This page provides access to the case studies undertaken in the context of the Study on Capacity, Change and Performance. Some are published as ECDPM discussion papers, others are finalised, but not yet edited and/ or published.

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For seeing these case studies in html-format, please follow this link to the ECDPM website.


Hauck. Resilience and high performance amidst conflict, epidemics and extreme poverty - the Lacor Hospital, Northern Uganda. ECDPM Discussion Paper 57A. September 2004

What it is About –Lacor Hospital in Gulu District, northern Uganda, formerly an isolated missionary hospital, is now fully integrated into the Ugandan health system. The case study describes how the hospital has grown into a centre of excellence, setting an example for the rest of the health system and helping to build health care capacity for the whole country. It is an extraordinary example of capacity development, adaptation and performance in a region characterised by civil war, extreme poverty and outbreaks of virulent epidemics.
Capacity Insights – The case provides insights into a change process that has evolved incrementally over time with comparatively little external intervention. The case highlights the development of a set of core capabilities within the organisation that have enabled it to learn to adapt to an ever changing environment while nurturing and protecting a set of core values and in the process, maintaining the highest levels of service delivery. Crucial to the entire process has been the progressive transfer of leadership from the hospital’s founders to a new generation of committed health workers, as well as a willingness to engage with the wider health care system.
http://www.ecdpm.org/dp57a


Land. Developing capacity for participatory development in the context of decentralisation - Takalar district, South Sulawesi province, Indonesia. ECDPM Discussion Paper 57B. October 2004

What it is About – This case study examines how Takalar district in the Indonesian province of South Sulawesi took up the challenge of tackling rural poverty through the use of participatory development and community empowerment methodologies. The study looks at the capacity that was required of various local stakeholders, traces the processes through which the district, in partnership with JICA, undertook to develop the necessary capacity, and discusses the challenges encountered in sustaining interest in and the capacity for participatory development.
Capacity Insights – The case provides insights into the role that an external agency can play as a facilitator of change processes. JICA’s presence offered a protected space for innovation and learning and for forging collaborative relationships between local actors. The case highlights the challenges of introducing new and different ideas and practices into bureaucratic environments and the need to create the appropriate incentives for change. The influence of broader institutional change processes and legacy of the country’s political economy on creating opportunities for change are also emphasised.
http://www.ecdpm.org/dp57b


Saxby. COEP - Mobilising against hunger and for life: an analysis of capacity and change in a Brazilian network. ECDPM Discussion Paper 57C. October 2004

What it is About – This case examines a Brazilian social solidarity network, COEP (the Committee of Entities in the Struggle against Hunger and a Full Life) through the lens of organisational and social capacity and change. COEP is committed to building a just and inclusive society, one without hunger and poverty. Its members include government agencies, parastatals and organisations from the private sector and civil society. The case examines how the network has evolved and identifies the capabilities that have enabled it to become a thriving and dynamic network active through-out the country.
Capacity Insights – The case suggests that the critical forces that have allowed these capabilities to emerge are to be found within COEP’s internal resources, both intangible and material. Three critical factors have reinforced each other. First, COEP has benefited from creative leadership that enjoys substantial legitimacy within the network and beyond. Second, it has demonstrated a sustained capability for strategic thinking and change, continuously renewing itself while maintaining its character and principles. Third, it has benefited from the commitment of its institutional members and even more the passion, ideas and energy that the people of COEP bring to their work.
http://www.ecdpm.org/dp57c


Land. Developing capacity for tax administration - The Rwanda Revenue Authority. ECDPM Discussion Paper 57D. November 2004

What it is About – This case study explores the process through which Rwanda’s revenue collection capability was transformed from that of a moribund government department into to respected and performing organisation in just 6 years. The Rwanda Revenue Authority was established in 1997 as a semi-autonomous executive agency. With substantial financial and technical support from Dfid and driven by high level political commitment to change from Rwanda’s leadership, the authority has helped raise revenue collection from 9.5% of GDP to 13% of GDP.
Capacity Insights – The case provides insights into the internal and external factors that can drive and sustain organisational transformation. This includes the critical role of leadership and vision in driving change, and of galvanising a sense of organisational purpose and loyalty among staff. “Soft” capabilities have emerged that have enabled the organisation to learn to learn, to manage change and to engage the external environment. External assistance has made a critical contribution by accompanying the change process in an iterative and pragmatic manner. With time, a frank and open relationship between partners also developed.
http://www.ecdpm.org/dp57d


