Case Study: World Bank

Overview
Came into existence post WW II.

Initially assisted WW II ravaged countries.

Presently works for poverty alleviation in developing

countries. Loans upto 20 Bn USD/Yr
• Health care and education.
• Environment protection
• Private Sect investment.
• Transparent governance.
• Creating stable macro-eco environment.
 Knowledge Management
• Recent focus on knowledge management/knowledge sharing.
• Focuses on :
– Knowledge at par with money
– Learning from all sources
– Continuous learning
– Promoting an open environment

LENDING ALONE CAN’T REDUCE POVERTY

Knowledge sharing will:-

 increase speed
 improve the quality of service
 increase innovation
 reduce costs
 global access to development know-how
 both product and process improvement
 Knowledge Bank: Timeline
• James Wolfensohn announces Knowledge
1996 Bank

1997 • Global Knowledge Conference convenes.

• All World Bank offices linked to a global

communications system.
1998 • Knowledge sharing becomes part of the
Overall Performance Evaluation.
• The Global Development Learning Network
2000 launched.

• Three pillars of knowledge sharing at the

2002
Bank firmly established.
WB Knowledge Strategy : Three Pillars

The Three Pillars

Enhancing client
Improve World Bank’s
Knowledge sharing with capacity to assess and
operational quality and
clients and partners make effective use of
effectiveness
knowledge

Absence of an organizational blueprint or strategy

helped .
Barriers Faced

Large organization

Inertia

Downsizing pressure

Community participation

Low trust level

 How The Barriers were Overcome

Clear strategy

Provide support and resource to communities

Change personal evaluation system

Use of technology
Fostering Collaboration
The WB Knowledge Cycle
Knowledge Sharing
Mentoring and coaching
programs
Orientation
Debriefing
Thematic Groups
Advisory services
Global Development Learning
Network
Development Gateway
Indigenous Knowledge
Development Forum
 Development Gateway
• The Development Gateway began in 1999 as part of the World Bank’s
external knowledge-sharing strategy.

• Major objectives:

To promote sustainable To establish To foster the

development and poverty partnerships with availability of
reduction through private, public, development
knowledge and resource and civil society information at the
sharing. organizations. local level.
• Five core programs:
– dg Market
– dg Communities
– Country Gateways
– E-Government Grants
– Aid Effectiveness tools (AiDA, AMP)
 Development Forum

ItIt is
is an
an electronic
electronic venue
venue for
for dialogue
dialogue and
and knowledge
knowledge sharing
sharing among
among
members
members of of the
the World
World Bank’s
Bank’s development
development community.
community.

Its
Its focal
focal point
point is
is an
an ongoing
ongoing and
and expanding
expanding series
series of
of electronic
electronic
development
development dialogues
dialogues on
on key
key issues
issues and
and challenges
challenges facing
facing the
the
development
development community
community andand these
these vary
vary in
in content,
content, format,
format, and
and
duration.
duration.

The
The World
World Bank
Bank hosts
hosts the
the forum.
forum. Development
Development dialogues
dialogues in
in the
the
forum
forum are
are sponsored
sponsored by
by the
the World
World Bank
Bank or
or by
by other
other organizations
organizations
around
around the
the world
world committed
committed to
to sustainable
sustainable development.
development.
Global Development Learning Network

The participants are

It uses information It has 29 distance
usually a mix of
technologies(Videoc learning centers and
decision makers in
Its aim is to improve onferencing, distance learning
government,
development impact CDROM, Videos) to networks that work
nongovernmental
by using distance offer content from a together to bring
organizations,
learning to train wide range of development
academia, civil
development sources and reach a learning to
society, private
decision makers. critical mass of approximately
enterprise, and other
participants to effect 20,000 participants
development
change. each year.
agencies.
 Thematic Groups

These are Thematic groups Thematic group

communities receive funding from products, services,
comprising of front- their sector board(s) and activities include
line staff, people who based on work the production of
are passionate about program agreements, knowledge
a common subject. which tie thematic collections,
Leadership and group work to the dissemination and
membership in any sector strategy. outreach to staff and
thematic group is partners, and support
voluntary and open to task teams.
to all staff.
 Rewards and Recognition

•The World Bank uses formal and informal incentives to foster and
support knowledge sharing within its organization.

