This paper analyses the implementation of the decentralisation policy in Peru from 2002 to 2008. ... more This paper analyses the implementation of the decentralisation policy in Peru from 2002 to 2008. The focus is on four key dimensions: transference of responsibilities (devolution), economic decentralisation, fiscal decentralisation, and formation of regions. This article argues that the complexity of the policy, external factors, high dependency relationship and the top-down approach led to the slow and patchy implementation as well as frustration and unintended consequences.
This paper discusses one of the issues that are at the heart of
the debate on development: whet... more This paper discusses one of the issues that are at the heart of
the debate on development: whether the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) will be achieved or not. The first part touches on
the framework of the MDGs and has an overview of their not
optimistic performance. The second section addresses the gaps
and incoherence at national level that are playing a major role
for slowing down the MDGs’ attainment. In the third part, the
focus is on the other side of the coin: the politics at
international level, which influences on the MDGs, with special
emphasis on the failed promises and the role of international
organisations. The fourth part is a discussion of one of the
contemporary thinking on development theory: concepts such as
‘poverty trap’, ‘big push’ and ‘take off’, which have been proposed
by Jeffrey Sachs are analysed in the context of the MDGs in
developing countries.
The aim of this paper is to discuss three main obstacles to change in organisations. To do so, at... more The aim of this paper is to discuss three main obstacles to change in organisations. To do so, at the outset it starts defining organisations from different perspectives. In the following sections the external and internal triggers of change are presented. In an attempt to explain how does change happen, there is an overview of different types and stages of change, which is complemented with the change equation.
At the core section, this article argues that obstacles to change in organisations exist at three levels: i) at the macro level, the negative context or action environment, which is related to the wider background such as the economic, social and political conditions existing in a given country; ii) at the intermediate level, the organisational structure and culture, namely the ethos or the covert aspect of organisational life; and iii) at the micro level, the human blockage, which may come from the managerial level or from the employee’s attitudes (resistance to change). It is worth mentioning that in this paper those elements are described from the negative perspective, because at the same time, these elements (from an optimistic perspective) can be the driving forces for positive organisational change.
Capacity is considered as fundamental for implementing public policies in developing and develope... more Capacity is considered as fundamental for implementing public policies in developing and developed countries alike, and constraints are understood as the external or internal factors which control what an organisation does by keeping it within particular limits.
The aim of this paper is to analyse capacity constraints in the public sector with regard to the implementation of two reforms: contracting-out and regulation. The first case analyses the experience of contracting-out in Ghana, Africa, with especial focus on the capacity constraints which had in the past undermined this specific reform. The context is mainly from 1990 to 1998, and I focus on the introduction of contracting-out in the health sector. The second case is slightly different, but lies within the framework of the relationship between the state and the market: regulation. The examination takes into account the Peruvian experience of regulating mining companies. The timeframe is from 1990 to 2006, and there are specific references to ongoing processes since 2007.
Though both country-specific experiences are from different sectors, they have similarities which allow comparison, draw some conclusions and suggest some policy recommendations regarding capacity building.
This paper is aimed to outline a strategy for organising a new state agency whose main mandate is... more This paper is aimed to outline a strategy for organising a new state agency whose main mandate is to deal with the problem of drug trafficking in the Balakash Republic, taking into account the particularity of the context and it should be made up with elements of the existing institutions and must be capable of collaborative work with other government agencies and deliver quick and demonstrable results.
To do so, the strategy must contain: i) the role and functions of the new agency, ii) the overall structure, iii) the accountability system, iv) and the strategy for delivering results.
In Peru the ongoing decentralisation process involves two sub-national levels: regional and local... more In Peru the ongoing decentralisation process involves two sub-national levels: regional and local governments. The latter have two tiers: provincial and district municipalities; consequently, information for both sub-national governments will be considered. This paper aims to measure the Aggregated Decentralisation Index (ADI) for Peru based on four categories: democracy, capacity, fiscal autonomy, and coordination. At the end there is a reflexion about the ADI results and its usefulness.
This dissertation analyses capacity issues in the implementation of Juntos, which is a conditiona... more This dissertation analyses capacity issues in the implementation of Juntos, which is a conditional cash transfer (CCT) programme, by taking into account five dimensions of capacity as an analytical framework.
The study is underpinned by the literature on capacity developed by Hilderbrand and Grindle (1997). Therefore, the implementation of Juntos is analysed in the light of the five interconnected dimensions of capacity: the action environment, the institutional context of the public sector, the task network, the organisation itself and the human resources. The research question addressed is: in which of the five capacity dimensions are the constraints greatest and affect the performance of Juntos?