V. Hauck, A. Mandie-Filer and J. Bolger. Ringing the church bell - the role of churches in governance and public performance in Papua New Guinea. ECDPM Discussion paper 57E. January 2005

What it is About – This case examines the role of Christian churches as institutional actors within Papua New Guinea’s governance and service delivery landscape. It discusses their existing capabilities to engage in advocacy and policy related work, as well as to function as a partner of government in the delivery of social services. In so doing, it looks at the interplay of endogenous change processes and the development of capabilities to see how this has translated into the performance of various church-based institutions and the capacity of the church sector as a whole.
Capacity Insights – The case identifies some of the key capabilities that have emerged across sections of the church community and that have contributed to its ability to engage in governance work. These are bonding; bridging; linking and the use of space. The interplay of these capabilities supported by incremental and locally based change processes with some external support have led to a discernable capacity to perform. These have in turn been triggered by six factors; leadership; religious interpretations (values); a shared conceptual base and faith-based mandate; appropriate communication channels; legitimacy through resilience, knowledge and service delivery; intermediary structures and organisations.
http://www.ecdpm.org/dp57e


J. Bolger, A. Mandie-Filer and V. Hauck. PNG's health sector - a review of capacity, change and performance issues. ECDPM Discussion Paper 57F. January 2005

What it is About – This case study looks at the recent reforms in Papua New Guinea’s health sector from a capacity development perspective. It addresses a number of factors influencing capacity development, change and performance including issues internal to the National Department of Health, capacity issues at sub-national levels, the institutional “rules of the game” that guide attitudes, behaviour and relationships in the PNG context and in the emerging health sector SWAP, and broader contextual factors.
Capacity Insights – The case illustrates the value of using a systems perspective to help understand complex capacity issues. The system in PNG is a complex of competing and occasionally complementary policy objectives, institutional arrangements, relationships, incentive systems, and political interests, some of which support efforts to strengthen capacity and improve performance, and others which have the potential to undermine it. The case helps to reveal how the ability of organisations to develop their own capacity is determined in part by their roles and relationships within complex networks and systems.
http://www.ecdpm.org/dp57f


D. Watson, A.Q. Khan. 2005. Capacity building for decentralised education service delivery in Pakistan. ECDPM Discussion Paper 57G

What it is About – The Pakistan case is one of two that examine capacity issues in relation to decentralised education service delivery. The study explores the institutional environment and broader governance context within which institutional reform and capacity development has taken place. The study identifies factors that have either facilitated or constrained capacity development across the sector from the classroom level to the policy making level within central government.
Capacity Insights – The case suggests that ‘supply-side’ constraints are proving difficult to overcome, noting that the bureaucracy is largely self-interested; representative democracy is dysfunctional in part because of collusion with the bureaucracy, and that these pose formidable obstacles to performance improvement. The case argues that a successful future strategy for capacity building must build on appropriate motivators to encourage the changes and performance improvements which devolution was intended to bring about. Factors which impeded the major earlier attempts to introduce change and improve performance through capacity building appear to be as real and as relevant as ever.
http://www.ecdpm.org/dp57g


D. Watson, L. Yohannes. 2005. Capacity building for decentralised education service delivery in Ethiopia. ECDPM Discussion Paper 57H

What it is About – The Ethiopia case is one of two that examine capacity issues in relation to decentralised education service delivery. The study explores the institutional environment and broader governance context within which institutional reform and capacity development has taken place. The study identifies factors that have either facilitated or constrained capacity development across the sector from the classroom level to the policy making level within central government.
Capacity Insights – The case emphasises the importance of contextual factors on conditioning the opportunity for sustainable capacity development. It finds that these have been generally favourable: in particular, policy commitment to devolution, including fiscal decentralisation and enhancement of education services. General conditions within the public service especially at the local level have improved considerably and the decentralisation of public service management appears to have created stronger incentives to perform. Local accountability systems are strong, for example, councils of public representatives at regional woreda and kebele levels which push for higher standards. In addition, communities made large contributions to the education infrastructure, including paying recurrent costs. This creates a strong sense of ownership of the system within these communities.
http://www.ecdpm.org/dp57h


D. Watson. 2005. Capacity building for decentralised education service delivery in Ethiopia and Pakistan - Comparative analysis. ECDPM Discussion Paper 57I.

