Message-ID: <A6D2393FC6@fs1.ec.man.ac.uk> Date: Fri, 10 Jul 1998 10:04:21 BST From: Dr Richard Heeks <mailto:mzdid10@FS1.EC.MAN.AC.UK> Subject: Consultancy Problems (Was BAD EXPERIENCES) To: mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU
As I consultant, if I want repeat business from either the recipient or the donor, there is a simple first rule: 'Find out who's in charge; find out what they want; write that down in the report'.At least that's a bit better than some whose first rule is: 'Find a similar consultancy in our files; cut and paste to make it appear relevant; churn around for a few days pretending to gather data; submit cut/pasted report; claim large fee'.
One of our study fellows had work like this from one of the 'Big Five' - they'd got almost all the cut and paste right, but had missed out the footnotes and diagrams, which still referred to Kenya (this was in Zambia). In a number of other cases, I've worked alongside consultants who'd written their report before the plane landed.
But...don't heap all the blame on consultants (some of us do try to do a decent job, not always looking for repeat business). Whenever I go out, I ask for recipient counterparts who will work alongside with me, and then take ownership of problems and solutions. This hardly ever happens. Partly because recipient organisation staff are disempowered by donor money - the donor is seen as running the show and agenda (see Eberhard's previous message). But partly because recipient staff play their own games - using donor money to improve their organisation frequently seems to come well down a list of objectives that is headed by things like getting overseas trips and overseas training, getting cars, IT and other equipment, and (for a few) getting kickbacks on related contracts.
So, to misquote an old phrase, it takes three to tangle - the aid and consultancy game continues and continues to produce limited results because, in the main, it suits everyone: donors, consultants, and recipients.
Richard
--------------------------------------------------------------------- Dr Richard Heeks Lecturer, Information Systems & Development Institute for Development Policy & Management University of Manchester Precinct Centre Manchester M13 9GH U.K. Phone: +44-161-275-2870 Fax: +44-161-273-8829 Email: mailto:Richard.Heeks@man.ac.uk IDPM Web: http://www.man.ac.uk/idpm ---------------------------------------------------------------------