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Results Based Management: does it pay off?

29/5/2013

 
FotoTodays blog post mirrors an article published on the website of The Broker
 As a result of increasing complexity and absence of strong leadership it has become difficult for policy makers to ensure accountability in the aid chain. This has resulted in the popularization of Results Based Management (RBM). Instigated by the Paris Declaration (2005) and Accra Agenda for Action (2008), a number of donor agencies, starting with USAID and followed by a number of European agencies, copied RBM from the business sector, fitting in with the new deal with the private sector attempted in Busan (2011). Norway was amongst the
earliest countries to adopt RBM. The UK Department for International Development issued guidance on Results Based Management as recently as March this year. Will Results Based Management deliver?

Dwindling support for international development cooperation and increasing emancipation of aid recipients is challenging the traditional poverty alleviation paradigm. It has tilted development from the complicated to the complex domain (Snowden). On top of that the ever increasing number of development actors is blurring the picture even further. In order to continue to keep track of its own contribution, the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) has introduced a tracking system that limits monitoring and
evaluation to a number of key performance indicators aligned with strategic priorities, a system that the Dutch are likely to follow.
 
IATI as a cover for inabilities in problem solving
The DFID documents also mentions the need to “monitor the results achieved through all development resources, not just our own.” This makes sense from a complexity perspective. Looking at aid reality through these glasses one can appreciate ongoing efforts to arrive at a common set of standards in results reporting through the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI). Many governments have already signed up to the IATI and make use of this joint data set.

However, what is lost in the process is ownership over the data. There is a big pond in which many fish are swimming. The pond is becoming more and more polluted. Rather than changing the water, we keep measuring its quality and sharing the data amongst all the stakeholders. Donors are not able to identify their own contribution to water quality or their ‘own’ polluters. However, everyone remains very concerned about the water quality in terms of achieving the MDGs.  

It is clear from DFID’s reorientation of development aid, that it has become a lot more focused and creates an impression of ‘running’ development like a business, losing sight on the integrated whole. It is yet unclear how this surge for results will impact aid delivery mechanisms and possibly discontinue longer-term commitments made in the past.
 
The Norwegian change trajectory
One of the early adopters of Results Based management was the Norwegian Aid agency Norad, which already issued a Result Measurement Guide for its operations in June 2008. However, the path chosen was a humble one, focusing on risk reduction. Secondly the careful consideration of the role of expertise paid off in formulating the Norwegian strategy till 2015, as recently reflected upon on this website by David Sogge. “Norad addresses complex development issues where many different factors must be considered in an overall context. Ensuring high quality and relevant advice requires knowledge-sharing, good information flows and demand for colleagues’ expertise across specialized fields and departments”.

The role of experts was valued across the document, acknowledging the wealth of knowledge in the system and the need to operationalize it to the benefit of improved intervention strategies, especially in fragile settings. One of the Norwegian strategic objectives is “tobe an instigator of public debate on development assistance and development, showing high regard of reflection and learning capacity in the system.” Norad continuously invested in “developing expertise, working methods and leadership that enable Norad to solve complex tasks effectively”. This currently translates into an effective link between expertise knowledge and policy development resulting in, e.g., the publication of a Sustainability Guideline in 2011 that gives Norwegian agencies pole position in the development pack. In my next post I will try to analyze how recent developments in the European political landscape may soon dramatically change the picture.

this post was also published in The Broker: Results Based Management: does it pay off? | The Broker (thebrokeronline.eu)
Photo credit main picture: Solo via http://www.flickr.com/photos/60648084@N00/3029452838

Rise of the South and Demise of the North

16/5/2013

 
"When the beat of the drum changes so must the step of the dance"
                African proverb supplied by Chiku Malunga
As the new Human Development Report came out yesterday I was wondering how my colleagues in sub-sahara Africa were digesting its content. A former direct colleage wrote the following reflection after reading the report:
Quite a breakthrough to be able to measure quality of life, human wellbeing, equality and equity escaping a narrow outlook on GDP!

What is shocking nevertheless is the position of the sub-Saharan Africa (Least developed countries) in the 2013 Human Development report? Despite an outstanding performance of few countries in the African continent such Seychelles (very high  performer) along with Libya, Mauritius, Algeria, and Tunisia (as high performers), sub-Saharan Africa lags behind disappointingly. One can take note of the strong performance of the North African nations despite the recent turbulence in the ‘Arab uprising’. What can be concluded from this?

HDI places special attention to certain fundamental values such as freedom, giving voice to people, and opportunities for public debates. These are vital ingredients for a liberated and vibrant society – and form a strong foundation for creativity and emancipation. It touches the core of governance and democratic leadership. How many of the sub-Saharan countries live by this book?  

Developmental states are praised for their commitment to register economic growth and prosperity. Some are even better qualified as “people-friendly developmental state” – what are
the distinct features? Reading the report, I remain with more questions and skepticisms…

What is it to be learnt as a success determinant? What can the least developed countries learn from better performers? Can we draw a success model to be replicated elsewhere (of course with cautions)? 

It is my wish that this report be discussed and critically analyzed in LDCs with active involvement of private sector and civil society organizations – to draw lessons and create public understanding!
 
                                                             A. Gedamu, Ethiopia
From a northern perspective I was pleasantly surprised to find such an eagerness to derive learning from high performers. It appears that the HDR contributes to peer-education amongst development nations. However, what puzzles me is the position of the North. There is very little reflection on what I would call the 'demise' of the Northern development paradigm. GDP even in Europe is no longer believed to bring well-being. Finland, a country with the best education system in the world, find themselves behind Hongkong and South-Korea in the Human Well-Being Index. High time to have UNDP set-up offices in European capitals and not just live of data supplied by western nations but also take into account some context here. It may alter the picture considerably.

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    About me

    My name is Reinier van Hoffen.
    I write this blog on space for civil society, having contributed over 25 years to the strengthening of civil society in various capacities working for various organizations.

    Disclaimer: The content of this blog does not reflect in any way the position or opinion of my current employer, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.

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