We introduce this thematic issue by exploring the role of leadership in social and political chan... more We introduce this thematic issue by exploring the role of leadership in social and political change. In current times, the importance of leadership and choice has proved as important as ever. Leadership is often the critical variable separating success or failure, legitimacy and sustainability or collapse. This thematic issue explores a range of in-depth case studies across the Asia-Pacific region that help illustrate the critical elements of leadership. Collectively they demonstrate that leadership is best understood as a collective process involving motivated agents overcoming barriers to cooperation to form coalitions that have enough power, legitimacy and influence to transform institutions. Five themes emerge from the thematic issue as a whole: leadership is political; the centrality of gender relations; the need for a more critical localism; scalar politics; and the importance of understanding informal processes of leadership and social change.
The sudden departure of foreign, mostly white, development staff from Pacific countries in the ea... more The sudden departure of foreign, mostly white, development staff from Pacific countries in the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, created a ‘natural experiment’ where local staff continued to work but without the accompaniment (and oversight) of their foreign counterparts. This paper reflects on evidence from the lived experiences of 12 experienced local development staff during this time. They detail how the absence of foreign staff led to increased opportunities for local staff, greater cultural sensitivity and relativity in the workplace, and the successful on-going operations of programs left in the hands of local workers. We position these experiences in relation to broader issues of racism, neo/colonialism and the centring of whiteness in the development industry to highlight the on-going structures that inhibit black and brown colleagues, and to provoke white development actors to work to redress on-going injustices in the industry. We specifically recommend white development actors openly discuss racism in the industry, enhance their knowledge of local cultures and politics, and work to cede space to local staff.
This research unpacks thinking and working politically from the unique perspective of Pacific sta... more This research unpacks thinking and working politically from the unique perspective of Pacific staff working in a bilateral aid programme.. Thinking politically involves knowing the context, who to work with, and when to act.. Working politically entails good communication, intuition, flexibility, influence, connecting people, and "playing different cards" at appropriate moments.. Building and maintaining relationships is the cornerstone of thinking and working politically but is not always valued by within aid programmes.. Moving away from political analysis as donor-led, intelligence-gathering exercises towards investment in locally led processes necessitates genuinely valuing relational work.
The Developmental Leadership Program (DLP) is an international research collaboration supported b... more The Developmental Leadership Program (DLP) is an international research collaboration supported by the Australian Government. DLP investigates the crucial role that leaders, networks and coalitions play in achieving development outcomes.
Thank you to those working at DLP partner organizations and institutions who helped to make the D... more Thank you to those working at DLP partner organizations and institutions who helped to make the DLP partnership happen, including Eileen Christou (La Trobe University), Alana Tomlin, Louisa Whitehouse and Isobel Wilson-Cleary (University of Birmingham). Thanks also to Robin Diver for her support with publishing and promoting individual papers. A special thanks to Duncan Green (Oxfam), Anna Margret (Cakra Wikara Indonesia), Sohela Nazneen (Institute of Development Studies) and Frances Koya-Vakauta (Pacific Community) for the time spent reviewing this paper and providing valuable feedback.
CEDIL’s Methods Working Paper 4 ‘Engaging Stakeholders with Evidence and Uncertainty: Developing ... more CEDIL’s Methods Working Paper 4 ‘Engaging Stakeholders with Evidence and Uncertainty: Developing a Toolkit’, offers a new framework that helps choose appropriate stakeholder engagement methods while conducting research and supporting decision-making. The framework provides the foundation for a toolkit that distinguishes major differences in stakeholder engagement, illustrates pathways for choosing appropriate methods for stakeholder engagement, signposts evidence and practical tools to support stakeholder engagement, and guidance for identifying and understanding stakeholders and their relationships.
