Knowledge Showcases

Communities of Practice 101

noreply@blogger.com (ADB KM Center) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 01:24:00 +0000

The potential for communities of practice in an organization is enormous. But their success hinges on a wide range of factors—from readiness to structure, champions to members. Find out the basic ingredients needed in setting up productive and sustainable communities of practice.

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ADB-Hosted Communities of Practice: Driving Knowledge Activities

noreply@blogger.com (ADB KM Center) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 01:21:00 +0000

To excel in their domains and live up to their potential as prime tool of organizational development, ADB’s communities of practice regularly perform the five core knowledge activities—identify, create, store, share, and use knowledge. How much progress have they achieved to date?

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Responding to Disasters: Emergency Flood Damage Rehabilitation in Bangladesh

noreply@blogger.com (ADB KM Center) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 05:32:00 +0000

In terms of geographic extent and economic damage, the floods of mid-2004 were the worst ever experienced by Bangladesh. How did ADB's immediate assistance, which came with simplified administrative processes, fare in terms of rehabilitating the damage?

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Rising from the Rubble: Reconstruction and Rehabilitation after the 2001 Gujarat Earthquake

noreply@blogger.com (ADB KM Center) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 05:30:00 +0000

In 2001, Gujarat, India experienced its worst earthquake in the last half century. Three years later, the rubbles had been cleared and new roads, houses, buildings, and water and power lines were in place. What propelled Gujarat's successful reconstruction and recovery?

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Carbon Credits: Improving Financing and Sustainability of a Landfill Closure Project

noreply@blogger.com (ADB KM Center) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 05:27:00 +0000

In 2 years, the Indian city of Mumbai transformed its great eyesore—a 19.6 hectare landfill filled with 80-foot high waste—into a vast expanse of greenery with considerable revenue-generating potential. How did carbon credit financing catalyze this transformation?

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Expanding Water Supply and Sanitation Coverage through Output-Based Aid

noreply@blogger.com (ADB KM Center) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 05:19:00 +0000

The Asian Development Bank is set to undertake its first output-based aid (OBA) initiative. Will it prove to be the right modality for Nepal's small towns and their water supply and sanitation concerns?

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Chashma: A Case Study in Compliance

noreply@blogger.com (ADB KM Center) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 03:39:00 +0000

Even good projects engender complaints. An irrigation project in Pakistan showcases how ADB responds to such complaints and improves the project.

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Making Connectivity Work: Contract Growing Along the Lao PDR-Thai Border

noreply@blogger.com (ADB KM Center) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 03:37:00 +0000

A company shifted from trading timber to farm produce, in the process boosting agricultural cross-border trading between exporters in Lao PDR and importers in Thailand.

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Raising Farmer Incomes through High-Value Crops

noreply@blogger.com (ADB KM Center) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 03:21:00 +0000

A project in rural Bangladesh provided farmers with knowledge, credit support, and market linkages to increase productivity.

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Building Narrative Capacity at ADB

noreply@blogger.com (ADB KM Center) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 00:49:00 +0000

ADB makes growing use of knowledge management tools, methods, and approaches but must better capture and store its wealth of tacit knowledge.

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Managing Climatic Risks with Adaptation

noreply@blogger.com (ADB KM Center) — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 02:54:00 +0000

In a world of climate change, adaptation is about managing risks to avoid probable costly post-disaster recovery and rehabilitation. There is no "off the shelf" approach to adapting to climate change; location and current conditions will influence how climate change impacts are assessed and what adaptation measures can be adopted. Deficiencies in land use management can exacerbate the adverse impacts of climate change.

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Climate Proofing Timor-Leste's Roads

noreply@blogger.com (ADB KM Center) — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 02:53:00 +0000

When climatic changes impact roads to the point that their closure or threatened disappearance becomes commonplace, climate change risks should logically be considered in a rehabilitation project. In a pilot, this is just what Timor-Leste and ADB are learning to do.

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Bilateral Dimensions of the CAREC Trade Facilitation Agenda: Spotlight on Mongolia and the People’s Republic of China

noreply@blogger.com (ADB KM Center) — Tue, 04 May 2010 06:11:00 +0000

Cooperation on regional public goods promises substantial economic benefits. The ADB-assisted CAREC program sponsors measures to facilitate trade and maximize the impact of investments in infrastructure. The program provides an effective institutional forum for negotiating complex, cross-border projects. (No. 26 | May 2010)

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Post-Disaster Action Planning

noreply@blogger.com (ADB KM Center) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 08:00:00 +0000

Rapid development of a series of pragmatic subdistrict action plans embedded in spatial frameworks was needed to prioritize and direct post-disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts after the 2004 tsunami and 2005 earthquake on the island of Nias, Indonesia. Speedy and accurate data collection and analysis by small teams in consultation with communities and local governments, and simple presentations of results led to a high level of demand for and uptake of the plans. The plans provided a template for effective post-disaster responses and continue to be used by local governments for their development and budget planning. (No. 25 | January 2010)

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Customizing a Decentralized Sanitation Solution for Viet Nam's Peri-urban Areas

noreply@blogger.com (ADB KM Center) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 07:00:00 +0000

Design considerations for sanitation approaches in peri-urban areas cover a wide ground, from topography to climate to behaviors and more. Decentralized sanitation approaches reduce the need for complex design engineering and keep investment costs to a minimum, thus enabling communities to participate in their management and operations. People will invest in sanitation services when they understand the benefits they will gain. (No. 24 | January 2010)

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Boosting Aquaculture Livelihoods in Post-Disaster Aceh, Indonesia

noreply@blogger.com (ADB KM Center) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 08:00:00 +0000

The tsunami that struck Aceh Province in Indonesia in 2004 devastated coastal aquaculture livelihoods. The Asian Development Bank-assisted Earthquake and Tsunami Emergency Support Project engaged fish farmers to build and operate four Aquaculture Livelihood Service Centers. The Aceh Aquaculture Communication Center was also set up. With improved aquaculture support services, fish farmers now produce high-value shrimps for export. (No. 23 | January 2010)

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Complaints from Beneficiaries: A Valuable Resource for Project Implementation

noreply@blogger.com (ADB KM Center) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 07:18:00 +0000

Problems often arise in large and complex projects, leading to complaints from intended beneficiaries. The Asian Development Bank's Earthquake and Tsunami Emergency Support Project in Indonesia established several avenues for receiving and responding to complaints at the project level. The complaint-handling systems provided feedback about problems and enabled their early resolution before they escalated into difficult issues, resulting in smoother project implementation.

