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DFID's Drivers of Change (DoC) analysis aims to improve the understanding
of political, economic, social and cultural forces that bring about
change in a regional and country context in order to identify the
key policy and institutional drivers of change. It directs attention
to the structural and institutional factors likely to 'drive' change
in the medium term, and to the underlying interests and incentives
that affect the environment for reform.
A DoC analysis contains six elements as listed below. It is not
necessarily intended to cover these elements either simultaneously
or consecutively. However, for the analysis to explore the national
context (rather than preconceived policies) as the point of departure
for development assistance, then all six lines of enquiry and analysis
should be followed at some point.
- basic country analysis
- medium-term dynamics
- role of external forces
- effects on poverty
- operational implications
- incentives
The basic country analysis examines a society's past and present
political, economic, social and cultural institutions, as well as
their long-term future without any aid-driven preconceptions. Medium-term
dynamics identifies the incentives and capacities of agents operating
within particular institutions, and how change will happen in the
medium term. External forces that have influence are donor actions,
aid modalities and influence strategies. Effects on poverty refers
to the understanding of how expected changes will affect poverty,
on what time-scale, and the implications. Operational implications
indicate available entry points for policy change, new ways of working,
innovative project designs, and strategic do and don'ts for DFID.
Incentives refer to ones in DFID that will affect the way staff
deal with implications.
Further details about the tool
This tool can be used for Increasing efforts to base programmes
within a good understanding of individual country contexts, including
the likely relationships between basic political, economic and social
changes over the long and medium term. It is also used for acquiring
a better understanding of how change occurs in countries as the
basis for understanding potential risks to the predicted impact
of policy reform.
DoC analysis highlights structural and institutional contexts,
policy processes and the long-term constraints to poverty reduction;
the ability and legitimacy of states to enforce rights; the nature
of incentives and disincentives to growth and development; and the
influence of external forces, including donors as political actors
themselves.
The timescale for carrying out DoC analysis is between two to six
months and it is necessary to have in-depth country knowledge and
access to literature on political-economic, political-science, sociological
and other analysis, and key informant interviews. Limitations of
the tool are that it can be resource and time intensive and the
process needs to be carefully managed and resourced so that outputs
are operationally useful.
For more information
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