Evidence suggested that the action environment did not hinder capacity; conversely, the economic conditions allowed the government to have fiscal resources for funding the programme and to have an increasing budget. The political context, also, was a key factor for the continuity and the openness of the programme.
Concerning the institutional context of the public sector, the evidence points at this being the source of the main constraints. The low absorption capacity of the budget led to the shortage of supply of public services which undermined the attainment of one of the programme’s objectives: to boost human development.
The task network represented a challenge because Juntos required the intervention of other organisations for accomplishing its objectives. Juntos struggled to control the activities carried out by these public agencies. It appeared that the weak performance of the task network’s organisations affected the overall functioning of the programme.
iv
Regarding organisation, Juntos’ governance structure stood out due to its power- sharing feature of the Board of Directors, with representatives of the State the civil society organisations and the private sector. It makes the programme more transparent and accountable.
On the topic of human resources, the programme faced constraints in terms of having short-term contract employees. Also, the lack of neutrality of the promoters for monitoring the compliance of conditionalities generated a false sense of achievement of targets. Finally, Juntos did not have influence on employees who belong to the organisations of the task network, and the majority of those employees benefited from having permanent status without incentives or penalties tied to performance.
Therefore, the implementation of Juntos revealed that the highest capacity constraints were related to the institutional context of the public sector, and the task network.
This social business proposal aims to set a framework for enabling access to affordable and susta... more This social business proposal aims to set a framework for enabling access to affordable and sustainable solar energy for poor families, as a means for social inclusion and development in the rural highlands of Peru.
The proposed model takes advantage of the high annual average daily solar irradiation in the Peruvian rural highlands that is key for developing photovoltaic projects, also the fact that rural households in Peru have a significant desire, willingness, and ability to pay for electricity.
The social business has governments and large businesses as clients. The product is called “solar home system” that comprises the following main components: a solar module of 100Wp, a charge controller of 12V 10A, and a battery of 65Ah 12V. The end users are rural households that are not considered in any national rural electrification plan; therefore they might not have electricity in the following seven years or more.
In the pricing scheme families will enjoy a subsidy, however they will pay a fee for the operation and maintenance and cooperate with their labour force, small accessories, and local materials. A certain level of subsidy is sine qua non for electricity projects.
Having institutional clients that are not price sensitive, and having a large unsatisfied demand for electricity are the main factors for making this social business viable from the economic and social perspective.
This paper analyses the implementation of the decentralisation policy in Peru from 2002 to 2008. ... more This paper analyses the implementation of the decentralisation policy in Peru from 2002 to 2008. The focus is on four key dimensions: transference of responsibilities (devolution), economic decentralisation, fiscal decentralisation, and formation of regions. This article argues that the complexity of the policy, external factors, high dependency relationship and the top-down approach led to the slow and patchy implementation as well as frustration and unintended consequences.
This paper discusses one of the issues that are at the heart of
the debate on development: whet... more This paper discusses one of the issues that are at the heart of
the debate on development: whether the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) will be achieved or not. The first part touches on
the framework of the MDGs and has an overview of their not
optimistic performance. The second section addresses the gaps
and incoherence at national level that are playing a major role
for slowing down the MDGs’ attainment. In the third part, the
focus is on the other side of the coin: the politics at
international level, which influences on the MDGs, with special
emphasis on the failed promises and the role of international
organisations. The fourth part is a discussion of one of the
contemporary thinking on development theory: concepts such as
‘poverty trap’, ‘big push’ and ‘take off’, which have been proposed
by Jeffrey Sachs are analysed in the context of the MDGs in
developing countries.
The aim of this paper is to discuss three main obstacles to change in organisations. To do so, at... more The aim of this paper is to discuss three main obstacles to change in organisations. To do so, at the outset it starts defining organisations from different perspectives. In the following sections the external and internal triggers of change are presented. In an attempt to explain how does change happen, there is an overview of different types and stages of change, which is complemented with the change equation.
At the core section, this article argues that obstacles to change in organisations exist at three levels: i) at the macro level, the negative context or action environment, which is related to the wider background such as the economic, social and political conditions existing in a given country; ii) at the intermediate level, the organisational structure and culture, namely the ethos or the covert aspect of organisational life; and iii) at the micro level, the human blockage, which may come from the managerial level or from the employee’s attitudes (resistance to change). It is worth mentioning that in this paper those elements are described from the negative perspective, because at the same time, these elements (from an optimistic perspective) can be the driving forces for positive organisational change.
Capacity is considered as fundamental for implementing public policies in developing and develope... more Capacity is considered as fundamental for implementing public policies in developing and developed countries alike, and constraints are understood as the external or internal factors which control what an organisation does by keeping it within particular limits.