This paper explores the challenges of monitoring and evaluating politically informed and adaptive... more This paper explores the challenges of monitoring and evaluating politically informed and adaptive programs in the international development field. We assess the strengths and weaknesses of some specific evaluation methodologies which have been suggested as particularly appropriate for these kinds of programs based on scholarly literature and the practical experience of the authors in using them. We suggest that those methods which assume generative causality are particularly well suited to the task. We also conclude that factoring in the politics of uncertainty and evidence generation and use is particularly important in order to recognize and value diverse experiential knowledge, integrate understandings of the local context, accommodate adaptation, and realistically grapple with the power relations which are inherent in evaluation processes.
Adopting complexity thinking in the design, implementation and evaluation of health and social de... more Adopting complexity thinking in the design, implementation and evaluation of health and social development programmes is of increasing interest. Understanding institutional contexts in which these programmes are located directly influences shaping and eventual uptake of evaluations and relevant findings. A nuanced appreciation of the relationship between complexity, institutional arrangements and evaluation theory and practice provides an opportunity to optimise both programme design and eventual success. However, the application of complexity and systems thinking within programme design and evaluation is variously understood. Some understand complexity as the multiple constituent aspects within a system, while others take a more sociological approach, understanding interactions between beliefs, ideas and systems as mechanisms of change. This article adopts an exploratory approach to examine complexity thinking in the relational, recursive interactions between context and project design, implementation and evaluation. In doing so, common terms will be used to demonstrate the nature of shared aspects of complexity across apparently different projects
There is a growing recognition of the effectiveness of locally led processes of social change and... more There is a growing recognition of the effectiveness of locally led processes of social change and development. However, most of the case studies that have been discussed in the literature are focused on programs run by international development agencies. This article examines three locally led processes of change in the Pacific. These include the Simbo for Change Initiative in the Solomon Islands, the Voice in Papua New Guinea and a regional process led by the Green Growth Coalition. We explore how local understandings of leadership, preferences for informal ways of working, holistic ways of thinking, the importance placed upon maintaining good relationships and collective deliberation fundamentally shaped each of the cases. We note how these preferences and ways of working are often seen, or felt, to be at odds with western modes of thought and the practice of development agencies. Finally, we conclude by exploring how these initiatives were supported by external agencies, and suggest further research of this type might provide benchmarks by which Pacific citizens can hold their governments and development agencies to account.
The term ‘political will’ is often conveniently used to explain the success or failure of any pol... more The term ‘political will’ is often conveniently used to explain the success or failure of any policy or programme. It has emerged as the “sine qua non of policy success which is never defined except by its absence” (Hammergren, 1998, p. 12). Therefore, a structured examination of the term is necessary to analyse social policy and programming. The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), enacted by India’s United Progressive Alliance government in 2005, offers a compelling case to examine the role of ‘political will’ in the formulation of a major programme. The evolution of the MGNREGA, which has been described by the World Bank as the largest antipoverty state-run employment-generation scheme anywhere in the world (Dutta, Murgai, Ravallion, & van de Walle, 2014), depended significantly on leadership and political commitment in the legislature and the executive, as well as their coordination and substantive engagement with civil society, represented through non-governmental organisations and activists. We explore the complex power relations between the diverse range of actors involved in the MGNREGA, and gauge the role of leadership and political will in the formulation of the MGNREGA, as carried out by the United Progressive Alliance government between 2005 and 2014, in contrast to the manner in which it was reframed and retained by its successor dispensation, the National Democratic Alliance from 2014 onwards. We then examine the MGNREGA, utilising a framework which expands our understanding of political will as being contingent upon leadership at the individual, collective and societal levels (Hudson, Mcloughlin, Roche, & Marquette, 2018), thereby providing us with greater explanatory power.
