Search

We know what works in capacity development: a succession of studies from official agencies, academics and NGO practitioners have all highlighted similar principles of good practice. But the evidence also suggests that there is a distressing dissonance between what international development agencies know about capacity development and what they implement. This article explores the reasons for this failure. It highlights constraints that arise from the changing aid context and from a lack of resources and skills. Ultimately, however, it concludes that capacity development is driven more by self-interest than by knowledge of what works. Until agencies' pride, greed and self-interest can be restrained, much capacity development will continue to be disappointing and ineffective. But if agencies combine existing professional knowledge with virtues of humility, patience and a genuine commitment to others, then capacity development becomes something that can bring transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To assess the social and economic costs of HIV/AIDS infection on the organisational capacities of selected non-government organisations (NGOs) in Malawi. Methods Sixteen semi-structured interviews with senior staff of four NGOs to estimate the costs paid by the NGO and the loss of management and staff time over the last 12 months because of HIV/AIDS, plus questionnaires filled in by 48 NGO leaders. Results Labour costs were an estimated 12.5% higher because of HIV/AIDS, corresponding to a 3% increase in overall budget costs. There was also an estimated 12.4% loss of staff time to address HIV-related issues such as funerals, sickness and management time. Conclusions The organisational costs of HIV/AIDS on NGOs in Malawi may be considerable and more serious than perceived by NGOs, who must develop a workplace response. It also has policy implications for donors, who may need to adjust their funding strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Looks into the dangers presented by HIV/AIDS among the workers of non-government organizations in sub-Saharan Africa. Trends in the financial support provided to the organizations for the management of the disease; Issues to be handled by the workers regarding their health and work brought about by the AIDS pandemic; Problems faced by development organizations in operating HIV/AIDS programs.

Organization development (OD) has become an increasingly popular approach among international donors who are eager to improve the impact of their aid to developing countries. Major questions, however, have been raised as to whether this is not another example of “technique peddling” by Western donors and consultants. Many argue that this participatory, imported, Western approach to organizational change relies on cultural assumptions of open discussion that are simply not present in many developing societies. Taking up Lewis's challenge in his article “Organization and Management in the Third Sector: Towards a Cross-Cultural Research Agenda” (NML 2002), this article explores the veracity of such concerns. Using practitioner experience of implementing OD with African NGOs, this article reveals that many principles of OD are pre-existing within African cultures and are not a new foreign import. It concludes that, as with any culture, there are aspects that undermine and reinforce particular approaches to management and change. An anthropological perspective can assist in understanding the local culture sufficiently to be able to identify, avoid, or overcome cultural resistance, while at the same time using cultural symbols as levers for change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning and knowledge management are crucial capacities for many NGOs. This article attempts to answer such questions as: why is learning seen as so important for NGOs? How do successful NGOs actually learn? And what role do key individuals or leaders play in this process? The article draws heavily on the findings of a study of South Asian NGOs, which suggests that an NGO's ability to learn is dependent on its organisational culture and in particular the development of an internal culture of learning. The case studies from South Asia reveal that the creation of this 'learning culture' derives primarily from the attitude of the leadership towards learning: at the heart of a learning organisation is a 'learning leader'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the nature of organizational strengthening, the organizational implications for European NGOs wishing to strengthen Southern partner NGOs and the pressing organizational strengthening needs which European NGOs themselves have. The paper concludes that European NGOs through their donor role are not in the best position to actually implement the organizational support themselves and that their primary role is to be effective funders of the process, not directing the process itself. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]