It is hard
Making the case for case studies in development practice
Written by Michael Woolcock The frequency and sophistication with which case studies are deployed by social scientists has greatly expanded in recent years. The goal now is not merely to document or describe, but to diagnose, explain, interpret, and inform a basis for action. Professional schools across the disciplines – from medicine and engineering to…Continue Reading Making the case for case studies in development practice
Rising to the challenge: Supporting PDIA in Nigeria
The importance of thinking and working politically in programs concerned with governance and institutional reform is widely recognized – but shifting from thinking politically to working politically is proving a major challenge. The State Accountability and Voice Initiative (SAVI), a governance reform program in Nigeria, supports local partners and stakeholders not through the usual accountable…Continue Reading Rising to the challenge: Supporting PDIA in Nigeria
How do you keep 100 students awake on a Friday afternoon? Fast feedback and iterative adaptation seem to work
Guest blog written by Duncan Green There’s a character in a Moliere play who is surprised and delighted to learn that he has been speaking prose all his life without knowing it. I thought of him a couple of weeks into my new role as a part-time Professor in Practice in LSE’s International Development Department, when I…Continue Reading How do you keep 100 students awake on a Friday afternoon? Fast feedback and iterative adaptation seem to work
EEP/Shiree: Using adaptive programming to monitor change in Bangladesh
written by Salimah Samji How do you effectively monitor an 8 year, £83.5 million (around USD$135 million) challenge fund that partners with NGOs to improve the livelihood of 1 million beneficiaries? A daunting task indeed. The Economic Empowerment of the Poorest (EEP/Shiree) program is a partnership between the UK Department for International Development (DFID), the…Continue Reading EEP/Shiree: Using adaptive programming to monitor change in Bangladesh