Drawing from the literature, we explore the generic attributes or features of programs that seek ... more Drawing from the literature, we explore the generic attributes or features of programs that seek to support developmental leadership, the features of particularly successful examples of such programs, as well as some of the systemic challenges agencies and the sector more broadly face in working in these ways. From this we set out a range of potential research avenues to guide this area of research under DLP 3. These include exploring:
X how individual and collective leadership support might be combined more strategically; X how programming might focus on shifts in the wider enabling environment in order to support the emergence of developmental leadership; X what mix of support might be required to augment the multiple resources that leaders can develop and strategically deploy in different contexts, and for different groups or issues; X to explore how leadership support might need to differ when supporting prototypical, as opposed to typical, leaders; X what leadership support can learn from the political leadership of women’s organisation, coalitions and Disabled People’s Organisations as well as intersectional initiatives, particularly regarding non-elite leadership pathways, and how multi-level, cross-sectoral leadership functions and is best supported. X an extension of the Gender and Politics in practice research to explore how successful programs have navigated and adapted business practices, HR policies, contract management and MEL processes to effectively support programs seeking to promote developmental leadership. X the strategy and practice of leadership in development agencies, and the degree to which this enhances their effectiveness to support developmental leadership.
An era of financial constraints calls for effective and efficient committee work when making coll... more An era of financial constraints calls for effective and efficient committee work when making collective decisions. A systematic search identified research literatures in business administration, health research and service development, and social psychology addressing decision making about highly technical issues by mixed groups of people. Existing empirical and theoretical syntheses were drawn together to identify learning about the structure, processes and environment of committees and the characteristics of effective chairing. Committee performance depends upon the individuals involved, their attributes and relationships; and the time available for a committee to explore their knowledge to make choices or solve problems. In general, groups with six to twelve members tend to perform better than those in either smaller or larger groups, especially when relying on virtual communication. Diverse groups take account of a range of opinions and enhance credibility and widespread acceptance and implementation of decisions but may be more difficult to convene and manage appropriately. However, where chairs manage conflict constructively, more varied membership leads to better performance and more reliable judgements. These small-scale interactions reflect the larger scale institutional relationships, hierarchies and cultures which act as a backdrop to committee activities. These findings suggest that effective committee performance is enhanced by: appointing members from all key stakeholder groups who between them bring the appropriate range in educational and functional background, while keeping the group size close to 6-12; appointing committee chairs for their facilitation skills and generalist background rather than specialist knowledge; allowing sufficient time to allow all relevant knowledge to be shared and evaluated through discussion, especially when judgements need to be made by committees with members who vary in status; applying formal consensus development processes; and, particularly when working virtually, considering the challenges of developing trust and cohesion, and integrating divergent perspectives.
This paper presents a synthesis of findings from the Developmental Leadership
Program’s (DLP) re... more This paper presents a synthesis of findings from the Developmental Leadership
Program’s (DLP) research into politics, gender and coalitions. Through an exploration of these studies, this paper interrogates how the nature of a coalition’s formation, purpose, leadership and ownership drive the way in which that coalition functions, and sheds insights into how better to support the work of such coalitions. In particular, this paper raises important questions as to if, and how, external actors and donors can support local processes which challenge gender norms and engage in contentious politics in smart ways
This three-page brief summarises findings from case studies of five gender-focused coalitions in ... more This three-page brief summarises findings from case studies of five gender-focused coalitions in the Pacific, and discusses the implications for coalitions and their supporters.
It highlights four key factors influencing the formation and functioning of the coalitions: formative events; shared purpose; forms of leadership; and the nature of ownership.
One of the lessons that emerges is the importance of safe spaces in which coalition members and others can discuss and reframe attitudes and beliefs, often by sharing personal stories.
International non-government organisations (INGOs) are facing significant challenges – but also o... more International non-government organisations (INGOs) are facing significant challenges – but also opportunities. These challenges go to the very heart of INGOs’ identities as effective agents for social change and justice. The challenges and opportunities arise from unprecedented changes in the development environment as well as changes in the INGOs’ key relationships – with partner organisations such as NGOs, Community Based Organisations, communities and government in developing countries, with funding agencies, especially official development agencies, and with their supporters in their home countries. In this paper we explore changes to the development environment and the possible implications for INGOs. We examine changes in INGOs’ key relationships, again looking at the implications and opportunities. Finally we try to look at INGOs’ previous experiences in changing their ways of working and outline some possible future directions.
