Book by J. De Coninck, K. Chaturvedi, B. Haagsma, H. Griffioen, M. van der Glas
Paperback: 220 pages Publisher: SAGE India (31 May 2008) Language English ISBN-10: 8178298570 ISBN-13: 978-8178298573. Also available on Amazon
Effective planning, monitoring and evaluation (PME) is essential for organisational survival and for sustainable development, but remains a challenge for many development organisations, in spite of countless PME workshops, manuals and interventions of experts. This book presents a rich variety of real-life experiences of 20 PME trainers and facilitators from Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe and offers suggestions to support PME processes, with a focus on civil society organisations. The authors seek to embrace a ‘total organisation approach’ to PME, one that looks at an organisation in its entirety, including its financial dimension, its environment, its collaborators and competitors, in a context informed by local and national cultures.
It looks at the implications of the specificities of organisations for their PME practice and systems, in relation to the role they play in society, as agents for transformation or providers of basic services, whether they are young small pioneers or big old and established organisations, assessing the quality of their leadership and learning processes, and finally, the sector they work in. The central message is the need to customise PME support to these specificities. It includes a section on the facilitators approach and attitudes.
The book is meant for use by PME facilitators and practitioners, whether they are working in NGOs, in other development organisations, or as desk officers in donor agencies. It does not pretend to prescribe solutions and pathways, but as a source of inspiration. A section on further reading guides the reader to sources of further reading, the facilitators have found useful.
Authors’ weblinks:
John de Coninck: www.crossculturalfoundation.or.ug
Ben Haagsma: IC Consult: www.icconsult.nl
Khilesh Chaturvedi: www.askindia.org
CDRN: www.cdrn.or.ug (this is the organisation that rendered much support in an initial phase)
ICCO: www.icco.nl
Cordaid: www.cordaid.nl
As to the other two authors: Mariecke is still employee of ICCO, though working in Nicaragua; Hans Griffioen is retired, no website, former colleague of IC Consult.
