‘twinning’ as a method of sustainable institutional capacity building

‘Twinning’ is the distinctive method employed during the last two decades by the Swedish International Development Co‐operation Agency (Sida) to promote institutional capacity building in development co‐operation. This article reports on a study undertaken to provide evidence which would help Sida to make judgements about the efficacy of the twinning model as a basis for sustainable capacity building, and to explore ways of enhancing the method. The study indicates that the twinning method has potential advantages over other modes of development co‐operation, particularly that it offers enhanced possibilities for organizational learning and sustainable capacity building. However, the study suggests that this potential is not being fully exploited. Twinning arrangements have produced major benefits in professional/technical upgrading, but there is less evidence of outcomes at the level of sustainable institutional capacity building. Contrary to Sida's expectations of its distinctive advantages, in operation, twinning tends to become a rather routine process, viewed by developing country partners as an unexceptional way of delivering aid which presents few fundamental challenges and provides essentially the same benefits as alternative methods. It appears that institutional development and organizational learning are generally not issues of major significance for partner organizations in twinning arrangements. Even at the individual level the focus is on training rather than learning, which results in the usual emphasis on formal off‐job training rather than seeking opportunities for learning from work. The article presents ideas on how the current twinning approach might be renovated, and considers how agencies such as Sida might enhance their development co‐operation in the realm of governance by moving beyond twinning. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Managerial perceptions of leadership and management in an African public service organization

This article describes and analyses data on perceptions of leadership and management, generated by a study of managerial behaviour, organizational functioning and performance in the Ministry of Local Government, Lands and Housing (MLGLH) in Botswana. The study was commissioned by the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida). The findings indicate that the managers in the investigation did not generally recognize the distinction between organizational leadership and management that is postulated in the predominant current western view. The perceived ideal leader who emerges from the investigation is kindly and supportive and provides clear directions; the western ideal of the ‘corporate hero’ did not emerge from the findings. Further, the Tswana managers emphasize the reaction of the boss as a major factor in judging their own performance. This finding of the acceptance of hierarchical authority and accompanying dependency supports evidence from the few empirical studies undertaken previously in Africa, and has implications for the current plan to implant elements of the ‘Singaporean model’ in Botswana.     

VOICE ALTERATIONS

The experience of divorce is difficult for everyone involved. To best help with the legal experience, we need to understand gender differences that affect the process. This article adds to the understanding of that difference by addressing women's development and the female "voice." Women have not been acculturated to the subtle rules of litigation, which are in the male "voice." The authors offer an alternative scenario to add balance to the traditional experience of divorce for women and men and to the divorce process itself.     

Organizational development and change in Africa(1)

Little is known about organizational functioning and managerial behavior in Africa. The need for organizational development and change is urgent. Current attempts to reform African public sector organizations tend to focus on mechanistic measures, neglecting the complexity of organizational life. Western approaches to organizational development tend to reflect their cultural milieu and may contain elements which are irrelevant or inimical to African contexts. There is a need to develop concepts and approaches to organizational development and change which are effective and sensitive to African contexts.

Most African nations have been independent for less than four decades. Immense changes have taken place on the African continent during that time. ‘Development’ remains the most common word in the rubric of Africa. Many governments still claim to be ’revolutionary,’ although change since independence has generally not been radical. ’Change’ in education has meant more schools, more teachers, more colleges, more universities: more and more of the Western assumption that education and learning inevitably means schooling. ’Change’ in health provision has meant more hospitals, more imported drugs, more complex procedures, more university trained medical practitioners: more and more of the health arrangements which the rich countries of the West can afford less and less. ’Change’ in organizational arrangements has meant more -- and bigger -- bureaucracies, more ministries, more departments, more parastatal corporations, more bureaucrats, more procedures, more forms, more control mechanisms: more and more of the organizational structures and practices which are now seen to retard change and development.