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Acacia Research and Learning Forum Tutorial No.2 8 th October 2009 Dakar, Senegal

Acacia Research and Learning Forum Tutorial 2

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Page 1: Acacia Research and Learning Forum Tutorial 2

Acacia Research and Learning Forum

Tutorial No.2 8th October 2009Dakar, Senegal

Page 2: Acacia Research and Learning Forum Tutorial 2

Session outline

• 1400-1500 Storytelling • 1500-1515 Break • 1515-1600 6 lessons from our experience in, and

8 key steps, to influencing policy in complex contexts (45 min)

• 1600-1700 Presentation and use of the Alignment, Interest and Influence Matrix as a way to identify and prioritize our target audiences - 45 minutes (including

Q&A)

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Storytelling

• At your table and with your neighbour, describe a story about a policy process that you’ve been engaged with

• What was the context?• What was the aim of engagement?• What actions did the process involve?• What was the result of the actions?

[10 minutes]

• Switch roles – if you were listening you should now tell the story

[10 minutes]

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Storytelling

• Then coming together with the rest of the table, from your collective experience, identify key lessons for effective policy engagement.

• Write 1 lesson on 1 card• Identify about 6 lessons

– [20 min]

• Feedback– Each table to present two cards in turn

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RAPID OUTCOME MAPPING APPROACH (ROMA)

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The six lessons

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Identify the problem

Commission research

Analyse the results

Choose the best option

Establish the policy

Evaluation

Implement the policy

Policy makers do not...

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Monitoring and Evaluation

Agenda Setting

DecisionMaking

Policy Implementation

Policy Formulation

Policy processes are...

Civil Society

DonorsCabinet

Parliament

Ministries

Private Sector

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The six lessons

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Chronic Poverty in Uganda

1 Research often plays a minor role2

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Policy makers are…

• Speed

• Superficiality

• Spin

• Secrecy

• Scientific Ignorance

Vincent Cable – Lib. Democrat MP & Shadow Minister of FinanceMore at: www.odi.org.uk/RAPID/Meetings/Evidence

…practically incapable of using research-based evidence because of the 5 Ss…

1 Research often plays a minor role2

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Evidence

Experience & Expertise

Judgement

Resources

Values and Policy

Context

Habits & Tradition

Lobbyists & Pressure Groups

Pragmatics & Contingencies

There are many factors

Source: Phil Davies Impact to Insight Meeting, ODI, 2005

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Different notionsof evidence

•Colloquial (Contextual)

•Anything that seems reasonable

•Policy relevant

•Timely

•Clear Message

Policy Makers’ Evidence

Source: Phil Davies Impact to Insight Meeting, ODI, 2005

•‘Scientific’ (Context free)

•Proven empirically

•Theoretically driven

•As long as it takes

•Caveats and qualifications

Researchers’ Evidence

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The six lessons

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Health Care in Tanzania“The results of household disease surveys informed processes of health service reform which contributed to a 43 and 46 per cent reduction in infant mortality between 2000 and 2003 in two districts in rural Tanzania.”

TEHIP Project, Tanzania: www.idrc.ca/tehip

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The six lessons

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An analytical framework

The political context – political and economic structures and processes, culture, institutional pressures, incremental vs radical change etc.

The evidence – credibility, the degree it challenges received wisdom, research approaches and methodology, simplicity of the message, how it is packaged etc

External Influences Socio-economic and cultural influences, donor policies etc

The links between policyand research communities – networks, relationships, power, competing discourses, trust, knowledge etc.

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A practical framework

External Influences political context

evidencelinks

Politics and Policymaking

Media, Advocacy, Networking

Research, learning & thinking

Scientific information exchange & validation

Policy analysis, & research

Campaigning, Lobbying

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Applying the framework:ODI and the MDGs

External Influences political context

evidencelinks

Politics and Policymaking

Media, Advocacy, Networking

Research, learning & thinking

Political context:

• 2008 is just after mid-way point, so opportunity to analyse and refocus through UN-sponsored Call-to-Action• UK government, among other national governments and international actors, has strong political will towards progressing on MDGs• One reason for this political will is that many of the MDGs are off-track to meet targets•UN High-level event in September 2008

Evidence:Links:

• Side events at UN High-level Event on the MDGs in New York in September• Co-hosted with: Bangladesh MoEd, UNIFEM, Danish MoFA, UN, CPRC, Government of South Sudan, Global Call to Action Against Poverty, Millennium Campaign• Research based on collaboration with the CPRC (a consortium), work with the GAVI Alliance and Plan International

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The six lessons

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Policy and social entrepreneurs

Storytellers

Engineers

Networkers

Fixers

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The six lessons

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Conclusions

• focus more on policy than research• establish different incentives / culture• establish different systems• spend more on communications• engage with different actors• produce different products• be ready to seize unexpected policy

opportunities and move very fast

To improve impact you may need to:

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The steps

Start by defining your policy objectives –

constantly review them during the

process

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An analytical framework

The political context – political and economic structures and processes, culture, institutional pressures, incremental vs radical change etc.

The evidence – credibility, the degree it challenges received wisdom, research approaches and methodology, simplicity of the message, how it is packaged etc

External Influences Socio-economic and cultural influences, donor policies etc

The links between policyand research communities – networks, relationships, power, competing discourses, trust, knowledge etc.

