Indicators as Interventions: Pitfalls and Prospects in Supporting Development Initiatives
Improving the well-being of poor and vulnerable people relies on solving systemic problems. The perceived severity of these problems and the success of potential solutions are often measured by information bundled into key indicators. Gaining a clearer understanding of the role that indicators play is a critical issue that will only take on more importance as new information become increasingly available and used over the next decades. One of the most interesting findings presented in the report is that the process of creating and disseminating indicators can be an effective intervention that is particularly useful in addressing and marshaling a response to wicked problems—complex, interdependent, ever-changing global issues that require the application of iterative solutions in order to be managed successfully. The ability of indicators to help reframe problems related to poverty and globalization is an excellent example of how new kinds of evidence can play an outsized role in shaping the responses undertaken by philanthropies, governments, and other organizations interested in ensuring social change.
Resilience: A Literature Review
The study of resilience has developed in discrete fields that have generated their own definitions of the concept relevant to the class of problems they address. Historically it has been a key concept in the fields of psychology and ecology, and currently it also has a strong presence in disaster planning and organizational management. Few studies, however, have offered a look at resilience—both its theory and applications—across these and related disciplines. This literature review was commissioned by the Rockefeller Foundation to fill this gap. With a particular focus on research of the past 50 years in the areas of engineering, psychology, complex adaptive systems and economics, this review synthesizes both the theoretical underpinnings of resilience and compelling applications for an international development audience looking at issues that affect the poor and vulnerable.
Searchlight Convening 2011 - The Future of the Urban Poor
Organized by Intellecap with support from the Rockefeller Foundation, the 2011 Annual Searchlight Convening involved representatives from the eleven horizon scanning and trend monitoring institutions who comprise the Rockefeller Searchlight function. These organizations serve as an “ear on the ground” and provide a regionally focused view of the world, with a particular emphasis on economic, societal and political trends, challenges and innovations that might – positively or negatively - impact the lives of the poor. An innovative and unique approach in the development sector, they support the Foundation’s ongoing exploration for novel ideas and intervention opportunities as well as early signal detection - “clues” to where and how the world is evolving.
Bellagio Searchlight Report, 2010
The Rockefeller Foundation believes that a critical component to establishing a successful trend scanning enterprise involves bringing the practitioners together to learn from each other, share knowledge and best practices, and foster a sense of community. This was the spirit guiding the workshop held in Bellagio, Italy and organized by the Society for International Development, with support from the Rockefeller Foundation, in April 2010. The workshop consisted of multiple representatives from each Searchlight organization, along with the participation of an additional set of experts and scholars who provided invaluable insights and intriguing outlooks on both the process of horizon scanning and the content and ideas that can result from such efforts.
Scenarios for the Future of Technology and International Development 2010
There is little doubt that technology will continue to drive change across the developing world. However, uncertainty exists about the role of technological advances in alleviating poverty. To uncover the range of possibilities that may emerge, novel approaches like scenario planning are essential.
“Scenarios for the Future of Technology and International Development,” a new report, features four very different—yet very plausible—visions of how technology could profoundly alter how we address some of the most pressing challenges in the developing world.
Scenario planning—an innovative method of creating narratives about the future—is a powerful tool for assisting organizations in considering how complex problems could evolve and be solved over the long term. The scenario planning process helps to identify unique opportunities, rehearse important decisions by simulating their broader implications, and illuminate previously unexplored areas of intersection.
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Foresight for Smart Globalization, 2009
Pro-poor foresight is forward-looking analysis that focuses on poor and marginalized people by expanding their social and economic opportunities and by enhancing the social, economic, and ecological resilience of human society. Yet foresight, as generally applied within government, industry, and the non-governmental sector, rarely includes an explicit focus on poverty.
The application of pro-poor foresight for envisioning the future of human development is crucial for ensuring long-term prosperity and sustainability. This realization was the guiding and motivating force behind a workshop organized by the Institute for Alternative Futures (IAF), with support from the Rockefeller Foundation. The workshop, “Foresight for Smart Globalization: Accelerating & Enhancing Pro-Poor Development Opportunities,” was held from March 16-20, 2009 at the Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center in Italy.
By the end of the workshop, the dialogue had produced several key findings that illuminated the value of foresight in the developing world, including:
- Foresight can provide an important set of silo-busting tools to provide a systematic view of the increased complexity of our globalized world.
- Foresight can provide decision-makers from both developed and developing countries with a valuable “safe space” to rehearse and test decisions that address deep uncertainties.
- Foresight can provide a valuable way to connect the “grassroots to the grasstops” by communicating with the public around an important issue and to solicit feedback and opinions.
- Foresight is most critical in addressing the problems of weak and impoverished nations.
The report also summarizes the real-world experience of participants in conducting foresight in different geographical regions and the barriers faced in applying foresight for decision-making. Subsequently, it describes three interlocking issues—energy and climate change, science and technology, and economic governance—that were discussed in tandem at the workshop.
