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Organization, People, Knowledge, and Technology for Learning
OLIVIER SERRATPrincipal Knowledge Management Specialist
Knowledge Management Center
Regional and Sustainable Development DepartmentAsian Development Bank
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1Organization, People, Knowledge, and Technology for Learning
Strategy 2020 identies Knowledge Solutions and Partnerships as twoo ve drivers o change.
Knowledge Management in ADB moves ADB to improve itsorganizational culture, management systems, business processesand inormation technology solutions, communities o practice,and learning and development mechanisms.
Enhancing Knowledge Management under Strategy 2020: ActionPlan (2009-2011) delivers knowledge solutions and knowledgeservices rom our strategic thrusts.
ADB INITIATIVESON KNOWLEDGE
PARTNERSHIPS
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ENHANCINGKNOWLEDGE
MANAGEMENTUNDER STRATEGY
2020: PLAN OFACTION (2009-2011)
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STRENGTHENINGEXTERNAL
KNOWLEDGEPARTNERSHIPS
KEY ACTIONS
1. Develop criteria or the selection o knowledge partnerships including non-regional institutions.2. Ascertain that expected outputs and outcomes are alignedto ADB and DMC priorities.3. Ensure that knowledge partnershipsare considered when ADB enters into agreements
such as letters o intent and memorandums o understanding with other institutions.4. Make sure that knowledge partnership agreements spell out the need to conduct proactive
dissemination activities in ADB and DMCs.
Some Challenges The purpose and selection of knowledge partnerships need clarity. Monitoring and evaluation systems are insufcient. Performance vis--vis work plans is poor.
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KNOWLEDGEPARTNERSHIPS
Knowledge Partnerships Are associations and networks of individuals or organizationsthat share a purpose or goal.
Comprise of members who contribute knowledge, experience,resources, and connections, and participate in two-waycommunications.
Thrive when there is a strategic, structural, and cultural t,and when members embrace a collaborative process,behave as a coherent entity, and engage in joint decision makingand action.
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KNOWLEDGEPARTNERSHIPS AND
ORGANIZATIONS
FUNDAMENTALS
OF KNOWLEDGEPARTNERSHIPS
SOME COMMON ATTRIBUTES Groups of individuals or organizations... With a shared, understood, and consistent purpose or goal... Who voluntarily contribute knowledge, experience, resources,
and connections toward joint decision making and action and sharelearning to achieve the shared purpose or goal
Who rely on the partnership to reach the shared purpose or goal
WHY KNOWLEDGE PARTNERSHIPS ARE NOT ORGANIZATIONS A knowledge partnership has a less formal structure than
an organization and is more fuid.
Participation is largely voluntary and as needed, not full-time. Participants have a high degree of freedom to make choices. The nature of decision making is distributive.
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RELATIONSHIPSIN KNOWLEDGE
PARTNERSHIPS
What Flows Through Knowledge Partnerships Knowledge Experience Resources Connections
What Makes Knowledge Partnerships Work Trust Reciprocity Diversity Complementarity
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FUNCTIONS OFKNOWLEDGE
PARTNERSHIPS
FILTERINGOrganizing and managing inormation that is worth paying attention to.
AMPLIFYINGTaking new, little-known, or little-understood ideas, giving themweight, and making them more widely understood.
INVESTING AND PROVIDINGOering a means to give members the resources they need to carryout their main activities.
CONVENINGBringing together dierent, distinct people or groups o people.
COMMUNITY-BUILDINGPromoting and sustaining the values and standards o individualsor organizations.
LEARNING AND FACILITATINGHelping members carry out their activities more ecientlyand eectively.
Time and again, a subtle rationale behindstrategic alliances is obscured by their explicitstrategic motives. That rationale is the intentto learnespecially knowledge that is tacit,
collective, and imbedded: and it is probably ailurein this arena that explains shortcomings.
