Learning and Results in World Bank Operations : Toward a New Learning Strategy, Evaluation 2

This report is the second in a program of evaluations that the independent evaluation group (IEG) is conducting on the learning that takes place through World Bank projects. Learning and knowledge are treated as parts of a whole and are presumed to be mutually reinforcing. The evaluation program addresses the following overarching questions: how well has the World Bank learned in its lending operations?; and what is the scope for improving how it generates, accesses, and uses learning and knowledge in these operations? Evaluation two includes findings from seven country case studies and interviews with Bank staff about their early experience of working within the Bank’s new global practices structure, which became operational on July 1, 2014. The aim is to assess the pre-FY2015 evidence in light of the new structure and roles, and to ask how long-term trends are likely to be modified as reforms evolve. Surveys and interviews reveal that, when it comes to managing projects, Bank staff rely first and foremost on a process of informal learning, leading to a gradual accumulation of tacit knowledge. Informal learning and tacit knowledge are built on the behaviors that flow from mindsets and from the characteristics and operating rules of the groups that individuals belong to. These behavioral underpinnings are mediated by incentives that institutions like the Bank provide to staff. The Bank has launched several important learning initiatives, such as the operational core curriculum. Chapter one presents approach. Chapter two mines the academic and management literature to examine the behavioral underpinnings of informal learning and tacit knowledge. Chapter three examines how individual and team behavior is mediated by the incentives that the Bank offers staff. Chapters four, five, and six examine three operational orientations of particular relevance to the new Bank: balancing of global and local focus, adaptiveness, and results focus. Chapter seven presents recommendations.

Bibliographic Details

Main Author:	Independent Evaluation Group
Format:	Report biblioteca
Language:	English en_US
Published:	World Bank, Washington, DC 2015-01
Subjects:	SKILLS, FOCUS GROUPS, GOOD PRACTICE, DISCUSSION, COMMUNITIES, RETURNS ON INVESTMENT, MENTORING, AWARENESS, ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING, FEEDBACK, KNOWLEDGE SHARING, CAREER DEVELOPMENT, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS, GLOBAL KNOWLEDGE, KNOWLEDGE MANAGER, KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER, BEHAVIORS, TRAITS, EXTERNAL KNOWLEDGE, BRAIN, INTELLIGENCE, DATA COLLECTION, INFORMATION, TEAM LEARNING, GUARDIANS, KNOWLEDGE CONVERSION, CAPACITY BUILDING, DISTANCE LEARNING, INFORMATION MANAGEMENT, ORGANIZATIONAL NETWORK, CONTENT, KNOWLEDGE BROKER, THINKING, LEADING, DECISIONS, ACADEMIC RESEARCH, EXPERIMENTATION, ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE, INFORMATION SYSTEMS, REWARD SYSTEM, TYPE OF KNOWLEDGE, IDEA, COLLABORATION, KNOWLEDGE, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, COMPLEX SYSTEM, COMMUNICATIONS, INFORMAL KNOWLEDGE, DIFFUSION OF KNOWLEDGE, COMPLEXITY, DATA, CRITICAL THINKING, WORKPLACE, IMAGINATION, INFORMAL LEARNING, SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS, IDENTITY, PARTNERSHIPS, DOCUMENT, EXPERTS, GLOBALIZATION, IDEAS, DOCUMENTS, COMPETENCIES, SOCIAL LEARNING, LEARNING, INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY, PROCESS, PRACTICE, TYPES OF KNOWLEDGE, INSIGHTS, PROBLEM SOLVING, EFFICIENCY, WORK…TEAMS, BELIEFS, MENTAL MODELS, TACIT KNOWLEDGE, KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT, WISDOM, COMPETENCY, PROFESSIONAL TRAINING, INTERNAL KNOWLEDGE, DISCUSSIONS, EXIT INTERVIEWS, EXPLORATION, LEARNING CONCEPTS, GROUP LEARNING, BEST PRACTICES, PARTICIPATION, KNOWLEDGE BASE, BOUNDARIES, HEURISTICS, COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE, PROCESSES, KNOWLEDGE FOR DEVELOPMENT, ORGANIZATIONAL KNOWLEDGE CREATION, BRAINSTORMING, BEST PRACTICE, DECISION-MAKING, SOCIAL NETWORKS, ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, DECISION MAKING, INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL, ORGANIZATIONAL KNOWLEDGE, LOGIC, CORE COMPETENCIES, STORIES, CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK, WORK GROUP, NETWORK ANALYSIS, KNOWLEDGE STRATEGY, ASSUMPTIONS, KNOWLEDGE FLOWS, CREATION OF KNOWLEDGE, MOVEMENT OF STAFF, COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE, EXPLICIT KNOWLEDGE, KNOWLEDGE CREATION, UNDERSTANDING, TEAM WORK, HUMAN RESOURCES, ABSORPTIVE CAPACITY, INTEGRATION, RETENTION, COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE, DECENTRALIZATION, INNOVATION, CONTINUOUS LEARNING, CHANGE PROCESS, PRACTITIONERS, COMMUNICATION, RULES OF THUMB, AUDIT, SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE, ACTION REVIEW, OPERATIONAL KNOWLEDGE, KNOWLEDGE FLOW, CONCEPTS, VARIETY, MEMORY, DATABASE, DECISION-MAKING AUTHORITY, COMMON INTEREST, TACIT DIMENSION, CONTAMINATION, COMPETITION,
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2015/08/24952899/learning-results-world-bank-operations-toward-new-learning-strategy-evaluation-two http://hdl.handle.net/10986/22818
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