The European Journal of Development Research, Jan 2014
It’s never fun to waste one’s time. So an impact evaluation (IE) that makes a difference would ap... more It’s never fun to waste one’s time. So an impact evaluation (IE) that makes a difference would appear to be a good starting point, right? Yet the utility of IE is not always clear or questioned. Many of the debates and tussles about IE focus on who is right or wrong in relation to which method, and on formal definitions of impact. These tussles are embedded in a growing IE industry with large volumes of money and many professional reputations at stake. Focusing the debate on the core functions and purposes reduces the tedious method-wars that largely ignore this crucial question
"Few people would want to argue against the 'results' and 'value for money' ... more "Few people would want to argue against the 'results' and 'value for money' agenda that now dominates the current fashions in evaluation and monitoring. But are we clear about what is meant by 'value'? Value for whom? And value over what period? Are all 'results' amenable to standard methods of evaluation? And how does one evaluate results that are intended or expected to mature gradually or to occur many years in the future? Is that too risky? Should we only promote programmes and projects that intend to deliver, and hence that can be measured in terms of, immediate or short-term outcomes? Does that mean that donor concerns for embedding the political institutions of accountability, transparency, participation or inclusion, for instance - that always take a long time to mature - should be abandoned? Or just assessed 'in bits'? Or in different ways? This new DLP paper by Chris Roche and Linda Kelly explores these issues, drawing heavily o...
This paper focuses on three elements. Firstly I will explore some recent trends in the scale of N... more This paper focuses on three elements. Firstly I will explore some recent trends in the scale of Non ‐ Governmental aid. Secondly I will describe some of the key challenges facing the Aid sector. Finally I will explore some of the ways that Civil Society might contribute to addressing some of those challenges, over and above the more traditional roles of delivering services, responding to emergencies or undertaking advocacy for more aid
We introduce this thematic issue by exploring the role of leadership in social and political chan... more We introduce this thematic issue by exploring the role of leadership in social and political change. In current times, the importance of leadership and choice has proved as important as ever. Leadership is often the critical variable separating success or failure, legitimacy and sustainability or collapse. This thematic issue explores a range of in-depth case studies across the Asia-Pacific region that help illustrate the critical elements of leadership. Collectively they demonstrate that leadership is best understood as a collective process involving motivated agents overcoming barriers to cooperation to form coalitions that have enough power, legitimacy and influence to transform institutions. Five themes emerge from the thematic issue as a whole: leadership is political; the centrality of gender relations; the need for a more critical localism; scalar politics; and the importance of understanding informal processes of leadership and social change.
The sudden departure of foreign, mostly white, development staff from Pacific countries in the ea... more The sudden departure of foreign, mostly white, development staff from Pacific countries in the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, created a ‘natural experiment’ where local staff continued to work but without the accompaniment (and oversight) of their foreign counterparts. This paper reflects on evidence from the lived experiences of 12 experienced local development staff during this time. They detail how the absence of foreign staff led to increased opportunities for local staff, greater cultural sensitivity and relativity in the workplace, and the successful on-going operations of programs left in the hands of local workers. We position these experiences in relation to broader issues of racism, neo/colonialism and the centring of whiteness in the development industry to highlight the on-going structures that inhibit black and brown colleagues, and to provoke white development actors to work to redress on-going injustices in the industry. We specifically recommend white development actors openly discuss racism in the industry, enhance their knowledge of local cultures and politics, and work to cede space to local staff.
This research unpacks thinking and working politically from the unique perspective of Pacific sta... more This research unpacks thinking and working politically from the unique perspective of Pacific staff working in a bilateral aid programme.. Thinking politically involves knowing the context, who to work with, and when to act.. Working politically entails good communication, intuition, flexibility, influence, connecting people, and "playing different cards" at appropriate moments.. Building and maintaining relationships is the cornerstone of thinking and working politically but is not always valued by within aid programmes.. Moving away from political analysis as donor-led, intelligence-gathering exercises towards investment in locally led processes necessitates genuinely valuing relational work.
