Development involves change, and change always happens within a context. The focus in development however, is on transplanting successes and adopting ambitious “best practice” modes of governance and public administration, which emphasize form (what organizations look like) and not function (what they actually do). This often provides the financing and legitimacy which allows continued dysfunction,…Continue Reading BSC Video 3: Form ≠ Function
BSC Video 2: Capability Trapped in a Big Stuck
In many nations today, the state has little capability to carry out basic functions like security, regulation or even core service delivery (health, education, water, etc). Enhancing this capability, especially in fragile states, is a long-term task. In this video, Lant Pritchett uses the example of Haiti and India to highlight administrative capability trapped in…Continue Reading BSC Video 2: Capability Trapped in a Big Stuck
BSC Video 1: Development as Four Fold Transformation
In order to better understand and respond to implementation failure, it is instructive to start with a big picture summary of what we think most people believe “development” to be. In this introduction video, Michael Woolcock discusses how a society undergoes a four fold transformation in its functional capacity to manage its economy, polity (political…Continue Reading BSC Video 1: Development as Four Fold Transformation
Bridging the Capacity Gap in Burundi
written by Salimah Samji The knee jerk reaction to building capacity is to organize more training workshops. These are taught by experts and held in fancy locations, with free-flowing food and refreshments. The attendees often do not include the front line workers who are ultimately responsible for implementation. In some cases attendees do learn new…Continue Reading Bridging the Capacity Gap in Burundi
PDIA: is not about perpetual muddling (Part 4/4)
written by Matt Andrews This is the last of the four common excuses that I hear about why PDIA cannot be done in development. If you are interested, you can read the first, second and third one. Excuse 4: International development experts often tell me that PDIA is not possible because it implies that we…Continue Reading PDIA: is not about perpetual muddling (Part 4/4)
PDIA: does not necessarily take too long (Part 3/4)
written by Matt Andrews This is the third of the four common excuses that I hear about why PDIA cannot be done in development. If you are interested, you can read the first and second one. Excuse 3: International development experts often tell me that PDIA is not possible because it takes too long. This…Continue Reading PDIA: does not necessarily take too long (Part 3/4)
PDIA: One can find or build political support (Part 2/4)
written by Matt Andrews This is the second of the four common excuses that I hear about why PDIA cannot be done in development. If you are interested, you can read the first one. Excuse 2: International development experts often tell me that PDIA is not possible because politicians will never support it. Again, simply…Continue Reading PDIA: One can find or build political support (Part 2/4)
PDIA: International organizations have flexible instruments (Part 1/4)
written by Matt Andrews Almost every time I give a presentation on PDIA (and I have given many), I hear excuses about why PDIA cannot be done in development. So, I’ve decided to set the record straight. I am writing a blog post and drawing a picture for each of the four most common excuses…Continue Reading PDIA: International organizations have flexible instruments (Part 1/4)