Regional: Country Diagnostic Studies in Selected Developing Member Countries - Subproject 1

Public sector management / Economic affairs management

1. Diagnostic studies (country and sector)

2. Training on diagnostic approaches and techniques

3. Dissemination of study findings

International Consulting Services

1. Senior development economists (4 person-months). The economists will advise Asian Development Bank (ADB) staff and other experts on improving and broadening diagnostic frameworks. The economists will:

(i) guide the technical assistance (TA) team in improving and broadening diagnostic frameworks to cover regional and sector diagnosis of constraints,

(ii) review study reports and suggest improvements to them, and

(iii) present experiences of diagnostic approaches in the regional workshop.

2. Development economists (20 person-months). The economists will typically play lead roles in individual diagnostic studies, tasked with an overarching diagnosis of the country, region, or sector that will set the stage for the in-depth studies. The economists will:

(i) facilitate the conduct of a study inception workshop to inform and get feedback from key stakeholders, including governments, the private sector, civil society, and development partners;

(ii) facilitate the formation and functioning of peer groups, drawing membership from national planning agencies, academic and research institutions, other development partners, and interested civil society organizations;

(iii) review the pattern of growth exhibited and compare it with experiences in similar economies within and beyond the region;

(iv) dissect economic growth, taking into account production, demand, and supply, and compare it with experiences in similar economies within and beyond the region;

(v) undertake an overarching diagnostic analysis of constraints to broad-based economic growth, which will identify the topics for in-depth studies;

(vi) consolidate the findings of constraint-specific studies, identifying binding constraints and the policy options to address them in a draft country diagnostic report;

(vii) facilitate the conduct of the country workshop and prepare a presentation summarizing the findings of the country diagnostic report; and

(viii) finalize the country diagnostic report by incorporating comments and feedback received at the country workshop.

3. Sector specialists (18 person-months). The specialists will undertake in-depth studies of one or two key constraints, which may include poverty and inequality; unbalanced and narrow growth; underdevelopment regarding infrastructure, human capital and education, or the finance sector; governance; macroeconomic management; structural transformation and industrial policies; health; and the political economy. The specialists will:

(i) review trends and benchmark them against other countries, regions, and times;

(ii) propose a diagnostic framework and finalize it in consultation with stakeholders and the study team;

(iii) undertake a diagnostic analysis following a systematic framework to identify the underlying constraints;

(iv) identify the policy options to address the constraints, while keeping in view the country context as well as international best practices in these areas;

(v) summarize the findings of the studies on the constraint and the policy options to address them in a report that will become a section of the larger study report;

(vi) coordinate regularly with other colleagues on the evolving findings and provide feedback to ensure consistency and complementarity in the final output; and

(vii) present the findings of the report in the country workshop.

4. Editor (6 person-months). The editor will oversee the publication of study reports, coordinating with the development economists and sector specialists to review and finalize drafts of overarching and in-depth studies. Under the supervision of ADB staff, the editor will

(i) review and edit the draft reports, ensuring that they adhere to ADB style and usage, conform to high publication standards, and are properly and promptly delivered;

(ii) oversee the laying out of the report;

(iii) oversee the publication of the report; and

(iv) assist in managing the country diagnostics website.