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BENEFITS FROMKNOWLEDGE
PARTNERSHIPS
Increased access to knowledge, experience, resources,and connections Shared learning Shared good practices Fostered creativity and innovation Increased business process efciencies Increased visibility of concerns and issues Strengthened capacity to advocate and inuence policy More effective responses to complex realities and scaled-up impact Reduced isolation and increased credibility Mitigated risks
What Knowledge Partnerships Ought to Be Good at Efcient search for data, information, and knowledge Rapid dissemination Efcient small-world reach to collect and connect with others
and resources Building adaptive and exible capacity Resilience to shock or change
A ool can learn romhis own experience, the wise learn
rom the experience o others.- Democritus
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COMMON FORMSOF KNOWLEDGE
PARTNERSHIPS
Networking
Partnership
Informal
Partnership
Partnership
withsome
Formal
Elements
Institutional
Partnership
Inter-
Organizational
Partnership
Attributes Web ofrelationships,or loose tieso inormationtranser andreciprocity,uelled by trust
Sel-governingand sel-regulating
Membersarticulate waysto leverage somearrangements
Highly dependenton inormalleadership toachieve purposeor goal
Partnership witha common nameand collectiveidentity
Guiding principlesand norms ordecision-makingand emerging orwell-establishedgovernancestructures
Small secretariatacilitatesunctioning othe partnershipand is primarilyaccountableto partnershipmembers
Legallyrecognizedentities withinstitutionallegitimacy; canattract largeproject undingrom the state,private sectordonors
Structuresand systemsto manageand accountor complexunded projectsand to rapidlydisseminateinormationand promote
creativity andinnovation
Contractualrelationships,agreements, andaccountabilities,where undedprojects anddelivering onresults are themain drivers othe partnership
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COMMON FORMSOF KNOWLEDGE
PARTNERSHIPS
Networking
Partnership
Informal
Partnership
Partnership
withsome
Formal
Elements
Institutional
Partnership
Inter-
Organizational
Partnership
TypicalBenets
Connectionsandrelationships
Access toknowledge,experience,resources, andconnections
Space in which toshare inormation,develop goodpractices, andmobilize as apartnership orchange
Collective identity,combinedwith internaland externallegitimacy
Capability tosynthesizelearning, to doresearch, tomove thingsorward betweenmeetings, tomobilize thepartnershipor joint actionand to managerelationships
Capacity to scaleup and to takeon complex,internally andexternally undedprojects, as apartnership withgreater impact
Capacity toaddress complexlocal, national,regional, global,institutional orpolicy issuesor integratedservice deliveryrequiringcollaborationamong dierentstakeholdergroups
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COMMON FORMSOF KNOWLEDGE
PARTNERSHIPS
Networking
Partnership
Informal
Partnership
Partnership
withsome
Formal
Elements
Institutional
Partnership
Inter-
Organizational
Partnership
TypicalLimits andChallenges
Benetsaccrue mostlyto individualmembers, withlimited impacton the partnerorganizations
Limited internaland externallegitimacy
Risk of dissentionaround thepurpose or goal
Due to limitson availableresources andthe challengeso organizationalcomplexity, thereare risks thatthe secretariatcan begin tosubstitute or thepartnership ordoes not havethe capacityto meet theexpectations othe partnershipsmembers
The secretariatcan becomedriven by undingimperatives andcontracts
Competitionor access toresources canarise in thepartnership andlead to loss otrust and reducedwillingness toshare inormation
Formalizing canreduce the fowo inormationand limitcreativity and
innovation
Fostering andpreservingtrust, jointownership,and collaboration
Possiblecompetition orconfict over whoholds powerand accessesresources canlead todisengagemento actors, or losso capabilitiesand legitimacy
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COMPLEXITY INKNOWLEDGE
PARTNERSHIPS
Aligns individuals ororganizations to develop acollective value proposition
and common identity
Individuals come to share aset o ideas, language, and
standards
Connects individuals ororganizations to allow
easy fow o and access toknowledge, experience,
resources, and connections
Fosters joint decisionmaking and action or
agreed upon, specializedoutcomes by aligned
individuals or organizations
Mobilization Advocacy Learning and sharing Delivering knowledge
products and services etc.
On Organicity
Initiation and start-up Status quo or growth Renewal or decline Long-term sustainability
CONNECTIVITYInformation
LEVEL OFCOMPLEXITY
INCREASES
PRODUCTIONInitiative
ALIGNMENTIdentity
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DESIGNING AKNOWLEDGEPARTNERSHIP
1. What kind of partnership do you wish to build?2. What is the value proposition that will attract participants?3. What is the (initial) membership?4. How will the partnership be governed?5. What will the partnerships structure be?6. What are the partnerships operating principles?7. Who will build the partnership?
Partnerships are sel-regulating systems:i they have no value proposition
individuals or organizations will exit them.
If more than two of the above statements hold,the collaborative task requires special arrangements.
How Complicated is the Collaborative Task?
The task is not likely to be accomplished using only the skillsin the organization.
