1. Govnet Study on ”Power and Drivers of Change”:
Presented at:
Governance & Political Economy seminar series World Bank
1 December 2005 by
Eli Moen

2. Purpose of GOVNET Study:
Donors’ experience with the use of political economy analyses:
Why undertaken?
What was achieved?
What have they been used for?
What is the potential for common donor aproach?
20/11/2018

3. Differences in donors’ approach to studies
Whether initiated and conducted by HQ or embassy
Whether focus on public administration or state/civil society issues
Timing to country programming, political events or ”no timing”
Variations in scope, resources and time allocation, but
no clear correlation to significance of output
20/11/2018

4. Respondents (at Embassy and HQ) experienced:
Changes in their thinking about how development happens,
but confirmation or deepened understanding rather than building of new knowledge
Improved country programming/approach
20/11/2018

5. Opportunities exist for improved harmonisation through ...
common understanding of causes of change
realism of what is achieveable in the short term
common understanding of donor challenges and means to address these
design of interventions, improved aid effectiveness, especially in case of Joint Assistance Strategies
20/11/2018

6. Continued diversity recommended No one-size-fits-all
No singular all-encompassing approach
Rather,
separate donor approaches according to needs, interests and comparative advantace
but,
close coordination, shared results and common discussion of implications
20/11/2018

7. Possibilities for in-country use of findings
Well founded findings can be politically sensitive
Understandably, dissemination is done selectively
Frank studies may contribute to dialogue with government, but unsuitable for public circulation in civil society
Trade-off between hig quality and circulation
20/11/2018

8. Donors can benefit from political economic analyses
Recommendations:
Donors can benefit from political economic analyses
Full potential is not realised, not even for DFID and Sida
20/11/2018

9. experience inertia due to internal tension in donor agencies
But donors may ...
be unable to respond to need for long-term action because of domestic pressure for short-term action
be lacking knowledge how to move from high level of analysis to practical action
perceive findings imcompatible with corporate donor policies or prevailing political interests in country
experience inertia due to internal tension in donor agencies
20/11/2018