The Developmental Leadership Program (DLP) is an international research collaboration supported b... more The Developmental Leadership Program (DLP) is an international research collaboration supported by the Australian Government. DLP investigates the crucial role that leaders, networks and coalitions play in achieving development outcomes.
Thank you to those working at DLP partner organizations and institutions who helped to make the D... more Thank you to those working at DLP partner organizations and institutions who helped to make the DLP partnership happen, including Eileen Christou (La Trobe University), Alana Tomlin, Louisa Whitehouse and Isobel Wilson-Cleary (University of Birmingham). Thanks also to Robin Diver for her support with publishing and promoting individual papers. A special thanks to Duncan Green (Oxfam), Anna Margret (Cakra Wikara Indonesia), Sohela Nazneen (Institute of Development Studies) and Frances Koya-Vakauta (Pacific Community) for the time spent reviewing this paper and providing valuable feedback.
CEDIL’s Methods Working Paper 4 ‘Engaging Stakeholders with Evidence and Uncertainty: Developing ... more CEDIL’s Methods Working Paper 4 ‘Engaging Stakeholders with Evidence and Uncertainty: Developing a Toolkit’, offers a new framework that helps choose appropriate stakeholder engagement methods while conducting research and supporting decision-making. The framework provides the foundation for a toolkit that distinguishes major differences in stakeholder engagement, illustrates pathways for choosing appropriate methods for stakeholder engagement, signposts evidence and practical tools to support stakeholder engagement, and guidance for identifying and understanding stakeholders and their relationships.
This paper explores the challenges of monitoring and evaluating politically informed and adaptive... more This paper explores the challenges of monitoring and evaluating politically informed and adaptive programs in the international development field. We assess the strengths and weaknesses of some specific evaluation methodologies which have been suggested as particularly appropriate for these kinds of programs based on scholarly literature and the practical experience of the authors in using them. We suggest that those methods which assume generative causality are particularly well suited to the task. We also conclude that factoring in the politics of uncertainty and evidence generation and use is particularly important in order to recognize and value diverse experiential knowledge, integrate understandings of the local context, accommodate adaptation, and realistically grapple with the power relations which are inherent in evaluation processes.
Adopting complexity thinking in the design, implementation and evaluation of health and social de... more Adopting complexity thinking in the design, implementation and evaluation of health and social development programmes is of increasing interest. Understanding institutional contexts in which these programmes are located directly influences shaping and eventual uptake of evaluations and relevant findings. A nuanced appreciation of the relationship between complexity, institutional arrangements and evaluation theory and practice provides an opportunity to optimise both programme design and eventual success. However, the application of complexity and systems thinking within programme design and evaluation is variously understood. Some understand complexity as the multiple constituent aspects within a system, while others take a more sociological approach, understanding interactions between beliefs, ideas and systems as mechanisms of change. This article adopts an exploratory approach to examine complexity thinking in the relational, recursive interactions between context and project design, implementation and evaluation. In doing so, common terms will be used to demonstrate the nature of shared aspects of complexity across apparently different projects
There is a growing recognition of the effectiveness of locally led processes of social change and... more There is a growing recognition of the effectiveness of locally led processes of social change and development. However, most of the case studies that have been discussed in the literature are focused on programs run by international development agencies. This article examines three locally led processes of change in the Pacific. These include the Simbo for Change Initiative in the Solomon Islands, the Voice in Papua New Guinea and a regional process led by the Green Growth Coalition. We explore how local understandings of leadership, preferences for informal ways of working, holistic ways of thinking, the importance placed upon maintaining good relationships and collective deliberation fundamentally shaped each of the cases. We note how these preferences and ways of working are often seen, or felt, to be at odds with western modes of thought and the practice of development agencies. Finally, we conclude by exploring how these initiatives were supported by external agencies, and suggest further research of this type might provide benchmarks by which Pacific citizens can hold their governments and development agencies to account.