The task must be addressed by a new arrangement designedspecically or the purpose or goal. The task requires collective inputs from specialized individuals. The task requires collective inputs from more than 10 individuals. The members of the collaborative arrangement are in more than
two geographical locations. The success of the task depends on understanding the preferences
or needs o individuals outside the organization. The task must be accomplished under time pressure.
The outcome of the task will be inuenced by uncertain,emerging events.
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DESIGNING AKNOWLEDGEPARTNERSHIP
1. What Kind o Partnership? Choose carefully and wisely. Are you wiling to be partnersand is your partner? Is this an important and valuable partner?
Partnerships should be designed to serve the partnershipsunction.
Take time to clarify what the purpose or goal of the partnership is. Differentiate between the partnership design and partnership
launch phases.
2. What is the Partnerships Value Proposition? Sharing knowledge Building trust
Sharing experience Building reciprocity Sharing resources Building diversity Sharing connections Building complementarity
3. What is the Partnerships Membership? Partnerships can be open or closed. Membership should be aligned to the purpose or goal
and required capacities. There can be different categories of members, e.g., core group,
inner circle, outer circle.
4. How Will the Partnership be Governed?
Who decides? Core group All members Other arrangements
How are decisions reached? By consensus By democratic vote By action (emergence) By outsiders
What is decided? Purpose or goal Values and beliefs Membership criteria Member responsibilities Plans and strategies Outputs Distribution of resources
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DESIGNING AKNOWLEDGEPARTNERSHIP
5. What Will the Partnerships Structure Be?
6. What Are the Partnerships Operating Principles? Make the partnership do the work and minimize delegation
opportunities. Let connections ow to value. Let variation create (unplanned) opportunities. Keep plans and strategies exible. Encourage strategic learning from emergent strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
7. Who Will Build the Partnership?
Sample Roles for Partnership Builders
Organizer Establishes the partnerships purpose or goal and itsvalue proposition, links the frst nodes, and attracts initialresources.
Funder Provides initial resources.
Weaver Increases links among nodes and connects to new nodes.
Coordinator Helps establish the partnerships shared value proposition,negotiates action plans or production, and coordinatesproduction.
Coach Advises organizers, unders, weavers, and coordinators.
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DESIGN CHECKLIST Purpose or GoalWhat is the value proposition?What will the partnership produce?What values and principles willguide it?
MembershipWho will the members be?What are the membershipcriteria?Will there be different classes
of members?What will be the obligationsand benets of members?
GovernanceWhat decisions will needto be made?Who will make decisions?How will decisions be made?
StructureWhat will the structure look like?What will the development pathlook like?
MeasuresWhat is success? What are itsspecics?How will the partners know whensuccess is achieved?How will success be rewarded?
FormationWho will build the partnership?Will an outside facilitatorbe used to acilitate alignmentand production plans?Who will operate the partnership?
ProductionWhat hypotheses will you test?How will you design jointundertakings?
How will you evaluate results?What will give you condenceto scale them up?
CommunicationsAre open communicationsand inormation a visible indicatorof the level of trust?Is the power of technologyharnessed in support?
ResourcesWhat resources will fuelthe partnership?What contributions will membersmake?What are all the possible sourcesof funding?Who will manage the cash?
Evaluation
What factors do you wantto assess?Who will do the evaluation?How will you design evaluationat the front end?
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GROUND RULESIN SETTING UP
KNOWLEDGEPARTNERSHIPS
MANAGINGKNOWLEDGE
PARTNERSHIPS
Describe clearly the purpose or goal. Clarify the roles and responsibilities of each party. Develop mechanisms to resolve potential conicts of interests
or partner disputes. Generate means to share information with other stakeholders. Agree on principles of consultation:
Engaging diverse stakeholders Instituting reliable operating structure and process management Practicing transparency Using eective communication channels Fostering focus on interests, not positions or personalities
Allowing or independent verication Being responsible to all concerned Making use o existing networks Incorporating capacity building Allowing or process adjustments
Partnership Management Tasks Weaving connections within the partnership and between
the partnership and associated players. Facilitating alignment that leads to production agreements. Coordinating the actual work of production and partnership
development. Operating the partnership and handling management issues. Monitoring and evaluating partnership development
and perormance.
Planning must, eventually, degenerate into work.
ASSIGNING RESPONSIBILITIES Work plans lie at the core of a partnerships
value proposition. In the voluntary, collaborative structure of a
partnership, responsibilities still need to bemade very clear.
It helps to have an outsider negotiateand structure the partnerships relationships.
