strategic planning

Mapping a Transformation Journey: A Strategy for Malaysia's Future, 2009-2010

Author
Elena Lesley
Focus Area(s)
Critical Tasks
Core Challenge
Country of Reform
Abstract

When Prime Minister Najib Razak took office in April 2009, he aimed to set Malaysia on a new course. The nation’s economy was stagnating in the wake of the global financial crisis, and citizen discontent with government performance had led to the worst election results for the ruling coalition since independence from the United Kingdom in 1957. To turn the country in a new direction, Najib created a new post in the Cabinet—Minister for National Unity and Performance Management—and appointed Koh Tsu Koon, president of a party in the ruling coalition, to the position. Koh assembled a team and proposed a series of Cabinet workshops to determine leadership priorities. The team reached out to an economic council tasked with piloting the country to higher levels of economic growth and engaged diverse members of Malaysian society in substantive discussions. During a two-year period, the team’s findings evolved into a national transformation strategy. Strong leadership from the top combined with data- and research-driven approaches helped streamline priorities and generate buy-in. The strategy helped improve government performance and increase private investment. Nonetheless, public reaction was mixed, and critics charged that the entire undertaking was too narrow in scope. This case offers insights about how to design a consultative strategy development process in a country with a diverse population.
 
Elena Lesley drafted this case study based on interviews conducted in Kuala Lumpur in March 2014. For more information about the delivery unit charged with implementing Malaysia’s national transformation strategy, see the Innovations for Successful Societies companion case study "Tying Performance Management to Service Delivery: Public Sector Reform in Malaysia, 2009–2011.” This case study was funded by the Bertelsmann Stiftung Reform Compass. Case published in August 2014.

 

Empowerment Through Reform: Restoring Economic Activity in the West Bank, 2007−2009

Author
Jennifer Widner, Tristan Dreisbach, and Gordon LaForge
Focus Area(s)
Country of Reform
Abstract

Upon assuming office in mid-2007, Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad faced an economy in shambles. Devastated by a loss of revenues and international aid in the wake of Hamas’s 2006 electoral victory, which brought to power politicians deemed terrorists by some in the international community, average real gross domestic product per capita in the West Bank and Gaza was about 40% below its 1999 level, and the government was broke. To restart the economy and demonstrate that the Palestinian Authority could manage a socioeconomic crisis in a manner befitting a sovereign state, Fayyad and his colleagues created a detailed development plan that helped secure financial resources from international donors. With that money, the government undertook an ambitious community development program, building thousands of small-scale infrastructure projects across the West Bank. It also negotiated an easing of some of the Israeli-imposed movement restrictions that were stifling both commerce and investment. The West Bank then posted two years of double-digit economic growth and expanded, private-sector activity, but the occupation’s political challenges stymied the Fayyad government’s ultimate goal of Palestinian statehood. 

Jennifer Widner, Tristan Dreisbach, and Gordon LaForge drafted this case study based on interviews conducted in Ramallah, Nablus, and Jericho in June and July 2019 and in other locations during 2019 and 2020. The case is part of a series on state building in Palestine, 2002–05 and 2007–11. Case published June 2022.

Sigrid Arzt

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Focus Area(s)
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4
Critical Tasks
Country of Reform
Interviewers
Robert Joyce
Name
Sigrid Arzt
Interviewee's Position
Former National Security Advisor to the President of Mexico
Language
English
Town/City
Mexico City
Country
Date of Interview
Reform Profile
No
Abstract

In this interview, Sigrid Arzt Colunga explains the role of the Technical Secretary of the National Security Council in Mexico. She discusses the administrative coordination necessary to serve national and public security needs in Mexico. Just as the Calderon administration is coming into power, she describes the political diplomacy and cooperation she uses to transition into her newly created role as the President’s security adviser. She also details the process of communicating with and reporting to the President and Congress, as well as coordinating efforts with other ministers and technical secretaries. Arzt says one of the challenges of the job is that the legal mandate detailing the power of the position is vague, and because it is a new position, others in the bureaucracy and older agencies do not immediately accept her authority. Arzt also explains the mission and vision behind the National Security Plan, and describes some of her responsibilities, like allocating budget appropriations, working with the governors to secure states, and coordinating agenda items for the President’s meetings with senior administrators. 

