Ownership, Leadership and Transformation: Can We Do Better for Capacity Development?

* Makes capacity development -- creating the conditions for developing countries to provide for themselves -- user-friendly
* Bridges the gap between theory and practice to show how the conceptual foundations of capacity development relate to practical realities in the field
* Companion to "Capacity for Development: New Solutions to Old Problems" (2002) and "Developing Capacity through Technical Cooperation" (2003)

The third and final in a series, this book bridges the conceptual foundations of capacity development and the difficulties and practical realities in the field. It demystifies the process of capacity development to make it more "user-friendly."
It has two parts. The first shows how long-standing development dilemmas can be turned into opportunities for capacity development and societal transformation. It proposes a set of principles to guide the search for context-specific approaches as the norm, and based on these default principles the authors explore relevant issues in comprehensible stages through a capacity lens.
The second part is a compilation of experiences and lessons from around the world that showcase promising initiatives and innovative solutions. It forms a casebook of insights and good (rather than best) practices on how development stakeholders can turn development dilemmas into opportunities tailored to the needs of their societies.
The book and its companion volumes make a vital professional resource for all those working in international development, as well as researchers, academics, and students.

Carlos Lopes is a development expert with UNDP.

Thomas Theisohn is Policy Advisor to the Capacity Development Group, UNDP.