MANAGEMENT ISSUES THAT REQUIREATTENTION Balancing between the needs of the parts
and those of the whole.
Balancing autonomy with collective control,and stability with change.
Ensuring effective communications.Policing the partnership
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SUCCESS CRITERIAFOR KNOWLEDGE
PARTNERSHIPS
INFORMAL LEADERSHIP Coordinators are active and committed, give space to others,act as leaders o the cause the partnerships stands or,make connections, acilitate relationships, and make good useo resources.
The partnership relies on a core group of coordinators withcomplementary skills and usually includes a governing committee,secretariat, and working groups.
ALIGNMENT AND IDENTITY The partnership connects individuals across functions, locations,
and organizations and creates a third space or learning, creativity,innovation, and development o joint practice.
In the partnership, legitimacy is earned, not declared. The partnership fosters the emergence of collective identity
among members.
TECHNICAL EXPERTISE AND RESOURCES Cooperation increases when the roles of individuals members
are sharply dened. The partnership is able to tap the technical expertise
and proessionalism o members and connect them to the higherpurpose or goal that motivates them. The partnership offers possibilities for individuals to use their
knowledge outside o their organizations to create new knowledgeand spark energy or change that, potentially, can be used by others.
The partnership is looked to and recognized by key stakeholders(e.g., policy makers) as a place to visit or consult for deep expertise.
Resources come in various forms: in-kind; grants; member funding; etc.Sweat equity is the key to most successful partnerships.
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COORDINATION Coordinators are both task- and relationship-oriented. Coordinators focus rst on serving partnership members.
They earn and maintain the commitment of members by ensuringthat the partnership responds to explicit (not constructed) needs.
Coordinators create a gift culture by coaching and mentoring.They encourage activity and interaction among memberso the partnership and build networks to oster a sense o community.
Coordinators provide technical advice and scan the environmentor opportunities to advance the partnerships purpose or goaland benet its members.
COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS The partnership has signicant capability to use information
and communications technology to acilitate rapid and broad-basedinteraction among members.
The partnership strengthens and supplements online communicationswith ace-to-ace interactions.
ADAPTIVE CAPACITY Coordinators have strong analytical and adaptive capabilities
and eectively anticipate and respond to changing circumstances. The partnership invests in information and communicationstechnology, relies on inormation exchanges to gather intelligencerom a range o sources, and establishes spaces or processingand sharing data, inormation, and knowledge.
The partnership reinvents its working forms as needed.
SUCCESS CRITERIAFOR KNOWLEDGE
PARTNERSHIPS
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MAKINGKNOWLEDGE
PARTNERSHIPSWORK BETTER
EVALUATINGKNOWLEDGE
PARTNERSHIPS
From To
Defning the right businessarrangements
Developing the right workingrelationship
Creating ends metrics Creating means metrics
Eliminating dierences Embracing dierences
Establishing ormal managementsystems and structures
Enabling collaborative behavior
Managing the externalrelationship with partners
Managing ones internalstakeholders
The DAC Principles for Evaluation of Development AssistanceThe OECD-Development Assistance Committee sets ve criteriaor evaluating development programs and projects:1. Relevance2. Eciency3. Eectiveness4. Sustainability5. Impact
The OECD-DAC criteria should beconsidered when evaluating knowledge
partnerships but also during their
design and or monitoring purposes.
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EVALUATINGKNOWLEDGE
PARTNERSHIPS
RELEVANCERelates to whether or not the purpose or goal of the partnershipis suited to the priorities and policies o the partners and thosethat the partners wish to infuence, and is aligned with broaderdevelopment priorities.
1. Does the partnership have a clear, shared purpose or goalthat meets dened needs?
2. Will the partnership help each organization to achieve morethan it could on its own?
3. Will the partnership help each partner to dene its own areas
of inuence more clearly?
EFFICIENCYMeasures the qualitative and quantitative outputs in relation to theinputs. Attention should be given to alternative approaches to achievethe same outputs, and the extent to which the partnerships madeoptimal use o all available resources.
1. Have you explored dierent delivery options, including whethera partnership is the best approach?
2. Are the necessary resources available, properly allocated,and well-matched for planned activities?
3. Is there scope for adjustment of processes, activities, and resourcesduring the lifespan of the partnership?
4. Is there clarity on management of the assets (funds, intellectualproperty, and brand) of the partnership?
EFFECTIVENESSRefers to the extent to which the knowledge partnerships attains
its purpose or goal.