The term ‘political will’ is often conveniently used to explain the success or failure of any pol... more The term ‘political will’ is often conveniently used to explain the success or failure of any policy or programme. It has emerged as the “sine qua non of policy success which is never defined except by its absence” (Hammergren, 1998, p. 12). Therefore, a structured examination of the term is necessary to analyse social policy and programming. The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), enacted by India’s United Progressive Alliance government in 2005, offers a compelling case to examine the role of ‘political will’ in the formulation of a major programme. The evolution of the MGNREGA, which has been described by the World Bank as the largest antipoverty state-run employment-generation scheme anywhere in the world (Dutta, Murgai, Ravallion, & van de Walle, 2014), depended significantly on leadership and political commitment in the legislature and the executive, as well as their coordination and substantive engagement with civil society, represented through non-governmental organisations and activists. We explore the complex power relations between the diverse range of actors involved in the MGNREGA, and gauge the role of leadership and political will in the formulation of the MGNREGA, as carried out by the United Progressive Alliance government between 2005 and 2014, in contrast to the manner in which it was reframed and retained by its successor dispensation, the National Democratic Alliance from 2014 onwards. We then examine the MGNREGA, utilising a framework which expands our understanding of political will as being contingent upon leadership at the individual, collective and societal levels (Hudson, Mcloughlin, Roche, & Marquette, 2018), thereby providing us with greater explanatory power.
Drawing from the literature, we explore the generic attributes or features of programs that seek ... more Drawing from the literature, we explore the generic attributes or features of programs that seek to support developmental leadership, the features of particularly successful examples of such programs, as well as some of the systemic challenges agencies and the sector more broadly face in working in these ways. From this we set out a range of potential research avenues to guide this area of research under DLP 3. These include exploring:
X how individual and collective leadership support might be combined more strategically; X how programming might focus on shifts in the wider enabling environment in order to support the emergence of developmental leadership; X what mix of support might be required to augment the multiple resources that leaders can develop and strategically deploy in different contexts, and for different groups or issues; X to explore how leadership support might need to differ when supporting prototypical, as opposed to typical, leaders; X what leadership support can learn from the political leadership of women’s organisation, coalitions and Disabled People’s Organisations as well as intersectional initiatives, particularly regarding non-elite leadership pathways, and how multi-level, cross-sectoral leadership functions and is best supported. X an extension of the Gender and Politics in practice research to explore how successful programs have navigated and adapted business practices, HR policies, contract management and MEL processes to effectively support programs seeking to promote developmental leadership. X the strategy and practice of leadership in development agencies, and the degree to which this enhances their effectiveness to support developmental leadership.
An era of financial constraints calls for effective and efficient committee work when making coll... more An era of financial constraints calls for effective and efficient committee work when making collective decisions. A systematic search identified research literatures in business administration, health research and service development, and social psychology addressing decision making about highly technical issues by mixed groups of people. Existing empirical and theoretical syntheses were drawn together to identify learning about the structure, processes and environment of committees and the characteristics of effective chairing. Committee performance depends upon the individuals involved, their attributes and relationships; and the time available for a committee to explore their knowledge to make choices or solve problems. In general, groups with six to twelve members tend to perform better than those in either smaller or larger groups, especially when relying on virtual communication. Diverse groups take account of a range of opinions and enhance credibility and widespread acceptance and implementation of decisions but may be more difficult to convene and manage appropriately. However, where chairs manage conflict constructively, more varied membership leads to better performance and more reliable judgements. These small-scale interactions reflect the larger scale institutional relationships, hierarchies and cultures which act as a backdrop to committee activities. These findings suggest that effective committee performance is enhanced by: appointing members from all key stakeholder groups who between them bring the appropriate range in educational and functional background, while keeping the group size close to 6-12; appointing committee chairs for their facilitation skills and generalist background rather than specialist knowledge; allowing sufficient time to allow all relevant knowledge to be shared and evaluated through discussion, especially when judgements need to be made by committees with members who vary in status; applying formal consensus development processes; and, particularly when working virtually, considering the challenges of developing trust and cohesion, and integrating divergent perspectives.
