Synopsis of the Synopsis of the Expert Meeting onExpert Meeting on

“Approaches and methodologies for the “Approaches and methodologies for the assessment and transfer of best practices assessment and transfer of best practices in governance and public administration”in governance and public administration”

ObjectivesObjectives

• Present and discuss the key characteristics of a “best Present and discuss the key characteristics of a “best practice” and practice” and provide a definition of innovation in government; provide a definition of innovation in government;

• Identify the characteristics that make a best practice Identify the characteristics that make a best practice transferable;transferable;

• Discuss and identify the capacity requirements of the recipient Discuss and identify the capacity requirements of the recipient administration, whether at the national or local level, and the administration, whether at the national or local level, and the

necessary necessary conditions to implement a specific best practice;conditions to implement a specific best practice;

• Discuss and identify the approaches and methodologies that Discuss and identify the approaches and methodologies that should be should be adopted in transferring best practices;adopted in transferring best practices;

• Review and discuss lessons learned in existing transfer of best Review and discuss lessons learned in existing transfer of best practices. practices.

GoalsGoals

• Enhance knowledge of the concept of best practice Enhance knowledge of the concept of best practice and innovation in public administration;and innovation in public administration;

• Provide concrete tools for the transfer and adaptation Provide concrete tools for the transfer and adaptation of successful experiences in other countries;of successful experiences in other countries;

• Strengthen knowledge of North-South and South-South Strengthen knowledge of North-South and South-South cooperation in transferring best practices;cooperation in transferring best practices;

• Receive feed-back from experts on how the United Receive feed-back from experts on how the United Nations can provide more effective assistance to Nations can provide more effective assistance to governments in the area of sharing and replication of governments in the area of sharing and replication of best practices.best practices.

• Provide inputs for the preparation of a publication Provide inputs for the preparation of a publication containing useful information for countries wishing to containing useful information for countries wishing to replicate best practices.replicate best practices.

Major themesMajor themes

• Best practices and innovation in Best practices and innovation in government: perspectives, challenges government: perspectives, challenges and potentialand potential

• Transferability of best Transferability of best practices/innovationspractices/innovations

• Endogenous capacity to absorb and Endogenous capacity to absorb and implement a best practiceimplement a best practice

• Approaches and methodologies for the Approaches and methodologies for the replication of best practicesreplication of best practices

ParticipantsParticipants

Participants included experts, academics, Participants included experts, academics, practitioners, and representatives of practitioners, and representatives of international, regional and sub-regional international, regional and sub-regional institutions. They came from the following institutions. They came from the following countries:countries:

Jordan, Croatia, Morocco, Italy, Brazil, Turkey, Jordan, Croatia, Morocco, Italy, Brazil, Turkey, Tunisia, Mexico, Canada, Syria, USA, Egypt, Tunisia, Mexico, Canada, Syria, USA, Egypt, South Africa, Philippines, Malaysia, National South Africa, Philippines, Malaysia, National Palestinian Authority, Albania, SpainPalestinian Authority, Albania, Spain

The following Institutions were represented:The following Institutions were represented:

ESAMIESAMICPSICPSICAPAMCAPAMIPACIPACEPAN – European Network of Public Administration EPAN – European Network of Public Administration UNHABITAT UNHABITAT UNDPUNDPAsh Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation, Harvard Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation, Harvard University University OECDOECDGaling POOK FOUNDATION, Galing POOK FOUNDATION, Fundacao Getulio Vargas, Fundacao Getulio Vargas, CAIMED – Centre for Administrative innovation in the Mediterranean RegionCAIMED – Centre for Administrative innovation in the Mediterranean RegionHigher Population Council of JordanHigher Population Council of JordanCroatian Association for Public AdministrationCroatian Association for Public AdministrationASPA – American Society for Public Administration ASPA – American Society for Public Administration ENA of Morocco, ENA of Morocco, Sabanci University and Istanbul Policy CentreSabanci University and Istanbul Policy Centre Faculte de droit et de science politiques de TunisFaculte de droit et de science politiques de Tunis Damascus UniversityDamascus University El Colegio de la Frontera Norte of MexicoEl Colegio de la Frontera Norte of Mexico EUI - European University InstituteEUI - European University Institute CITYNETCITYNET Bethlehem University Beit-JalaBethlehem University Beit-Jala Urban research Institute of Albania, and Urban research Institute of Albania, and UNDESAUNDESA

ISSUES HighlightedISSUES Highlighted• What constitutes a ‘best practice’ in public What constitutes a ‘best practice’ in public

administrationadministration??• Why should governments search for innovation in Why should governments search for innovation in

public administration? public administration? • What is involved in the process of innovation in public What is involved in the process of innovation in public

administration?administration?• What are the factors that facilitate or hinder innovation What are the factors that facilitate or hinder innovation

in public administration (enabling environment)?in public administration (enabling environment)?• Describe what governments and other stakeholders Describe what governments and other stakeholders

should do to create an enabling environment for should do to create an enabling environment for innovation in public administration?innovation in public administration?