 

 

Profile

At the time of this interview Sigrid Arzt Colunga was working with a think tank, conduting policy research in Mexico. She had extensive experience working on national and public security issues through her academic work, with the Fundacion Rafael Preciado, and through public service. She worked both as a public servant and a consultant for Centro de Investigación y Seguridad Nacional  (CISEN) and served as Technical Secretary to Attorney General Antonio Lozano Gracia during President Ernesto Zedillo’s administration.  She also formerly directed the NGO Democracia de Derechos Humanos y Seguridad, an organization that gathered information and made policy recommendations regarding issues of security, human rights and transparency. She officially joined President Felipe Calderon’s transition team in October 2006 as the Technical Secretary of the National Security Council, and served in that role until resigning in March 2009. 

Nitish Kumar

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Focus Area(s)
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1
Country of Reform
Interviewers
Rushda Majeed
Name
Nitish Kumar
Interviewee's Position
Former Chief Minister
Language
Hindi/English
Town/City
Patna, Bihar
Country
Date of Interview
Reform Profile
No
Abstract

In this interview, Nitish Kumar explains the role of the Chief Minister and the progress made in Bihar through governance and reform. Kumar talks about initial challenges and a changing atmosphere in Bihar over the course of his administration, with the mood shifting from fear and mistrust to confidence in government and law and order. Detailing major reforms in governance, law and order, education, healthcare, and more, Kumar describes specific actions taken by Bihar’s government. These include passage of an Arms Act to secure public spaces, expansion of and increased attendance in public schools, increased infrastructure and transportation, delegation of responsibility in government offices, implementation of a Rights to Public Services Act and more. Kumar discusses what he sees as successes from his time in office, and the steps he takes to effectively govern the people of Bihar.

Profile

At the time of this interview, Nitish Kumar was the former Chief Minister. Kumar had previous experience in governing from his work as a Minister in the Union Government of India. Before that, he briefly worked with the Bihar State Electricity Board, putting his Electrical Engineering degree from NIT Patna to use. Kumar belongs to the Janata Dal (United) political party in India, and has gained popularity by initiating a series of developmental reforms in the state of Bihar during his times as Chief Minister there. His supporters and fans nicknamed him “sushasan babu,” which roughly translates to “man of good governance.”

Planning Transformation in a Divided Nation: Creating Kenya Vision 2030, 2005-2009

Author
Maya Gainer
Focus Area(s)
Core Challenge
Country of Reform
Abstract

In 2005, forward-thinking planners from government and the private sector began to develop an ambitious strategy to transform Kenya into a middle-income country with a high quality of life by 2030. Although the East African country’s economy had begun to recover from decades of stagnation under authoritarian rule, deep inequalities festered and governance challenges abounded. The coalition government elected in 2002 had promised growth, improved social services, and public sector reforms, but those changes would take longer than a single five-year term. Through public consultations, guidance from experts, and input from the private sector, the Ministry of Planning, initially led by Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o, and the National Economic and Social Council identified priorities, selected high-impact projects, and built support across political, ethnic, and regional divides. Near the end of the strategy development process, the disputed 2007 presidential election triggered a national crisis. However, political rivals agreed to share power and adopted the strategy, called Vision 2030, as a joint agenda. In 2015, after seven years of implementation, more than 100 projects were underway and the document stood firm as the roadmap for Kenya’s future development.
 

Maya Gainer drafted this case study based on interviews conducted in Nairobi, Kenya in April 2015. Case published in July 2015.