This paper presents a synthesis of findings from the Developmental Leadership
Program’s (DLP) re... more This paper presents a synthesis of findings from the Developmental Leadership
Program’s (DLP) research into politics, gender and coalitions. Through an exploration of these studies, this paper interrogates how the nature of a coalition’s formation, purpose, leadership and ownership drive the way in which that coalition functions, and sheds insights into how better to support the work of such coalitions. In particular, this paper raises important questions as to if, and how, external actors and donors can support local processes which challenge gender norms and engage in contentious politics in smart ways
This three-page brief summarises findings from case studies of five gender-focused coalitions in ... more This three-page brief summarises findings from case studies of five gender-focused coalitions in the Pacific, and discusses the implications for coalitions and their supporters.
It highlights four key factors influencing the formation and functioning of the coalitions: formative events; shared purpose; forms of leadership; and the nature of ownership.
One of the lessons that emerges is the importance of safe spaces in which coalition members and others can discuss and reframe attitudes and beliefs, often by sharing personal stories.
International non-government organisations (INGOs) are facing significant challenges – but also o... more International non-government organisations (INGOs) are facing significant challenges – but also opportunities. These challenges go to the very heart of INGOs’ identities as effective agents for social change and justice. The challenges and opportunities arise from unprecedented changes in the development environment as well as changes in the INGOs’ key relationships – with partner organisations such as NGOs, Community Based Organisations, communities and government in developing countries, with funding agencies, especially official development agencies, and with their supporters in their home countries. In this paper we explore changes to the development environment and the possible implications for INGOs. We examine changes in INGOs’ key relationships, again looking at the implications and opportunities. Finally we try to look at INGOs’ previous experiences in changing their ways of working and outline some possible future directions.
The European Journal of Development Research, Jan 2014
It’s never fun to waste one’s time. So an impact evaluation (IE) that makes a difference would ap... more It’s never fun to waste one’s time. So an impact evaluation (IE) that makes a difference would appear to be a good starting point, right? Yet the utility of IE is not always clear or questioned. Many of the debates and tussles about IE focus on who is right or wrong in relation to which method, and on formal definitions of impact. These tussles are embedded in a growing IE industry with large volumes of money and many professional reputations at stake. Focusing the debate on the core functions and purposes reduces the tedious method-wars that largely ignore this crucial question
"Few people would want to argue against the 'results' and 'value for money' ... more "Few people would want to argue against the 'results' and 'value for money' agenda that now dominates the current fashions in evaluation and monitoring. But are we clear about what is meant by 'value'? Value for whom? And value over what period? Are all 'results' amenable to standard methods of evaluation? And how does one evaluate results that are intended or expected to mature gradually or to occur many years in the future? Is that too risky? Should we only promote programmes and projects that intend to deliver, and hence that can be measured in terms of, immediate or short-term outcomes? Does that mean that donor concerns for embedding the political institutions of accountability, transparency, participation or inclusion, for instance - that always take a long time to mature - should be abandoned? Or just assessed 'in bits'? Or in different ways? This new DLP paper by Chris Roche and Linda Kelly explores these issues, drawing heavily o...