This comparative analysis of the two cases on decentralised education service delivery in Ethiopia and Pakistan does three things. It summarises the main features of the two cases in terms of contexts, and features of the capacity building experience the two countries have had; compares the main features of contexts and capacity building experience with a view to drawing conclusions about the apparent significance of various aspects of this experience; distils conclusions about what factors appear to matter most in the relationship of change, capacity and performance, and as determinants of the feasibility of building effective capacity for devolved education service delivery over time.
The paper is not a substitute for reading the full texts of the two cases. The narrative summary attempts to pull together the main strands of the ‘story’ in order to highlight the main similarities, contrasts and to the extent possible, explanatory factors in capacity building experience involved. The table compares the two countries against a variety of features. The right-hand column draws conclusions, and assesses the significance of the feature concerned in relation to capacity, performance and change.
http://www.ecdpm.org/dp57i


P. Morgan. Organising for Large-Scale System Change-The Environmental Action (ENACT) Programme, Jamaica. ECDPM Discussion Paper 57J.May 2005

What it is About - This case looks at the Environmental Action (ENACT) Programme, a collaboration between Jamaica’s National Conservation Resources Agency and the Canadian International Development Agency. ENACT’s mandate was to work with Jamaican public, private and non-profit organisations to improve their capabilities to identify and solve national environmental problems. Programme design began in 1990 but field activities only got under way in 1994. It took until 1999, to put in places all the pieces to make ENACT a high-performing support unit.
Capacity Insights – ENACT’s work was guided by four key aspects: a process approach based on responsive entrepreneurship; working across a wide spectrum of capacity development initiatives; working with a wide variety of stakeholders and partners; working at a variety of levels. ENACT did not push involvement and compliance in its programme, but rather looked to add value to the programmes of others. The donor played a facilitating role and generally took a hands-off approach. The programme generated its effectiveness by achieving ‘fit’ both internally and with the conditions and demands of the surrounding environment. Making that happen in the ENACT case took the better part of seven years.
http://www.ecdpm.org/dp57j


P. Morgan. Building capabilities for performance-The environmental and sustainable development unit (ESDU) of the organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). ECDPM Discussion Paper 57K. May 2005

What it is About - This case looks at the experience of the Environment and Sustainable Development Unit (ESDU) of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) located in St. Lucia. The unit, originally conceived as the regional implementing arm for projects funded by (GTZ) at the beginning of the 1990s, has since become a facilitating and bridging organisation responding to the needs of the Member States of the OECS. The study explains ESDU’s effectiveness in enhancing its organisational capabilities for performance over the period 1996–2003.
Capacity Insights - ESDU is a story of organisational transformation, and what it takes to get there. Over the period under study, the organization changed its mandate, management style, and structure, partly because the director was able to help her staff better situate the organization in the broader system of environmental protection in the Eastern Caribbean. The results were enhanced performance, improved service output, better staff satisfaction and higher credibility amongst stakeholders. The strategies used included: taking ownership of ESDU as an organisation; crafting the role and contribution of the organisation; aligning the direction and design of the organisation; recruiting and developing ESDU staff; creating a collective, team-based approach to its work; finding the right leadership style; learning how to learn collectively; and generating an upward spiral of capabilities and performance.
http://www.ecdpm.org/dp57k



Forthcoming case studies:

N. Banerjee. Competition and Micro-Credit: Bangladesh

P. Morgan. NAC case study: South Africa

P. Morgan. IUCN Pakistan/Asia

P. Morgan. Civil service reform: Tanzania

P. Rourke: Trade capacities: Russia

A. Yule. Local Government Reform: Philippines

Francisco Campos, Volker Hauck. Networking collaboratively: the experience of the observatories of human resources in Brazil.