Sigitas Siupsinskas

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Focus Area(s)
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10
Country of Reform
Interviewers
Yoni Friedman
Name
Sigitas Siupsinskas
Interviewee's Position
Vice Minister,
Interviewee's Organization
Minisrty of the Interior, Lithuania
Language
English
Town/City
Vilnius
Country
Date of Interview
Reform Profile
No
Abstract

In this interview, Sigitas Šiupšinskas discusses his work in public administration, regional policy and public service with the Lithuanian government. He discusses the VORT (Improvement of Performance-Based Management – from the Lithuanian Valdymo, orientuoto j rezultatus, tobulinimas) project and the Sunset Commission (The Commission for the Improvement of State Administration). He details the methods of the reforms, the gains achieved and the challenges faced. He talks about the effects the cultural environment of the Lithuanian government had on these reforms. He also talks about the successful efficiency gains in public administration and civil service reforms, and the implementations that led to those. Šiupšinskas discusses evaluative measures, methods of prioritization, and functional reviews.

Profile

At the time of this interview, Sigitas Šiupšinskas was vice minister in the Ministry of the Interior. He began his professional career in local administration, as deputy head of a neighborhood in the Vilnius District Municipality. Šiupšinskas then worked as adviser for municipal affairs in the Office of the Government. He then moved on to become director of the Association of Local Authorities in Lithuania. After this, he served as counselor the Lithuanian president on matters of public administration, regional policy and local self-government. He then moved to the Ministry of the Interior, where he first served as adviser to the minister before being appointed to his vice minister position. In the Ministry of the Interior, Šiupšinskas was responsible for public administration, regional policy and public service.

Kestutis Rekerta

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Focus Area(s)
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5
Critical Tasks
Country of Reform
Interviewers
Yoni Friedman and Gordon Evans
Name
Kestutis Rekerta
Interviewee's Position
Head of the Lithuanian Strategic Planning Commission
Language
English
Town/City
Vilnius
Country
Date of Interview
Reform Profile
No
Abstract
Kestutis Rekerta talks about his position as head of the Lithuanian Strategic Planning Commission. He discusses the development of strategic planning in Lithuania from 2000 to 2006. He talks about challenges the Commission faced in establishing a good process; he touches on the problems that arose in the prioritization of strategic plans, budget appropriation, and the Commission’s relationship with various ministries as well as with Lithuania’s changing government. Rekerta discusses the influence the Canadian International Development Agency had on the establishment of the Commission, and how they were able to accommodate external models to Lithuanian customs. He also talks about the influence Lithuania’s preparation for EU membership had on various aspects of government.
 
Profile

Kestutis Rekerta was a policy officer for the European Commission. He joined the European Commission in 2007 after much work in the Lithuanian government. Rekerta began working as assistant to the advisor for the EU (European Union) PHARE (Pologne et Hongrie – Aide á Restructruation Economique) project on local authorities in 1993. He then moved on to work as Chief Expert for Public Service Reform, and then later as Head of the Central Management Unit in Lithuania’s Ministry of Public Administration Reforms and Local Authorities. After this position, he was appointed head of the Strategic Planning Commission, and later moved on to be director of the Strategic Planning and Public Administration Department. It was following this work in Lithuania that Rekerta joined the European Commission.

Full Audio File Size
62 MB
Full Audio Title
Kestutis Rekerta - Full Interview

Giedrius Kazakevicius

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Focus Area(s)
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1
Country of Reform
Interviewers
Yoni Friedman
Name
Giedrius Kazakevicius
Interviewee's Position
Counsellor of the Department of Lithuanians
Interviewee's Organization
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Language
English
Town/City
Vilnius
Country
Date of Interview
Reform Profile
No
Abstract

In 2009, Giedrius Kazakevicius was asked to lead a reform agenda in Lithuania in his capacity as vice-chancellor of the prime minister. At this time, the government of Lithuania was undergoing a party shift from social democrats to conservatives, and a structural shift from having a chancellery to a prime minister’s office. In this interview, Kazakevicius explains the necessity and obstacles of implementing government-wide reform amidst such a transition. Particular challenges that Kazakevicius describes are the creation of a detailed budget under budget cuts, and the formation of a strategy to approaching reform that prioritizes certain sectors in an efficient and productive way. He discusses the need to set both personal and results-related goals with specific deadlines and ways to measure achievement through active use of baselines and metrics. Kazakevicius emphasizes the general goal of creating a results-oriented culture of government in Lithuania that focuses on strategic planning, as opposed to the previous system that solely concentrated on inputs and implementation. 