1. Does the partnership have a clear outcome identied?2. Are there processes, inrastructure, and resources with sucient
fexibility in place or Quality exchange of knowledge and experience? Regular communication and meetings? Communicating beyond the partnership?
3. Have you mutually agreed upon a ramework or monitoring workover time?
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EVALUATINGKNOWLEDGE
PARTNERSHIPS
SUSTAINABILITYGauges the likelihood that the achievements of the partnershipand the partnership itsel can be sustained, that last concern restingon our dimensions:
Relevance whether the purpose or goal of the partnershipis still relevant
Relationships whether the partners are still active Resources whether resources are still available Time whether continuation of the partnership is necessary
1. How can the outcome of the partnership work be sustained?
2. Should the partnership itself be sustained and, if so, how?3. Do you know what motivates the partners to want to continue
to participate?4. Are there mechanisms in place to jointly refect, learn, and adapt
over an extended life span of the partnership?
IMPACTRefers to the positive and negative changes produced by thepartnership activities, directly or indirectly, intended or unintended.The impact should be examined at two levels:
The contribution that the partnership as a wholemakes to the attainment o development priorities; and
The improvement of each partners institutional capacityto have impact.
1. How will you ascertain whether the outcome led to impact?2. How will you ascertain whether people outside o the partnership
are aware of the knowledge generated and use it?3. How will you ascertain whether the partners capacities increased
as a result of the partnership?
4. Does the partnership have exibility for the unexpected to emerge?
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QUALITIESCHECKLIST
FOR EFFECTIVEPARTNERSHIPS
FURTHER READING
1. The partnership has a solid base ofjoint commitmentand understanding.2. There is a clear and appropriately detailed plan or achieving
the purpose or goal o the partnership.3. Each partner clearly benefts rom the partnerships.4. Sucient and appropriate resources are committed rom all
partners or achieving the purpose or goal o the partnerships.5. The partnership has an appropriate level o ormality.6. The partnership has good leadership.7. The partnership has clear and eective lines o accountability.8. Partners communicate in a productive and supportive way.
9. There is trust in the unction o the partnership.10. Accurate and appropriate indicators are used to evaluate
and improve the success and progress o the partnership.
ADB.2008.Building Communities of Practice.Available: http://www.adb.org/documents/inormation/knowledge-solutions/building-communities-practice.pd
ADB. 2009.Building Networks of Practice.Available: http://www.adb.org/documents/inormation/
knowledge-solutions/building-networks-o-practice.pd ADB. 2008.Creating and Running Partnerships.Available: http://www.adb.org/documents/inormation/knowledge-solutions/creating-running-partnerships.pd
ADB. 2009.Enhancing Knowledge Management Strategies.Available: http://www.adb.org/documents/inormation/knowledge-solutions/enhancing-knowledge-management-strategies.pd
ADB. 2009.Learning in Strategic Alliances.Available: http://www.adb.org/documents/inormation/knowledge-solutions/learning-in-strategic-alliances.pd
ADB. 2009.Strengthening Communities of Practice in ADB.
Available: http://www.adb.org/documents/reports/consultant/strengthening-communities-o-practice.pd
ADB. 2011.Guidelines for Knowledge Partnerships. Manila.Available: http://beta.adb.org/publications/guidelines-knowledge-partnerships
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ADBs vision is an Asia and Pacic region ree o poverty.Its mission is to help its developing member countries reduce povertyand improve the quality o lie o their people. Despite the regionsmany successes, it remains home to two-thirds o the worlds poor:1.8 billion people who live on less than $2 a day, with 903 millionstruggling on less than $1.25 a day. ADB is committed to reducingpoverty through inclusive economic growth, environmentallysustainable growth, and regional integration.
Based in Manila, ADB is owned by 67 members, including 48from the region. Its main instruments for helping its developingmember countries are policy dialogue, loans, equity investments,guarantees, grants, and technical assistance.
For more information, contactKnowledge Management CenterAsian Development Bank
6 ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong City1550 Metro Manila, PhilippinesTel +63 2 632 6710Fax +63 2 632 [email protected]/knowledge-management/
ABOUT THE ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK
March 2012 2012 by Asian Development Bank. All rights reserved.
Knowledge Primers serve as quick introductions to knowledgemanagement and learning applications in development work.
In an attractive package, they are suitable for interactive presentationsand self-learning for action. They are offered as resources
to ADB staff. They may also appeal to the development communityand people having interest in knowledge and learning.