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What you need to do

What need to know What need to do How to do it

Political Context:

Evidence

Links

• Who are the policymakers?• Is there demand for ideas?• What is the policy process?

• What is the current theory?• What are the narratives?• How divergent is it?

• Who are the stakeholders?• What networks exist?• Who are the connectors,

mavens and salesmen?

• Get to know the policymakers.• Identify friends and foes.• Prepare for policy opportunities. • Look out for policy windows.

• Work with them – seek commissions

• Strategic opportunism – prepare for known events + resources for others

• Establish credibility• Provide practical solutions• Establish legitimacy.• Present clear options• Use familiar narratives.

• Build a reputation• Action-research• Pilot projects to generate

legitimacy• Good communication

• Get to know the others• Work through existing

networks.• Build coalitions.• Build new policy networks.

• Build partnerships.• Identify key networkers,

mavens and salesmen.• Use informal contacts

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The importance of the policy cycle

Monitoring and Evaluation

Agenda Setting

DecisionMaking

Policy Implementation

Policy Formulation

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The importance of thepolicy cycle

Policy-makers use scientific information at various stages of the policy cycle

Jones, N. et al (2008) Political science? Strengthening science–policy dialogue in developing countries. ODI Working Paper 295.

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DFID Social Development Advisor

Ethiopia Employers Association

Head of PRSP Technical Committee in Min. of Finance &

Econ.

Head of Social & Labour Affairs, Congressional Standing Committee

UNICEF Economic Policy Advisor

Children & Youth Bureau Head, Ministry of Children & Youth

Children's Rights Club

Representative

Save the Children UK, Economic & Poverty Policy Officer

Policy Division Head, Ministry of Education

Kebele Women's Association Federation

Officer

Amhara School PTA

Representative

Amhara Regional State Budget Office Head

KeyType of flow

Expertise

Funding

Information

Lobbying

Regulations

Scrutiny

Social network analysis

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The AIIM tool

Develop enthusiasm to address topic

Learn in partnership

Develop awareness

and enthusiasm

Challenge existing beliefs

High

Gen

eral

leve

l of

alig

nmen

t Low

Low HighInterest in specific topic

1. Map actors on the matrix

2. Identify which are the most influential

3. Who do you work with directly?

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AIIM: some examples

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Types of policy objectivesDiscursive changes

Procedural changes

Content changes

Attitudinal changes

Behavioural changes

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Progress Markers

• A graduated set of statements describing a progression of changed behaviours in the boundary partner

• Describe changes in actions, activities and relationships leading to the ideal outcome

• Articulate the complexity of the change process

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Progress Markers

• Move from initial to more profound changes in behaviour

• Show transformation in a single boundary partner

• More informative than a single indicator

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Force Field Analysis

5*

3

?

?Total = ?

MEF

Time

?

?

Negative forces

4

1

2

?Total = ?

Funds

CSOs

Public demand

?

Positive forces

2

1

?

?

Your influence on the force

Plan:

Minister of Trade puts forward pro-poor trade and complementary policy programme to the cabinet by April 2008

4

2

2

?

Your influence on the force

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SWOT Analysis• What type of policy

influencing skills and capacities do we have?

• In what areas have our staff used them more effectively?

• Who are our strongest allies?

• When have they worked with us?

• Are there any windows of opportunity?

• What can affect our ability to influence policy?

Strengths Weaknesses

Opportunities Threats

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The Three StagesOUTCOME MAPPING:Building Learning and Reflection into Development ProgramsSarah Earl, Fred Carden, and Terry Smutylo

http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-9330-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html

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For example:

Progress MarkersOpportunities and Threats timelinePolicy ObjectivesAIIMForce Field Analysis

For example:

Force Field AnalysisFor example:

Policy entrepreneur questionnaireSWOTInternal performance frameworks

For example:

Log Frame (flexible)Outcome MappingJournals or impact logsInternal monitoring tools

Start by defining your policy objectives –

constantly review them during the

process

For example:

•AIIM•Stakeholder analysis•Influence Mapping•Social Network Analysis•Force Field Analysis

For example:

Publications, public relationsMedia and eventsNegotiation and adviceDevelop a network or coalitionResearch

For example:

RAPID FrameworkDrivers of ChangePower AnalysisSWOTInfluence MappingForce Field Analysis

Page 39: Acacia Research and Learning Forum Tutorial 2

Develop enthusiasm to address

topic

Learn in partnership

Develop awareness

and enthusiasm

Challenge existing beliefs

High

Gen

eral

leve

l of

alig

nmen

t Low

Low

HighInterest in specific topic

The AIIM Matrix

1 Identify the key actors2

1. Identify all stakeholders

2. Map them onto the alignment / interest matrix

3. Identify who has power

4. Identify who you can influence

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1 Identify the stakeholders

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2 Identify the challenge

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3 Identify the strategies

Develop a Community of Practice

Media, dissemination, information

Pilots and evaluations of projects

Tough!

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How to do it

1. List the key actors.

2. Locate them on the matrix.

3. Identify the most influential actors.

4. Identify the ones you can influence.

5. Map where you’d like them to be and what you could do to get them there.

6. Discussion:– What did you learn?– Did the tool work?– Could it be improved?

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Thank you!

[email protected]