trative direction, management methods, operational
performance and the effectiveness of its aid programs for
partner nations.
Breaking Through International Difficulties
Through Organizational Reform and Innovative
Management at the TaiwanICDF
International development aid programs are often
subject to the internal politics, accounting systems
or power struggles of the partner nations in which
they are implemented. This impairs the ability of
donor organizations to set clear directions for their
aid programs, so that projects often lack medium- to
long-term planning, transparency and predictability.
In addition, ineffective resource coordination among
donors and a lack of mechanisms for checking mutual
accountability between donors and partner nations often
impede the implementation of the Paris Declaration on Aid
Effectiveness’ five guidelines and 12 indicators.
To break through these international difficulties, the
TaiwanICDF implemented a series of reforms, starting
from 2010, which cover strategic implementation,
organizational adjustment and the restructuring of our
technical cooperation model. We also began to promote
the concept of ownership, working with national governing
institutions and systems in partner countries to strengthen
the effectiveness of aid programs. Our reforms have
stressed the principle of managing for results and
focused on procedures that could effectively put
projects into practice, as well as effectively consolidate
resources. These reforms were aimed at breaking through
resource constraints and helping the TaiwanICDF create a
competitive niche in the field of international aid.
This year, we set our goal for reform on the
completion of our Vision for 2022, which established the
medium- to long-term direction of the organization. We
also introduced the concept of “results management” into
our operations, stressing organizational accountability,
information transparency and a responsibility toward
stakeholders. At an organizational level, we set out to
establish a “results framework,” which consists of five
major operational priorities, including the planning and
integration of various information tools and knowledge
management platforms, and the construction of a
joint performance measurement system. At a project
management level, we implemented a project cycle-based
management model (see p.10), leading to the adoption
of this system in various projects. We also sought to
develop easy-to-use tools and management systems
such as a design and monitoring framework (DMF) and
a performance management system (PMS) (see p.12),
which we hope will help us to focus on achievable,
measurable results.
In 2011, we also conducted an extensive evaluation
and inventory of existing projects, closing some
poorly structured projects and setting up a series of
new projects based on the project cycle and project
management system described above. Instead of sending
technical personnel to implement projects directly, we
now implement projects jointly with partner countries.
TaiwanICDF personnel provide assistance for project
management and control the progress and quality of the
projects within the limits of the existing legal systems of
partner nations, helping partner countries to move toward
sustainable industrial development.
Overall, we will continue to follow our core strategies,
consolidating resources to focus on our five operational
priorities and, using managing for results as a guiding
principle, employ information and communications
technology and knowledge management platforms in our
projects, adhere closely to daily work plans and make
immediate amendments and adjustments to work plans
through performance evaluations, thereby creating a
positive cycle of operations.
In terms of supporting human resources, we have
actively and continuously trained our personnel through
our Reserve Overseas Project Management Training
Program. In the past year, an employee inventory has
also been conducted to establish a skills model, facilitate
effective performance evaluation, evaluate personnel
adaptability, assess the effectiveness of differentiated
incentives and facilitate the amendment of supporting
regulations.
Working with the limited resources and funding that
we have, we will continuously establish partnerships
to facilitate the in-depth development of bilateral and
multilateral assistance models. We will also form alliances
with NGOs and private sector entities to rapidly duplicate
and build upon successful experiences, drawing upon
Taiwan’s own development experiences and know-how
when promoting foreign aid, reaching out to a greater
number of project beneficiaries and pursuing inclusive
growth that champions social equity and distributive
justice.
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