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Speeding Business Application Processes in the Philippines

noreply@blogger.com (ADB KM Center) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:23:00 +0000

The Philippines is ranked 162 out of 183 countries in terms of ease of starting a business, according to the Doing Business 2010 Report. The Department of Trade and Industry has moved to raise the country's ranking by simplifying the process necessary to start sole proprietorships and corporations. A significant effort has been the development of the Unified Form in the department's National Economic Research and Business Assistance Center. (No. 21 | November 2009)

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When Size Matters - Improving Microfinance Outreach in Aceh Through a Revitalized Provincial Rural Bank Network

noreply@blogger.com (ADB KM Center) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:23:00 +0000

The Asian Development Bank-assisted Earthquake and Tsunami Emergency Support Project aimed, among others, to develop sustainable and responsive financial services for micro and small enterprises in Aceh in Sumatra, Indonesia. By Mariano A. Cordero, Rizal Matondang, and Pieter Smidt (No. 20 | November 2009)

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Mapping the Sea: Knowledge for Natural Resources Management

noreply@blogger.com (ADB KM Center) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:22:00 +0000

With loss of life from the devastating tsunami of 2004, knowledge of fishing grounds around Aceh was reduced: the locations of reefs and other underwater hazards became less clear to the remaining fishers; consequently, they frequently damaged or lost their nets. To restore knowledge of fishing grounds, the ADB-assisted Earthquake and Tsunami Emergency Support Project partnered with he Panglima Laot-Aceh's traditional fishing authority and with fishers to conduct a community-based bathymetric survey and map the ocean floor. The beneficiaries collected data to help produce maps of hazardous coastal areas, potential fishing grounds, and ocean currents. Because of the survey, the Panglima Laot and fishers learned to partner with others and their capacity to keep more transparent accounts was improved. By Pieter Smidt and Richard Beresford (No. 19 | October 2009)

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Partnering with Communities for Post-Disaster Reconstruction in Aceh and Nias Island, North Sumatra, Indonesia

noreply@blogger.com (ADB KM Center) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:22:00 +0000

Community contracts and block grant modalities successfully channeled reconstruction funds directly to targeted beneficiaries. Community participation hinged on effective support at all levels in partnership with and through the active involvement of local leaders and organizations.Community participation in project delivery systems enhanced ownership; created local employment, especially for women; and produced better quality outputs. By Pieter Smidt and Richard Beresford (No. 18 | October 2009)

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Beyond Emergency Responses: Ensuring the Legacy of Market-Based Microfinance Expansion

noreply@blogger.com (ADB KM Center) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:54:00 +0000

The creation of a Microfinance Innovation Fund was a prominent feature of the Earthquake and Tsunami Emergency Support Project in Indonesia. To coopt success, before establishing the Fund, the project provided technical assistance to build the capacity of partner banks, created a Board for the Fund, setup guidelines for operations, extended loans and deposits at near-market rates, and partnered with PT. Permodalan Nasional Madani that assumed the role of Fund custodian. The Microfinance Innovation Fund is set to continue successful fund operations long after project completion. [ No. 17 October 2009 ]
By Mariano A. Cordero, Rizal Matondang, and Pieter Smidt
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Transforming Risk-Averse Banks into Microfinance Champions in a Post-Disaster and Post-Conflict Environment

noreply@blogger.com (ADB KM Center) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:53:00 +0000

Adoption of Grameen microfinance technology by risk-averse, development-oriented banks was a prominent feature of the Earthquake and Tsunami Emergency Support Project in Indonesia. The project raised awareness of the potential of microfinancing by sharing good practices, revealing opportunities, conducting exposure trips, providing training and refresher courses, monitoring, and building full commitment at all levels in partner banks in the management and provision of microfinance. [ No. 16 October 2009 ]
By Mariano A. Cordero, Rizal Matondang, and Pieter Smidt Read the paper

Addressing Energy-efficiency with Virtual Power Plants

noreply@blogger.com (ADB KM Center) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:52:00 +0000

Improved incentives and regulatory measures can promote widespread investments in virtual efficiency power plant initiatives. Energy-efficiency champions can fill the information gap on new energy-efficient technologies. Lending and credit can help small and medium-sized enterprises fund energy-efficient initiatives. [ No. 15 September 2009 ] by Jeffrey Liang, Siew Fing Wong, and Hongliang Yang Read the paper

Restoring Pedestrian Accessibility in Indian Cities

noreply@blogger.com (ADB KM Center) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 05:56:00 +0000

Traffic accidents are a major cause of death in low-income countries. India's urban transport policy focuses on continuous road building and ignores the long-term impacts of more roads, preferred modes of transportation, and lack of pedestrian access To reduce traffic fatalities, an integrated and sustainable urban transport policy must restore pedestrian accessibility, and minimize dependence on motor vehicles. [ No. 14 September 2009 ] by Professor Madhav G. Badami

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