Case Study:  Improving the Quality of Decision Making: Fighting Reform Fatigue in Lithuania, 2006-2012

Profile

At the time of this interview, Giedrius Kazakevicius served as vice-chancellor of the prime minister of Lithuania. Upon graduating university, Kazakevicius entered into diplomatic service. Then, from 1998 to 2001, he worked in the foreign affairs division of the prime minister’s office from before returning to the ministry of foreign affairs. He remained in the ministry of foreign affairs until he was appointed as vice-chancellor in 2009 and asked to lead the principal reform agenda. 

Improving Coordination and Prioritization: Streamlining Rwanda's National Leadership Retreat, 2008-2011

Author
Deepa Iyer
Focus Area(s)
Critical Tasks
Country of Reform
Abstract
In 2008, President Paul Kagame was deeply frustrated with his government’s inability to move Rwanda forward after civil war and genocide decimated the African nation in the early 1990s. Four years earlier, concerned about his government’s lack of progress in improving services, he had launched yearly retreats to help Rwanda’s top leaders develop ministerial priorities and shape plans for service delivery. While the concept seemed simple, implementation was not. Early national leadership retreats, some a week long, failed to meet expectations. Poor planning and fast-changing agendas left ministers uncertain about their roles. Reflecting the disorder, retreat participants set hundreds of objectives, and post-retreat implementation lagged. In 2008, frustrated by service delivery failures, public sector inertia and duplication across ministries, Kagame took steps to enhance coordination at the top levels of government. He created two units, a Strategy and Policy Unit within his own office and a Coordination Unit in the prime minister’s office. These actions helped improve the retreat planning process. The two units worked with a retreat steering committee headed by Minister of Cabinet Affairs Protais Musoni. A reallocation of roles at the center of government and a concerted effort to build planning capacity further streamlined the retreat process. By 2011, the retreats had become high-level forums for government planning, coordination and accountability. Participants at the 2011 event developed six priorities, compared with 174 at the retreat two years earlier.
 

Deepa Iyer drafted this case study on the basis of interviews conducted in Kigali, Rwanda, in September 2011. Case published March 2012. Two separate case studies, “The Promise of Imihigo: Decentralized Service Delivery in Rwanda and "Rebuilding the Civil Service After War” provide additional insight into the processes of restoring and restructuring governance in insecure areas.  .

Associated Interview(s):  Fabien Majoro, Protais Musoni, Leonard Rugwabiza

Building Strategic Capacity in the Police: Sierra Leone, 1998-2008

Author
Jonathan (Yoni) Friedman
Focus Area(s)
Country of Reform
Abstract

Sierra Leone’s police service had a reputation for abuse and corruption even before the 1991-2002 civil war that slashed its numbers by a third and all but destroyed its infrastructure. Taking office in 1996, President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah set a high priority on police reform to ensure stability for postwar reconstruction and economic development. The United Kingdom, acting through the Commonwealth, was the primary benefactor, providing equipment, trainers and even an inspector general to lead the service during the first years of reform. By 2008, the Sierra Leone police featured strong and capable senior leadership, improved capacity for criminal investigations, and a positive relationship with the Sierra Leonean public. Although concerns about the sustainability of these reforms and the feasibility of additional changes remained in 2008, the development of the Sierra Leone Police during the preceding decade was an example of successful post-conflict police reform in a West African state.


Jonathan Friedman wrote this policy note based on interviews by Arthur Boutellis in Freetown, Sierra Leone, in May 2008. Case published November 2011.

Associated Interview(s):  Keith Biddle, Robert Bradley, Kadi Fakondo, Osman Gbla, Garry Horlacher, Adrian Horn, Sheka Mansaray