Managing for Development Results at ADB

Action Plan on Managing for Development Results (2009-2011)

II. Achievements and Challenges

3. The implementation assessments of the 2006-2008 action plan confirm that ADB achieved many of its objectives (Appendix 2). [5] First, ADB has expanded its support for improving DMC MfDR capacity. It has helped build a strong regional network of results practitioners, the Asian Community of Practice (CoP) on MfDR. [6] Second, ADB has consolidated its results management system by adopting a corporate results framework for Strategy 2020 in 2008 and its reporting through the annual development effectiveness reviews (DEfRs). ADB has become more results-focused in designing and managing its country partnership strategies (CPSs), projects, and programs. Finally, ADB has often participated in and led global and regional knowledge-sharing and harmonization initiatives on MfDR.

4. The assessments identified areas requiring attention. More progress in these areas is important to fully transform ADB into an organization where management decisions are driven routinely by results information. These are as follows:

   1. Corporate results management. ADB needs to consistently apply results management to its decision-making at the corporate, department, office, division, and staff level in both operations and non-operations units and, in the process, clearly demonstrate the benefits of this approach.
   2. Design and use of MfDR tools at the country and project level of ADB operations. The quality and utility of MfDR tools [7] are mixed. ADB needs to continue refining the tools to ensure their quality and promote their wider use in decision making.
   3. Support for country systems to increase MfDR focus in development planning and implementation. ADB's support for capacity development in this area, including DMCs' statistical capacity development, requires better focus and coordination.
   4. Communicating MfDR within ADB. Staff awareness of ADB's MfDR agenda remains inadequate. ADB needs to communicate more clearly and widely its purpose, benefits, and key actions to gain staff commitment.

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[5] These include (i) management's progress report on the MfDR action plan in 2007; (ii) a special evaluation study on MfDR by the Independent Evaluation Department; and (iii) assessments by ADB's MfDR focal points undertaken during the workshop in March 2009. See ADB. 2007. Managing for Development Results in ADB: Semi-Annual Progress Report to Development Effectiveness Committee. Manila (November); and ADB. 2008. Special Evaluation Study on Implementation of Managing for Development Results in the Asian Development Bank: A Preliminary Assessment. Manila.

[6] ADB has supported the Asian Community of Practice (CoP) on MfDR since November 2005.

[7] MfDR tools include the design and monitoring framework (DMF) at the project level, the country results framework and sector road map at the country level, and the ADB results framework at the corporate level.