Ownership Leadership and Transformation

Can We Do Better for Capacity Development

Thomas Theisohn, Carlos Lopes

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2013
• ISBN:
  9781134031177
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Economics
• Subtopic: Development Economics
• Index: Economics

The third and final in a series, this text bridges the conceptual foundations of capacity development and the difficulties and practical realities in the field. It demystifies the process of capacity development to make it more user-friendly. The book has two parts. The first shows how long-standing development dilemmas can be turned into opportunities for capacity development and societal transformation. It proposes a set of principles to guide the search for context-specific approaches as the norm, and based on these default principles the authors explore relevant issues in comprehensible stages through a capacity lens. The second part is a compilation of experiences and lessons from around the world, to showcase promising initiatives and innovative solutions. It forms a casebook of insights and good (rather than best) practices on how development stakeholders can turn development dilemmas into opportunities tailored to the needs of their societies.

PART A

CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT IN PRACTICE: ISSUES, POTENTIALS AND CRITICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Introduction

Since examples are often better than precepts, the first half of this book highlights key considerations for identifying good cases of capacity development. Each of the four chapters brings together a cluster of issues that capacity development sceptics frequently debate. The book does not aim to persuade them, but instead sets out to demonstrate that developing sustainable, indigenous capacities is a process without a blueprint, driven by learning and advancement based on particular circumstances and experiences. Part A will address some of the main challenges, as summarized below.

Chapter 1 discusses the basics of capacity development and defines the parameters of ownership, presenting an endogenous process with implications for national ownership. It also explores some of the hindrances, starting with the aid relationship, which has long dominated the development discussion and has, in many ways, influenced national efforts for better or worse. Other topics include mindsets, vested interests and power differentials, which militate against the development of lasting indigenous capacities, deter meaningful dialogue and erode confidence and trust. National ownership needs to be the default setting for capacity development. Key issues include:

• What are pivotal entry points for societal change? For what and for whom are capacities needed?

• What are the limits of ownership, a concept with many interpretations and present in different agendas?

• How can mindsets and vested interests that are distorting a partnership be dealt with? How can complexities that overburden national institutions be reduced?

• How can trust, dialogue, commitment and self-confidence be built?

• How can development in difficult situations or failed states be fostered?

• What signposts are relevant for capacity development?

Chapter 2 explores the potentials and implications for integrating external cooperation into national priorities, systems and processes. Integration has consequences for programming, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation, while also impacting the broader policy dialogue and the management of external cooperation. The chapter examines the interface between countries and their partners, starting with the policy discussions that shape aid relationships, conditionality and selectivity. Key issues include:

• Can conditionality be conducive to capacity development?

• What is the most effective way to define roles and responsibilities between national authorities and their external partners for policy dialogue, programming, implementation and monitoring?

• Are there clear opportunities for integrating external aid into national systems and processes?

• What are the steps in assessing capacity and monitoring its development?

• How can stakeholders ensure accountability to the ultimate beneficiaries of development efforts?

Chapter 3 focuses on some of the most persistent problems in development. One of them is the long-lasting myth that experts or consultants are a free good. With the world’s notions and practices of knowledge acquisition rapidly changing, the presence of expatriate experts in aid recipient countries needs to be re-evaluated. This chapter also looks into how governance and public service incentive systems can strengthen government institutions and enable them to support national processes and private-sector development. Long-standing dilemmas involving project management units and individual salary compensation schemes are assessed. Key issues include:

• What is needed to attract and retain the right people for critical positions?

• How can demotivation due to different work conditions and remuneration packages be addressed?

• What are ways to move from dispersed incentive schemes to aligned and rationalized incentives?

• Are there better approaches to navigating effectiveness and suitability, as well as dealing with parallel structures, such as project implementation units?

• How can brain drain be turned into “brain gain”?

Chapter 4 addresses the challenges of capacity development at three levels: individual, institutional and societal. It offers insights on individual skills development with a focus on education. Institution building and strengthening are emphasized as fundamental in charting a development course. On the societal level, the roles of social capital, civic engagement and self-esteem in empowering individuals and societies are revisited. In addition, the chapter explores global trends with implications for development, examining emerging global knowledge networks and the implications of enhanced mobility. Key issues include:

• What are promising ways to enhance human skills?

• How can institutions for effective service delivery be strengthened?

• How can contributions be made to the protection and nurturing of social capital and societal capacity?

• How can capacities be expanded to benefit from a more globalized world?

This book is not intended to be a how-to manual. Its goal is to be as concrete and specific as possible in proposing options, as well as in exploring some issues that in the past were deemed too complex or controversial to address. Perhaps its most important contribution to the dialogue on capacity development will be Part B, the second half. Through a collection of case studies chronicling effective examples and practical experiences, it affirms the diverse ways in which people can transform their lives by building upon their own creativity and resourcefulness.

1 Capacity development basics

Capacity development is an all-encompassing term that requires explanation and a sharper focus. Fundamentally, it is a broad goal achieved over time.¹ Yet it is not synonymous with socioeconomic development, even though developing capacities to conceive and carry out relevant tasks is crucial to the advancement of living standards.

Another term, often used interchangeably with capacity development, is capacity building. The former is more comprehensive, however, connoting the initial stage of creating and building capacities, as well as the subsequent use and retention of such capacities. There is nothing wrong with capacity building, but it is not sufficient in and of itself, because capacity exists within an environment: labour market trends, institutional governance and other local conditions are all factors that influence it for better or worse. While capacity development may not be the perfect designation for this highly nuanced, multilayered process, at the very least it ventures beyond the first step of building or creating. In many cases, this first step has proved to be the easiest to take on a long, difficult and often frustrating road.

The following chapter begins by establishing capacity development as an endogenous process and exploring two questions: capacities “for what?” and “for whom?” Some fundamental core capacities will be looked into, followed by a discussion on important starting points. Since national ownership and accountability have always been key to sustainable development, this chapter shows how they form an integral part of the default setting for capacity development. As well, every country is a case in itself, with its own peculiarities that require customized solutions. Particular challenges will arise in the form of mindsets, vested interests, power and special development circumstances.

1.1 CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT AS AN ENDOGENOUS PROCESS

Learning a musical instrument involves many stages in a long and continuous journey. The road to success is one that nobody but the student can walk on. It leads through trial and error, lots of exercises, dissonance and gradual achievement. The student could benefit from listening to the teacher play beautifully once in a while. But if the teacher takes over, it is likely that the student will feel inferior and lose confidence and motivation. Learning to produce harmonious music requires motivation, perseverance and determination.

Learning is the key ingredient in human progress, helping people grow and become capable of more sophisticated undertakings. There is, however, a limit to what an individual or organization can achieve through informal learning. A functioning society requires “the ability of people, institutions and societies to perform functions, solve problems, and set and achieve objectives” (UNDP, 2002a).

This is a concise, straightforward, definition of capacity development.² But how does it happen?

It is voluntary. Capacity development stems from one’s motivation and desire to do things and do them well. Learning anything more demanding requires determination and perseverance to eventually get things right. In schools, incentives such as academic honours and scholarships play an important role in prompting students to learn more and reap rewards. On the other hand, perverse incentives can dwarf or undermine interest. In all likelihood, a student who is consistently told that others are smarter or do much better will become discouraged.

It takes time. Building and developing sustainable capacities is a decades-long endeavour. Training individuals takes years if all stages of education are included, while bringing an organization to the brink of self-sufficiency may take much more than a one- or even five-year budget. Major systemic or societal changes may call for generations. Nevertheless, countries tend to operate on a short-term horizon, as encouraged by regular, democratic elections. Similarly, external cooperation is seldom...