Reinventing capacity development: organizational change and policy entrepreneurship in UNDP Brazil

Abstract

UNDP Brazil has gone through significant organisational and policy change since the beginning of 2003 when a new government took office and a new Resident Representative arrived. The opening of a political window generated conditions for a substantive policy shift at the office, thanks also to the entrepreneurial actions performed by the new Resident Representative. The development services approach began to change towards a capacity development model thanks to the intellectual and managerial contributions of the new director. The new government demanded policy change. The new priorities included issues related to accountability regarding personnel.

The text describes how a new approach - capacity development - was implemented within the context of adverse conditions. It also emphasizes how a strategic view was decisive to orient the new course of action.