• Elements of endogenous capacity to absorb and Elements of endogenous capacity to absorb and implement innovations and best practicesimplement innovations and best practices

• Building endogenous capacityBuilding endogenous capacity• Sustainability of innovation and best practicesSustainability of innovation and best practices

ISSUESISSUES

• What are the characteristics and factors that make What are the characteristics and factors that make an innovation transferable from one context to an innovation transferable from one context to another? another?

• Of all the constituting elements of a “best practice” Of all the constituting elements of a “best practice” or of an innovation what should be transferred?or of an innovation what should be transferred?

• What should be done to enhance the transferability What should be done to enhance the transferability of “best practices”?of “best practices”?

• What are the various approaches and What are the various approaches and methodologies that can be used to adapt “best methodologies that can be used to adapt “best practices” effectively?practices” effectively?

• Strength and weaknesses of each one of these Strength and weaknesses of each one of these approaches and methodologies?approaches and methodologies?

• Of all the approaches and methodologies which Of all the approaches and methodologies which ones would you recommend in which context?ones would you recommend in which context?

Recommendations for endogenous Recommendations for endogenous capacitycapacity

• Create an environment that encourages the generation of Create an environment that encourages the generation of innovations and not only the adaptation of innovations from other innovations and not only the adaptation of innovations from other experiencesexperiences

• For Implementation:For Implementation:• Build self-sufficient institutions that are rich in social capital and Build self-sufficient institutions that are rich in social capital and

human capability human capability – Integrate participatory democratic practices in the initiation Integrate participatory democratic practices in the initiation

and implementation proceduresand implementation procedures– Build national systems that recognize and reward innovative Build national systems that recognize and reward innovative

practicespractices– Document monitor and assess innovationsDocument monitor and assess innovations– Utilize integrated communication approaches Utilize integrated communication approaches – Establish decision making mechanisms that distribute Establish decision making mechanisms that distribute

decisional power and share risks of innovations in order to decisional power and share risks of innovations in order to encourage innovators to propose new ideas. encourage innovators to propose new ideas.

For Evaluation:For Evaluation:– Use integrated monitoring and evaluation mechanisms and Use integrated monitoring and evaluation mechanisms and

establish them within the decision-making and implementation establish them within the decision-making and implementation processesprocesses

– Emphasize the importance of ‘lessons learned’ for the future Emphasize the importance of ‘lessons learned’ for the future planning and revision of current practices and ensure a planning and revision of current practices and ensure a continuous learning approach in the evaluation processcontinuous learning approach in the evaluation process

– Focus on Qualitative indicatorsFocus on Qualitative indicators

Recommendations on transferability Recommendations on transferability • Broadcast information (shared knowledge): post it on a Broadcast information (shared knowledge): post it on a

Web portalWeb portal• Create competition (market model) among innovation Create competition (market model) among innovation

ideasideas• Provide incentives (e.g., UN: Dubai awards, UN Habitat, Provide incentives (e.g., UN: Dubai awards, UN Habitat,

use of development accounts as funding formula [UNPAN]); use of development accounts as funding formula [UNPAN]); economic and non-economic.economic and non-economic.

• Require that money given as prizes/awards be used Require that money given as prizes/awards be used systematically to replicate and disseminate BPs Link with systematically to replicate and disseminate BPs Link with public broadcasting service to disseminate films of the public broadcasting service to disseminate films of the awards process that are shown on all PBS channels (all awards process that are shown on all PBS channels (all prize winners, or those related to the specific broadcast prize winners, or those related to the specific broadcast area in question)area in question)

• Commission case studies that are used as Commission case studies that are used as teaching/learning resources.teaching/learning resources.

• Use cases as teaching/learning innovations in executive Use cases as teaching/learning innovations in executive training and leadership programstraining and leadership programs

• Create what might be called a global network of Create what might be called a global network of innovators; link them physically by bringing them to a innovators; link them physically by bringing them to a central location to interact and exchange ideas. Establish central location to interact and exchange ideas. Establish global partnerships so as to run programs bi-laterally in a global partnerships so as to run programs bi-laterally in a number of different areas of the worldnumber of different areas of the world

Recommendations on approaches and Recommendations on approaches and methodologiesmethodologies

• Approaches and MethodologiesApproaches and Methodologies• Practitioner – to – practitioner – engaging Practitioner – to – practitioner – engaging

in different jurisdictions (peer – to – peer)in different jurisdictions (peer – to – peer)• Information sharingInformation sharing• Problem solving teams workgroups – multi Problem solving teams workgroups – multi

– dimensional team with one member – dimensional team with one member familiar with the innovation / problemfamiliar with the innovation / problem

• Transfer guidelines Transfer guidelines • Capacity building / training knowledge Capacity building / training knowledge

basedbased• Hiring expertsHiring experts• AwardsAwards