Social Sector Service Areas
Strategy and Planning
Program Development and Implementation
Organizational Effectiveness
Performance Management and Evaluation
Partnership Services
Business Process Outsourcing
Specializations
Education and National Skills Systems
Entrepreneurship
Cultural Development
How Skills Surveys Can More Effectively Identify Workforce Skills Gaps
Through a multicountry review of skills surveys, we propose an alternative approach to establishment skills surveys that can play a more effective role in determining how workforce skills influence achievement of firm business objectives in the Arab World.
Using Social Networking for Change
We see IT as an important enabler for regional development, and we have worked with global technology leaders such as Intel and Microsoft to deepen the impact of regional development programs leveraging technology.
A Regional Institution for Improving the Quality of Education
There are many opportunities for synergies through cooperation between regional education quality programs as well as clear areas of overlap which can benefit from consolidation.
Using Awards Effectively for Social Change
Many award programs in the region focus on large monetary sums to award best practices. We argue that money is not enough, and award programs should reinforce social change through knowledge diffusion, network building initiatives, and follow on training to maximize social impact.
Increasing Female Labor Market Participation With Scholarships
In several countries in the Arab World, women face significant obstacles to obtaining higher education and entering the workforce. We propose an e-Scholarships for Women Initiative to mitigate access, equality, and labor participation challenges.
Strategy and Planning
Program Development and Implementation
Organizational Effectiveness
Performance Management and Evaluation
Partnership Services
Business Process Outsourcing
Specializations
Education and National Skills Systems
Entrepreneurship
Cultural Development
Our Thinking
How Skills Surveys Can More Effectively Identify Workforce Skills GapsThrough a multicountry review of skills surveys, we propose an alternative approach to establishment skills surveys that can play a more effective role in determining how workforce skills influence achievement of firm business objectives in the Arab World.
Using Social Networking for ChangeWe see IT as an important enabler for regional development, and we have worked with global technology leaders such as Intel and Microsoft to deepen the impact of regional development programs leveraging technology.
A Regional Institution for Improving the Quality of EducationThere are many opportunities for synergies through cooperation between regional education quality programs as well as clear areas of overlap which can benefit from consolidation.
Using Awards Effectively for Social ChangeMany award programs in the region focus on large monetary sums to award best practices. We argue that money is not enough, and award programs should reinforce social change through knowledge diffusion, network building initiatives, and follow on training to maximize social impact.
Increasing Female Labor Market Participation With ScholarshipsIn several countries in the Arab World, women face significant obstacles to obtaining higher education and entering the workforce. We propose an e-Scholarships for Women Initiative to mitigate access, equality, and labor participation challenges.
Performance
Management
and
Evaluation
- We help social sector organizations institute performance management and evaluation plans and implement qualitative and quantitative data collection strategies to ensure their projects are meeting targets. We have deep experience in performance, process, and impact evaluations.
Our Capabilities
Integrating Private Sector Thinking to Drive Efficiency, Productivity, and Service Delivery Excellence• Evaluating service delivery and financial positions of ministries and organizations to ensure sustainability, alignment with national priorities, and customer-centric orientation
• Aligning internal operations to performance management systems that ensure achievement of the organization’s external impact goals and objectives
• Mapping service delivery gaps across regions and sectorsInstitutional Performance Measurement and Value for Money• Measuring and tracking outcomes and impact against organization objectives with quantitative and qualitative approaches
• Benchmarking performance, establishing key performance indicators (KPIs) and providing performance management frameworks to support strategic execution and promote organizational learning
• Optimizing the efficiency and productivity of institutions and programs based on findings from performance monitoring and evaluationCommunicating Impact• Sharing organizational impact with key stakeholders and constituenciesBenchmarking Services and Best Practices Analysis• Analyzing and synthesizing data to identify best practices and recommendations
• Identifying and developing actionable plans for addressing performance gaps based on best practicesRisk Assessment and Mitigation• Assessing and mitigating organizational and program risks including continuity assessments, process review, and evaluating resource utilization
Arab World Higher Education Situation Analysis and Options Multiple global external trends are shaping the future and will have major implications on higher education in the Arab World. These are our views on the most important issues and what needs to be done.
Arab World Research and R&D Situation Analysis and Options Research in the Arab World is facing several challenges starting from its underlying environment through to demand and consumption. Here are our thoughts on the core issues and potential solutions.
How Skills Gaps Impact Firm Performance in the Arab World In the Arab World, there is a poor match between regional human capital and the skills demanded by employers. This analysis applies international research to the case of the Arab World to determine the operational impacts of skills gaps on Arab companies.
Knowledge-Based Economic Development in a Post-Awakening Arab World In pursuing knowledge-based economic development, many countries in the region have made large state-driven human capital investments with the goals of job creation, economic integration, economic diversification, environmental sustainability, and social development. An assessment of the effectiveness of Arab investments in human capital shows marginal progress over the last decade.
How Skills Surveys Can More Effectively Identify Workforce Skills Gaps Through a multicountry review of skills surveys, we propose an alternative approach to establishment skills surveys that can play a more effective role in determining how workforce skills influence achievement of firm business objectives in the Arab World.
- Below are a few examples of our recent work:
• Oversaw the evaluation of service delivery mechanisms and financial positions of several ministries, recommending corrective policy-related actions to ensure sustainability of programs in line with the government strategy • Designed and deployed an extensive scholarship tracer study for a regional scholarship program to determine the performance of their graduates and how the program had impacted recipients, institutions, and regional economies. The analysis culminated with conclusions and recommendations for enhancing program effectiveness • Conceived and implemented an organization wide monitoring and evaluation system covering 25 projects with a budget of $80 million; This involved reviewing socio-economic data to provide indicator baselines; establishing key performance indicators to guide project implementation; consolidating reports prepared by partners and staff for senior decision-makers and the board of directors; reviewing monitoring reports to assess interim impacts and identify bottlenecks; and recommending and implementing appropriate risk mitigation strategies to resolve project bottlenecks. Actionable plans for streamlining operations and improving processes and of $9 million in operational efficiencies • Implemented a monitoring and evaluation program that surveyed 3,000 participants across 16 countries and justified funding in spite of a $4 million cut to annual budget • Developed a performance management framework for a K-12 education system that aligns ministry and sector strategies with the development goals established by a regional government. Policy-based KPIs were conceived to measure system performance relative to the achievement of the overarching policy aims of quality, equity, and portability. Output KPIs were conceived to measure the effectiveness of education and training system interventions in terms of achieving academic, social, and economic outcomes which are precursors to the future development of the country • Formulated a strategy and managed client relationships to improve the communication of best practices, program developments, and successes from the USAID Regional Development Mission Asia to USAID Washington, DC and across Asia by leveraging USAID internal publications, internet-based initiatives, and presentations at senior level environmental policy and funding forums. These activities partially contributed to 140 new or strengthened laws providing Asian government officials with stronger frameworks for environmental compliance and 13 environmental data systems set up by Asian governments • Devised a system through which client successes were e-mailed to decision makers to increase the visibility of the project’s technical assistance initiatives. This outreach program contributed to the government’s later decision to offer the project a no-cost extension