The aim of this paper is to analyse capacity constraints in the public sector with regard to the implementation of two reforms: contracting-out and regulation. The first case analyses the experience of contracting-out in Ghana, Africa, with especial focus on the capacity constraints which had in the past undermined this specific reform. The context is mainly from 1990 to 1998, and I focus on the introduction of contracting-out in the health sector. The second case is slightly different, but lies within the framework of the relationship between the state and the market: regulation. The examination takes into account the Peruvian experience of regulating mining companies. The timeframe is from 1990 to 2006, and there are specific references to ongoing processes since 2007.
Though both country-specific experiences are from different sectors, they have similarities which allow comparison, draw some conclusions and suggest some policy recommendations regarding capacity building.
This paper is aimed to outline a strategy for organising a new state agency whose main mandate is... more This paper is aimed to outline a strategy for organising a new state agency whose main mandate is to deal with the problem of drug trafficking in the Balakash Republic, taking into account the particularity of the context and it should be made up with elements of the existing institutions and must be capable of collaborative work with other government agencies and deliver quick and demonstrable results.
To do so, the strategy must contain: i) the role and functions of the new agency, ii) the overall structure, iii) the accountability system, iv) and the strategy for delivering results.
In Peru the ongoing decentralisation process involves two sub-national levels: regional and local... more In Peru the ongoing decentralisation process involves two sub-national levels: regional and local governments. The latter have two tiers: provincial and district municipalities; consequently, information for both sub-national governments will be considered. This paper aims to measure the Aggregated Decentralisation Index (ADI) for Peru based on four categories: democracy, capacity, fiscal autonomy, and coordination. At the end there is a reflexion about the ADI results and its usefulness.
This dissertation analyses capacity issues in the implementation of Juntos, which is a conditiona... more This dissertation analyses capacity issues in the implementation of Juntos, which is a conditional cash transfer (CCT) programme, by taking into account five dimensions of capacity as an analytical framework.
The study is underpinned by the literature on capacity developed by Hilderbrand and Grindle (1997). Therefore, the implementation of Juntos is analysed in the light of the five interconnected dimensions of capacity: the action environment, the institutional context of the public sector, the task network, the organisation itself and the human resources. The research question addressed is: in which of the five capacity dimensions are the constraints greatest and affect the performance of Juntos?
Evidence suggested that the action environment did not hinder capacity; conversely, the economic conditions allowed the government to have fiscal resources for funding the programme and to have an increasing budget. The political context, also, was a key factor for the continuity and the openness of the programme.
Concerning the institutional context of the public sector, the evidence points at this being the source of the main constraints. The low absorption capacity of the budget led to the shortage of supply of public services which undermined the attainment of one of the programme’s objectives: to boost human development.
The task network represented a challenge because Juntos required the intervention of other organisations for accomplishing its objectives. Juntos struggled to control the activities carried out by these public agencies. It appeared that the weak performance of the task network’s organisations affected the overall functioning of the programme.
iv
Regarding organisation, Juntos’ governance structure stood out due to its power- sharing feature of the Board of Directors, with representatives of the State the civil society organisations and the private sector. It makes the programme more transparent and accountable.
On the topic of human resources, the programme faced constraints in terms of having short-term contract employees. Also, the lack of neutrality of the promoters for monitoring the compliance of conditionalities generated a false sense of achievement of targets. Finally, Juntos did not have influence on employees who belong to the organisations of the task network, and the majority of those employees benefited from having permanent status without incentives or penalties tied to performance.
Therefore, the implementation of Juntos revealed that the highest capacity constraints were related to the institutional context of the public sector, and the task network.
This social business proposal aims to set a framework for enabling access to affordable and susta... more This social business proposal aims to set a framework for enabling access to affordable and sustainable solar energy for poor families, as a means for social inclusion and development in the rural highlands of Peru.
The proposed model takes advantage of the high annual average daily solar irradiation in the Peruvian rural highlands that is key for developing photovoltaic projects, also the fact that rural households in Peru have a significant desire, willingness, and ability to pay for electricity.
The social business has governments and large businesses as clients. The product is called “solar home system” that comprises the following main components: a solar module of 100Wp, a charge controller of 12V 10A, and a battery of 65Ah 12V. The end users are rural households that are not considered in any national rural electrification plan; therefore they might not have electricity in the following seven years or more.
In the pricing scheme families will enjoy a subsidy, however they will pay a fee for the operation and maintenance and cooperate with their labour force, small accessories, and local materials. A certain level of subsidy is sine qua non for electricity projects.
