Comments and Feedback
Name: David mandiyanike
Date: 20 July 2005
Email: ndix68@hotmail.com
Comments
Dear
I read an article by Tony Land "Conceptual and Operational Issues Arising" prepared for the joint DAC Informal Network/ACBF workshop on institutional and Capacity Development, Harare, Zim in October 1999. In the article, Tony brings in different sides of capacity and quotes DFID studies that distinguish between 'hard' and 'soft' elements of capacity. In the bibliography, Tony cites DFID reports by Graham Teskey/Richard Hooper on Tanzania Civil Service REform Programme and Ugandan Education Strategic Investment programme. I looked through these reports and could not find the reference to 'hard' and 'soft' elements. I am working on a similar project and trying to follow-up on that.
Regards,
David
Feedback
Dear David,
Thanks for showing interest in the work of the Centre and for having zeroed in on some of the conceptual language we were using in trying to understand and explain dimensions of capacity and performance some years ago.
This in fact remains an on-going line of enquiry ! At that time we were attempting to distinguish different dimensions of capacity and used the terms hard and soft to differentiate tangible and less tangible elements. We were not however drawing on any specific body of literature in using the term so I cannot offer any references.
Currently, the Centre is undertaking a study on "capacity, change and
performance", outputs and interim findings of which can be found on the Capacity.org web-site (www.capacity.org go to right hand navigation panel to find link to the study under heading "capacity outreach"). Here again, we find ourselves talking about "hard" and
"soft" elements of capacity, but we have as yet no robust usage of the
term. For us "soft" elements can refer to things like values, attitudes, identity that accompany formal skills and functions and can be associated not only with individuals but also at the organisational level. But we also see soft elements in relation to such things as
learning, adaptability, and management of change. These seem to be
cross-cutting capabilities that successful organisations / systems possess/nurture but which cannot be linked back necessarily to any particular formal individual competency / functional area. This usage of soft capabilities can be traced to soft systems thinking for which
there is a body of literature.
To begin with, you might like to look at a draft overview paper that a
colleague prepared on systems thinking and capacity development that includes reference to various publications including on soft systems thinking. The paper is I believe available on the capacity.org web-site.
Peter Morgan 2005 (DRAFT)
The Idea and Practice of Systems Thinking and their relevance for capacity development. ECDPM
http://www.capacity.org/Web_Capacity/Web/UK_Content/Download.nsf/0/0D0E3F99F0
B94667C1256FF10030D81C/$FILE/Morgan%20-%20systems%20thinking-
%20fdraft%20-feb%202005.pdf
See also:
Paul Engel, 1997
The Social Organisation of Innovation (sorry, no further detail)
Peter Senge, 1990
The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning organisation
There is also a paper on Organisational legitimacy that you might find
interesting that can also be accessed from the study web-page.
http://www.capacity.org/Web_Capacity/Web/UK_Content/Navigation.nsf/index2?ReadForm
I hope this might be of some help !
Kind regards
Tony Land
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