The power of peer learning : networks and development cooperation / Jean-H. Guilmette ; Academic Foundation in association with International Development Research Centre
Published
Ottawa, Ont. : International Development Research Centre, 2007
Contents; List of Tables and Boxes; Foreword; Preface; Acknowledgements; Acronyms; 1. The Conceptual Framework; 2. Development and Networks as Instruments for Change; 3. OECD's Basic Rules of Conduct--A Sociology of its Institutional Culture; 4. OECD Techniques for Managing the Iterative Policy Process within a Multicultural Environment; 5. Why Does it Work?; Post Face: This Leaves a Few Haunting Questions; Appendix: Glossary; References
Summary
An ancient Chinese proverb tells us "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." The same can be said for development assistance. Solutions provided by outside "experts" are often rejected or politely shelved. However, solutions based on the principle of "self-help" are far more likely to take root. This book explores the self-help, peer learning approach of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), comparing it with that of IDRC. It focuses on the importance of networks to development and growth, and demonstrates