Having institutional clients that are not price sensitive, and having a large unsatisfied demand for electricity are the main factors for making this social business viable from the economic and social perspective.
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Papers by Abel Canchari
the debate on development: whether the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) will be achieved or not. The first part touches on
the framework of the MDGs and has an overview of their not
optimistic performance. The second section addresses the gaps
and incoherence at national level that are playing a major role
for slowing down the MDGs’ attainment. In the third part, the
focus is on the other side of the coin: the politics at
international level, which influences on the MDGs, with special
emphasis on the failed promises and the role of international
organisations. The fourth part is a discussion of one of the
contemporary thinking on development theory: concepts such as
‘poverty trap’, ‘big push’ and ‘take off’, which have been proposed
by Jeffrey Sachs are analysed in the context of the MDGs in
developing countries.
At the core section, this article argues that obstacles to change in organisations exist at three levels: i) at the macro level, the negative context or action environment, which is related to the wider background such as the economic, social and political conditions existing in a given country; ii) at the intermediate level, the organisational structure and culture, namely the ethos or the covert aspect of organisational life; and iii) at the micro level, the human blockage, which may come from the managerial level or from the employee’s attitudes (resistance to change). It is worth mentioning that in this paper those elements are described from the negative perspective, because at the same time, these elements (from an optimistic perspective) can be the driving forces for positive organisational change.
The aim of this paper is to analyse capacity constraints in the public sector with regard to the implementation of two reforms: contracting-out and regulation. The first case analyses the experience of contracting-out in Ghana, Africa, with especial focus on the capacity constraints which had in the past undermined this specific reform. The context is mainly from 1990 to 1998, and I focus on the introduction of contracting-out in the health sector. The second case is slightly different, but lies within the framework of the relationship between the state and the market: regulation. The examination takes into account the Peruvian experience of regulating mining companies. The timeframe is from 1990 to 2006, and there are specific references to ongoing processes since 2007.
Though both country-specific experiences are from different sectors, they have similarities which allow comparison, draw some conclusions and suggest some policy recommendations regarding capacity building.
To do so, the strategy must contain: i) the role and functions of the new agency, ii) the overall structure, iii) the accountability system, iv) and the strategy for delivering results.
The study is underpinned by the literature on capacity developed by Hilderbrand and Grindle (1997). Therefore, the implementation of Juntos is analysed in the light of the five interconnected dimensions of capacity: the action environment, the institutional context of the public sector, the task network, the organisation itself and the human resources. The research question addressed is: in which of the five capacity dimensions are the constraints greatest and affect the performance of Juntos?
Evidence suggested that the action environment did not hinder capacity; conversely, the economic conditions allowed the government to have fiscal resources for funding the programme and to have an increasing budget. The political context, also, was a key factor for the continuity and the openness of the programme.
Concerning the institutional context of the public sector, the evidence points at this being the source of the main constraints. The low absorption capacity of the budget led to the shortage of supply of public services which undermined the attainment of one of the programme’s objectives: to boost human development.
The task network represented a challenge because Juntos required the intervention of other organisations for accomplishing its objectives. Juntos struggled to control the activities carried out by these public agencies. It appeared that the weak performance of the task network’s organisations affected the overall functioning of the programme.
iv
Regarding organisation, Juntos’ governance structure stood out due to its power- sharing feature of the Board of Directors, with representatives of the State the civil society organisations and the private sector. It makes the programme more transparent and accountable.
On the topic of human resources, the programme faced constraints in terms of having short-term contract employees. Also, the lack of neutrality of the promoters for monitoring the compliance of conditionalities generated a false sense of achievement of targets. Finally, Juntos did not have influence on employees who belong to the organisations of the task network, and the majority of those employees benefited from having permanent status without incentives or penalties tied to performance.
Therefore, the implementation of Juntos revealed that the highest capacity constraints were related to the institutional context of the public sector, and the task network.
The proposed model takes advantage of the high annual average daily solar irradiation in the Peruvian rural highlands that is key for developing photovoltaic projects, also the fact that rural households in Peru have a significant desire, willingness, and ability to pay for electricity.
The social business has governments and large businesses as clients. The product is called “solar home system” that comprises the following main components: a solar module of 100Wp, a charge controller of 12V 10A, and a battery of 65Ah 12V. The end users are rural households that are not considered in any national rural electrification plan; therefore they might not have electricity in the following seven years or more.
In the pricing scheme families will enjoy a subsidy, however they will pay a fee for the operation and maintenance and cooperate with their labour force, small accessories, and local materials. A certain level of subsidy is sine qua non for electricity projects.