Example: President’s Award for Excellence program. This program

nominates two to three teams annually who have excelled in knowledge
sharing.

•Annual performance reviews now include knowledge sharing and

learning as one of four key behaviors for all staff and managers.

• To inspire innovation and a knowledge-sharing culture, the World Bank

holds programs such as knowledge fair called development marketplace
and provides a venue to seek new ways of addressing poverty. It
involves a competition open worldwide for any individual or organization
to develop new ways to fight poverty.
Establishing Support Roles & Structures

• Knowledge sharing is decentralized.

Leadership and • It is a matrix structure with regions and networks
Designated Roles to (thematic in nature) that hold the resources.
Support Knowledge • All the vice presidents’ offices, in particular the
Sharing networks, the thematic part of the World Bank,
allocate resources for KM.

• The involvement of its customers and partners is

Integration of important.
Customers, Vendors, and • Example:
Partners Into the
• A team in the Africa Region launched the
Knowledge-sharing
Processes Indigenous Knowledge for Development
Initiative to integrate client knowledge
 The World Bank Institute
Share expertise with the developing world

Create learning opportunities for countries

Knowledge networks related to international economic and social

development and poverty alleviation

Global Development Learning Network - link training centers around

the world to promote exchange of cutting-edge information

Trains staff and clients together

Issues such as HIV/AIDS, pollution, corruption, pension reform, water

use etc.
 Multiple Sector Team Learning
 Team work and learning-by-doing is important

 Focus – to improve both team accomplishment and mastery

 Knowledge packs - provide users with quick access to country-specific

cases of indigenous/traditional practices, in-country sources of knowledge,
and World Bank-supported projects related to indigenous knowledge issues
 Knowledge Intern Program
 Offered to undergraduate and graduate students of the member countries as an
opportunity to acquire practical, hands-on knowledge management skills

 Students work together with staff in a mutual learning and knowledge-sharing

environment and earn course credits for their work and do not receive financial
compensation.

 A new knowledge intern recruiting system has been put in place that allows students
to -

create their personal profile,

update them whenever needed,
follow up on their application status,
apply to various employment programs without re-entering their information multiple
times.
 Success Indicators

Measures for evaluating

The number of innovation

Monitoring and tracking
grants and loans and the An annual KM survey to
outputs and utilization of
tracking of learning and understand how KM is
resources, database usage
tuition loans (each project is contributing to the success
statistics, and the number of
measured separately and of the World Bank and its
unique visitors to the
has its own set of profitability.
intranet portal site;
indicators); and
 Success Stories…..
Artisan Community -Collaboration
And Innovation

• Series of grassroots management- training workshops conducted in West

Africa, India, and Peru since the 1990s.

• The program emphasized enhancing skills, according to the needs of

participants, and greater community participation in local economic
development.

• Over time, a community was formed, as workshop participants

coalesced informally and as artisan enterprise was recognized
increasingly as a vehicle with enormous potential to empower local
communities.

• The community serves as an ongoing forum that addresses critical

 Contd….

• These issues include raising investment, adapting products for the global
market, resolving tax issues, business planning, utilizing new technologies,
and finding a balance among economic development, cultural heritage, and
environmental concerns.

• The community also learned that learning is multidirectional; it involves

knowledge sharing among different groups and disciplines.

• The focus is not simply on training or capacity building. Instead, the artisan
community emphasizes the value of learning from members in developing
countries.

• Much of the artisan community’s success and innovative quality can be

attributed to its ongoing partnerships.

• As part of the institute’s community empowerment and social inclusion

learning program, it represents one aspect of the World Bank’s new emphasis
on community-driven development.
 Lessons Learned
• It is essential to have a top executive as a sponsor for
Leadership
knowledge- sharing activities and programs.
• Communities are the heart and soul of knowledge
Organization
sharing at the World Bank.
• It is important to combine formal and informal
Culture
incentives for knowledge sharing.
• Demonstrate the value of knowledge sharing to the
Measurement
front lines to ensure the continued participation.
• It should be relentless and inspiring and stimulate
Communication
both awareness and advocacy.
• Accountability is important as someone has to be
Management
responsible.
• Without innovation, programs stagnate and activities
Innovation
become inactive.
THANK YOU