This paper focuses on three elements. Firstly I will explore some recent trends in the scale of N... more This paper focuses on three elements. Firstly I will explore some recent trends in the scale of Non ‐ Governmental aid. Secondly I will describe some of the key challenges facing the Aid sector. Finally I will explore some of the ways that Civil Society might contribute to addressing some of those challenges, over and above the more traditional roles of delivering services, responding to emergencies or undertaking advocacy for more aid
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Papers by Chris Roche
complexity as the multiple constituent aspects within a system, while others take a more sociological approach, understanding interactions between beliefs, ideas and systems as mechanisms of change. This article adopts an exploratory approach to examine complexity thinking in the relational, recursive interactions between context and project design, implementation and evaluation. In doing so, common terms will be used to demonstrate the nature of shared aspects of complexity across apparently different projects
X how individual and collective leadership support might be combined more strategically;
X how programming might focus on shifts in the wider enabling environment in order to support the emergence of developmental leadership;
X what mix of support might be required to augment the multiple resources that leaders can develop and strategically deploy in different contexts, and for different groups or issues;
X to explore how leadership support might need to differ when supporting prototypical, as opposed to typical, leaders;
X what leadership support can learn from the political leadership of women’s organisation, coalitions and Disabled People’s Organisations as well as intersectional initiatives, particularly regarding non-elite leadership pathways, and how multi-level, cross-sectoral leadership functions and is best supported.
X an extension of the Gender and Politics in practice research to explore how successful programs have navigated and adapted business practices, HR policies, contract management and MEL processes to effectively support programs seeking to promote developmental leadership.
X the strategy and practice of leadership in development agencies, and the degree to which this enhances their effectiveness to support developmental leadership.
Program’s (DLP) research into politics, gender and coalitions. Through an exploration of these studies, this paper interrogates how the nature of a coalition’s formation, purpose, leadership and ownership drive the way in which that coalition functions, and sheds insights into how better to support the work of such coalitions. In particular, this paper raises important questions as to if, and how, external actors and donors can support local processes which challenge gender norms and engage in contentious politics in smart ways
It highlights four key factors influencing the formation and functioning of the coalitions: formative events; shared purpose; forms of leadership; and the nature of ownership.
One of the lessons that emerges is the importance of safe spaces in which coalition members and others can discuss and reframe attitudes and beliefs, often by sharing personal stories.
complexity as the multiple constituent aspects within a system, while others take a more sociological approach, understanding interactions between beliefs, ideas and systems as mechanisms of change. This article adopts an exploratory approach to examine complexity thinking in the relational, recursive interactions between context and project design, implementation and evaluation. In doing so, common terms will be used to demonstrate the nature of shared aspects of complexity across apparently different projects
X how individual and collective leadership support might be combined more strategically;
X how programming might focus on shifts in the wider enabling environment in order to support the emergence of developmental leadership;
X what mix of support might be required to augment the multiple resources that leaders can develop and strategically deploy in different contexts, and for different groups or issues;
X to explore how leadership support might need to differ when supporting prototypical, as opposed to typical, leaders;
X what leadership support can learn from the political leadership of women’s organisation, coalitions and Disabled People’s Organisations as well as intersectional initiatives, particularly regarding non-elite leadership pathways, and how multi-level, cross-sectoral leadership functions and is best supported.
X an extension of the Gender and Politics in practice research to explore how successful programs have navigated and adapted business practices, HR policies, contract management and MEL processes to effectively support programs seeking to promote developmental leadership.
X the strategy and practice of leadership in development agencies, and the degree to which this enhances their effectiveness to support developmental leadership.
Program’s (DLP) research into politics, gender and coalitions. Through an exploration of these studies, this paper interrogates how the nature of a coalition’s formation, purpose, leadership and ownership drive the way in which that coalition functions, and sheds insights into how better to support the work of such coalitions. In particular, this paper raises important questions as to if, and how, external actors and donors can support local processes which challenge gender norms and engage in contentious politics in smart ways
It highlights four key factors influencing the formation and functioning of the coalitions: formative events; shared purpose; forms of leadership; and the nature of ownership.
One of the lessons that emerges is the importance of safe spaces in which coalition members and others can discuss and reframe attitudes and beliefs, often by sharing personal stories.