Having institutional clients that are not price sensitive, and having a large unsatisfied demand for electricity are the main factors for making this social business viable from the economic and social perspective.
the debate on development: whether the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) will be achieved or not. The first part touches on
the framework of the MDGs and has an overview of their not
optimistic performance. The second section addresses the gaps
and incoherence at national level that are playing a major role
for slowing down the MDGs’ attainment. In the third part, the
focus is on the other side of the coin: the politics at
international level, which influences on the MDGs, with special
emphasis on the failed promises and the role of international
organisations. The fourth part is a discussion of one of the
contemporary thinking on development theory: concepts such as
‘poverty trap’, ‘big push’ and ‘take off’, which have been proposed
by Jeffrey Sachs are analysed in the context of the MDGs in
developing countries.
At the core section, this article argues that obstacles to change in organisations exist at three levels: i) at the macro level, the negative context or action environment, which is related to the wider background such as the economic, social and political conditions existing in a given country; ii) at the intermediate level, the organisational structure and culture, namely the ethos or the covert aspect of organisational life; and iii) at the micro level, the human blockage, which may come from the managerial level or from the employee’s attitudes (resistance to change). It is worth mentioning that in this paper those elements are described from the negative perspective, because at the same time, these elements (from an optimistic perspective) can be the driving forces for positive organisational change.
The aim of this paper is to analyse capacity constraints in the public sector with regard to the implementation of two reforms: contracting-out and regulation. The first case analyses the experience of contracting-out in Ghana, Africa, with especial focus on the capacity constraints which had in the past undermined this specific reform. The context is mainly from 1990 to 1998, and I focus on the introduction of contracting-out in the health sector. The second case is slightly different, but lies within the framework of the relationship between the state and the market: regulation. The examination takes into account the Peruvian experience of regulating mining companies. The timeframe is from 1990 to 2006, and there are specific references to ongoing processes since 2007.
Though both country-specific experiences are from different sectors, they have similarities which allow comparison, draw some conclusions and suggest some policy recommendations regarding capacity building.
To do so, the strategy must contain: i) the role and functions of the new agency, ii) the overall structure, iii) the accountability system, iv) and the strategy for delivering results.
The study is underpinned by the literature on capacity developed by Hilderbrand and Grindle (1997). Therefore, the implementation of Juntos is analysed in the light of the five interconnected dimensions of capacity: the action environment, the institutional context of the public sector, the task network, the organisation itself and the human resources. The research question addressed is: in which of the five capacity dimensions are the constraints greatest and affect the performance of Juntos?
Evidence suggested that the action environment did not hinder capacity; conversely, the economic conditions allowed the government to have fiscal resources for funding the programme and to have an increasing budget. The political context, also, was a key factor for the continuity and the openness of the programme.
Concerning the institutional context of the public sector, the evidence points at this being the source of the main constraints. The low absorption capacity of the budget led to the shortage of supply of public services which undermined the attainment of one of the programme’s objectives: to boost human development.
The task network represented a challenge because Juntos required the intervention of other organisations for accomplishing its objectives. Juntos struggled to control the activities carried out by these public agencies. It appeared that the weak performance of the task network’s organisations affected the overall functioning of the programme.
iv
Regarding organisation, Juntos’ governance structure stood out due to its power- sharing feature of the Board of Directors, with representatives of the State the civil society organisations and the private sector. It makes the programme more transparent and accountable.
On the topic of human resources, the programme faced constraints in terms of having short-term contract employees. Also, the lack of neutrality of the promoters for monitoring the compliance of conditionalities generated a false sense of achievement of targets. Finally, Juntos did not have influence on employees who belong to the organisations of the task network, and the majority of those employees benefited from having permanent status without incentives or penalties tied to performance.
Therefore, the implementation of Juntos revealed that the highest capacity constraints were related to the institutional context of the public sector, and the task network.
The proposed model takes advantage of the high annual average daily solar irradiation in the Peruvian rural highlands that is key for developing photovoltaic projects, also the fact that rural households in Peru have a significant desire, willingness, and ability to pay for electricity.
The social business has governments and large businesses as clients. The product is called “solar home system” that comprises the following main components: a solar module of 100Wp, a charge controller of 12V 10A, and a battery of 65Ah 12V. The end users are rural households that are not considered in any national rural electrification plan; therefore they might not have electricity in the following seven years or more.
In the pricing scheme families will enjoy a subsidy, however they will pay a fee for the operation and maintenance and cooperate with their labour force, small accessories, and local materials. A certain level of subsidy is sine qua non for electricity projects.
Having institutional clients that are not price sensitive, and having a large unsatisfied demand for electricity are the main factors for making this social business viable from the economic and social perspective.