When asked to name a problem, people often name a solution (i.e. the lack of a solution). This leads to designing typical, business as usual type of interventions without addressing the actual problem. In this video, Lant Pritchett, uses an education example to illustrate the difference between problems and solutions. You can watch the video…Continue Reading BSC video 24: Selling solutions vs. solving problems
BSC Video 20: Is your activity locally discretionary?
An analytical typology can help you answer the question, building capability to do what? This is the second of four videos that addresses the analytical questions you need to ask in order to determine the implementation capability required for your activity. In this video, Lant Pritchett explains the meaning of local discretion using examples from…Continue Reading BSC Video 20: Is your activity locally discretionary?
BSC Video 19: Is your activity transaction intensive?
An analytical typology can help you answer the question, building capability to do what? This is the first of four videos that addresses the analytical questions you need to ask in order to determine the implementation capability required for your activity. In this video, Lant Pritchett explains the meaning of transaction intensive using examples from…Continue Reading BSC Video 19: Is your activity transaction intensive?
BSC Video 18: Why do we need a typology?
An analytical typology can help you answer the question, building capability to do what? In this video, Lant Pritchett uses animals and buildings to illustrate how a typology of implementation capability can differ by appearance as well as by sector. The next four videos will address the four analytical questions you need to ask in…Continue Reading BSC Video 18: Why do we need a typology?
Getting Real about Governance and Governance Indicators
written by Matt Andrews Many have asked me how I personally think about governance and assess governance when I visit countries. I have a new working paper that presents my thoughts on this. These thoughts manifest in what I call an ends-means approach to looking at governance. I focus on ends as a starting point…Continue Reading Getting Real about Governance and Governance Indicators
The Chief Minister Posed Questions We Couldn’t Answer
Guest post written by Jeffrey Hammer I was recently at a conference in Lahore, Pakistan sponsored by the International Growth Centre where the keynote address was given by Shahbaz Sharif, the Chief Minister of the province of Punjab, Pakistan (100+ million people). While fun to see old friends and colleagues, the conference was a little depressing in…Continue Reading The Chief Minister Posed Questions We Couldn’t Answer
You cannot Juggle without the Struggle: How the USA historically avoided the “Tyranny of Experts”
written by Lant Pritchett The period between the end of the American Civil War and the end of World War II saw a transformation of America with the rise of dominant large organizations in both the private economy and public life. The economic historian Alfred Chandler’s in The Visible Hand and Scale and Scope documents…Continue Reading You cannot Juggle without the Struggle: How the USA historically avoided the “Tyranny of Experts”
Rigorous evaluation, but to what end?
written by Salimah Samji Many development projects fail because of poor design. They have no clear roadmap of how they will get from A to B and therefore no way of knowing whether they are on the right track. However, design alone is not enough for success. In fact, many development projects that are well…Continue Reading Rigorous evaluation, but to what end?
Can PDIA help to deliver services for the poor?
10 years ago, the World Development Report (WDR) 2004 entitled Making Services Work for Poor People, marked a watershed moment in the development agenda. It recognized that politics and accountability are crucial to improving services. Furthermore, it shifted the focus from measuring inputs to outputs. Earlier this month, ODI and the World Bank jointly organized…Continue Reading Can PDIA help to deliver services for the poor?
The 5 M’s of Development: Mobilizers matter (Part 5 of 5)
written by Matt Andrews As I reflect on how change happens in development, 5 themes come to mind. I have written about the importance of moments, muddling, the mundane and multiple men and women. In keeping with the ‘m’s’, today I will emphasize the importance of mobilizers. These are the people who bring multiple men…Continue Reading The 5 M’s of Development: Mobilizers matter (Part 5 of 5)