Publication: The Art of Knowledge Exchange : A Results-Focused Planning Guide for Development Practitioners
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2012
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2012-12-18
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Knowledge exchange, or peer-to-peer learning, is a powerful way to share, replicate, and scale up what works in development. Development practitioners want to learn from the practical experience of others who have gone through, or are going through, similar problems. This guide emphasizes empowering local agents through experiential learning with peers from their own and other countries, by following a strategic, results-oriented approach to learning based on the World Bank institute's capacity development and results framework. Knowledge exchange can be used as part of a change process to powerful effect. But like any good capacity building approach, it should be anchored in the broader development context and your clients' needs should drive the agenda. The development goal focuses on the major objective your clients hope to achieve. It derives from a long-term regional, national, or local development strategy. The knowledge exchange initiative should bring your clients closer to realizing this goal, by targeting the institutional constraints preventing its achievement. The development goal therefore guides the design of your knowledge exchange. An effective development goal is locally owned and provides clear economic and social value to targeted beneficiaries. It's important to recognize that a knowledge exchange initiative will not result in the development goal, but should contribute to it. In some instances, knowledge exchange can be used to build group consensus on a development goal itself.
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“Kumar, Shobha; Leonard, Aaron. 2012. The Art of Knowledge Exchange : A Results-Focused Planning Guide for Development Practitioners. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/11983 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
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Publication The Art of Knowledge Exchange : A Results-Focused Planning Guide for Development Practitioners, Second Edition Updated(Washington, DC, 2015)Knowledge exchange, or peer-to-peer learning, is a powerful way to share, replicate, and scale up what works in development. Development practitioners want to learn from the practical experience of others who have gone through, or are going through, similar challenges. They want to be connected to each other and have ready access to practical knowledge and solutions. When done right, knowledge exchange can build the capacity, confidence, and conviction of individuals and groups to act. Examples of these direct results or intermediate outcomes from a knowledge exchange include: i) technical water specialists in several sub-districts of Bangladesh learn new skills to replicate good practices (shared by their peers) for building and maintaining a safe water supply; ii) dairy sector and ministry of agriculture officials in Tanzania reach agreement on a blueprint of potential dairy sector reforms because of a new shared understanding and improved collaboration; and iii) farmers in Kenya adopt an innovative rice growing methodology, System of Rice Intensification (SRI), to increase the yield from their land after learning from the experience of countries that pioneered this methodology. This edition contains a full revision of the original art of knowledge exchange as well as new chapters on implementation and results. 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Standard International Monetary Fund (IMF) models for evaluating banks in developed economies, however, proved too complex and were unsuitable for the circumstances of a small developing country. Meanwhile, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) had been carrying out quarterly stress-testing of banks in Pakistan. Upon hearing about SBP's capabilities from the World Bank, NRB leadership was eager to learn how to apply Pakistan's regulatory analysis in Nepal. The World Bank facilitated and funded a knowledge exchange between the two central banks so that NRB staff could learn to use a simplified stress-testing, scenario-based model to evaluate the financial stability of Nepal's banks, develop regulations to maintain the stability of banking institutions, and establish contingency plans in the case of failure of a Nepalese bank. This story demonstrates the power of doing development differently. Nepal is very motivated to solve a pressing problem. 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The report also identifies important issues that will become part of ongoing conversations, both within the Bank and with clients and external partners. This volume is a synthesis of inputs from a variety of studies and units across the Bank. These are covered in significantly greater detail in a Background Report, which may be of greatest interest to Bank staff and managers who want a more in-depth understanding.Publication Learning and Results in World Bank Operations(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2015-01)This report is the second in a program of evaluations that the independent evaluation group (IEG) is conducting on the learning that takes place through World Bank projects. Learning and knowledge are treated as parts of a whole and are presumed to be mutually reinforcing. The evaluation program addresses the following overarching questions: how well has the World Bank learned in its lending operations?; and what is the scope for improving how it generates, accesses, and uses learning and knowledge in these operations? Evaluation two includes findings from seven country case studies and interviews with Bank staff about their early experience of working within the Bank’s new global practices structure, which became operational on July 1, 2014. The aim is to assess the pre-FY2015 evidence in light of the new structure and roles, and to ask how long-term trends are likely to be modified as reforms evolve. Surveys and interviews reveal that, when it comes to managing projects, Bank staff rely first and foremost on a process of informal learning, leading to a gradual accumulation of tacit knowledge. Informal learning and tacit knowledge are built on the behaviors that flow from mindsets and from the characteristics and operating rules of the groups that individuals belong to. These behavioral underpinnings are mediated by incentives that institutions like the Bank provide to staff. The Bank has launched several important learning initiatives, such as the operational core curriculum. Chapter one presents approach. Chapter two mines the academic and management literature to examine the behavioral underpinnings of informal learning and tacit knowledge. Chapter three examines how individual and team behavior is mediated by the incentives that the Bank offers staff. Chapters four, five, and six examine three operational orientations of particular relevance to the new Bank: balancing of global and local focus, adaptiveness, and results focus. Chapter seven presents recommendations.
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