Many actors claim results to be at the heart of their operations and to apply the Result-Based Management (RBM) approach in delivering humanitarian assistance, yet few are capable of clearly defining what it means and the long-term effects of this approach. Although seemingly simple from an outsider's perspective, the long-going debate on how to best measure and handle results demonstrate the complexity of the issue. This research examines how the RBM approach can be used by a humanitarian donor and looks specifically at the humanitarian unit (HUM) at Sida's methods for measuring results. It demonstrates that the difficulty in operationalizing ambitious goals and the lack of clarity of objectives hinder HUM from using results management to its full potential, especially when it comes to using the learning component to inform decision-making. The kind of results obtained depended on the reporting mechanisms and the partnership approach used at HUM facilitates the assessment of results; HUM's extensive knowledge of their partner's work is a comparative advantage which is not part of the RBM approach.

This essay investigates how employees on the Swedish international development cooperation agency (Sida) perceives that the new public management (NPM) reform, result based management (RBM), have affected the international aid. And also, how the employees think that managing based on results works together with a holistic approach to aid. The material for the study was collected through qualitative interviews with five senior employees on Sida, mostly people that today sits on leading positions in the agency. The interviews had a reflective character where the respondents looked back on the twenty-year period that the agency have managed via results. What became evident in the study was that RBM have looked very different over the years, with different effect on the international aid as a result. There have been waves of result based management, and an oscillation between quantitative and qualitative results. The Swedish international aid through Sida has changed over time, some changes can be attributed to RBM, while others are due to political priorities, a changing world, and trends in the international aid. RBM effects the aid, primarily as it is supposed to. For example, the best performing organisations and actors in a sector gets the aid. But it also affects the aid in a manner perceived negative by the respondents. This when the focus lies on quantitative results. The focus on results have oscillated over the years between a quantitative and qualitative focus, with consequences for which aid-projects that get support from Sida. When focus lies on quantitative results, easily quantifiable, concrete projects gains ground to the disadvantage of non-quantifiable projects, and for example big reform processes. The respondents do not think that there are any discrepancies between a holistic approach to aid and result based management, if the focus on results are balanced and leaning towards easily quantifiable results. When the focus tips over towards quantifiability, a holistic view on aid is hard to maintain.

The field of international development cooperation has experienced an increasing demand for result-driven management over the last decades. However, a clear consensus of the meaning of ‘ results’ is often lacking in initiatives and projects for social change. As the field functions throughout myriads of contexts and cultures, the demand of results therefore brings upon issues of definitions and discourse, as well as underlying values. The goals and strategies set out to achieve certain results are influenced by assumptions that define the problem definition of the targeted issue. A hierarchy in international development, the so-called aid chain, is determined by who provides funding for cooperation projects. The flow of top-down funding is shown to be accompanied by a flow of top-down policies, that are further accompanied by underlying values, problem definitions, and assumptions. This study inquires whether different notions, assumptions, and problem definitions on gender equality across cultures in the aid chain might disturb result-reporting in international projects. Departing from a postcolonial perspective, the content and discourse of the Swedish feminist foreign policy and steering documents from an Indigenous women’s organization in Guatemala are analysed and compared. Seeing policies and policy-making as a significant communicative tool and practice in the field, this study shows how results, goals, strategies, problem definition and assumptions correlate to each other in result-reporting in international development cooperation projects.

The present article, the author treats some of the most relevant modifications on the new public procurement law.On that basis, he will explain us the vision that inspires this reform and the vision that this reform tries to implement on the entities that are in charge of this matter. / En el presente artículo, el autor aborda algunas de las modificaciones más relevantes en la nueva normativa de contrataciones del Estado. A partir de ello, nos explica la visión a la que apunta esta reforma y la visión que se procura implementar en las entidades encargadas de dicho rol.

Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world and suffers from recurring disasters but no ongoing conflicts. Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) working there must therefore take relief, rehabilitation, and development into account as shifting between these stages is the reality of the rights-holders. What approaches that should be used while doing this is unique in each context. The aid structure is however clearly divided between those working with relief and those working with development, and even though the conceptual development suggest that the aid structure should join there has been no change towards this. At the same time Result Based Management (RBM) as a principle for aid effectiveness has been heavily criticized for focusing on short term results, among others. This qualitative study has contributed to closing two research gaps; in identifying that Disaster Risk Reduction, Human Rights Based Approach, economic empowerment, and sustainable relief interventions are the approaches that CSOs in Malawi tend to focus on when working close to a community where there is a need to link relief, rehabilitation, and development (LRRD); and in identifying that not only can the pressure from a divided aid structure be blamed for the challenges facing CSOs implementing LRRD approaches, but RBM is also a contributing part. This results in CSOs being torn between accountability issues towards donors and staying legitimate towards rights-holders and that because of these challenges they cannot live up to their potential and provide the most effective aid. / Malawi är ett av de fattigaste länderna i världen och lider av återkommande katastrofer men inga pågående konflikter. Perioder av humanitära katastrofer, återuppbyggnad, och utveckling, skiftar och växlar fram och tillbaka i olika stadier och eftersom det är rättighetsbärarnas verklighet så är det också något civilsamhällsorganisationer som arbetar med olika typer av utvecklingssamarbete måste ta hänsyn till att. Vilka metoder som bör användas när organisationer arbetar i detta klimat är unikt för varje kontext. Biståndet är emellertid tydligt uppdelad mellan de som arbetar med humanitärt arbete och de som arbetar med utveckling, och trots att den konceptuella utvecklingen föreslår att biståndet bör kopplas samman så har det inte skett någon strukturell förändring. Samtidigt har resultatbaserat arbete som är en princip för biståndseffektivitet starkt kritiserats, bland annat för att det fokuseras för mycket på kortsiktiga resultat. Denna intervjubaserade studie har bidragit till att minska två forskningsgap; genom att identifiera att katastrofförebyggande arbete, rättighetsbaserat arbete, ekonomisk empowerment, och hållbara humanitära insatser som de tillvägagångssätt som civilsamhällesorganisationer i Malawi tenderar att fokusera på när de arbetar nära ett samhälle där det finns ett behov av att koppla samman humanitärt arbete med rehabilitering och utveckling (LRRD); och genom att identifiera att det inte bara är trycket från en uppdelad biståndsstruktur som förklarar de utmaningar som organisationer står inför när d arbetar med LRRD utan att resultatbaserat arbete också är en bidragande del. Lokala civilsamhällesorganisationer balanserar mellan ansvaret de har mot gentemot givare och legitimiteten de måste ha gentemot rättighetsinnehavare. I slutändan kan de på grund av dessa utmaningar inte leva upp till sin potential och tillhandahålla det mest effektiva stödet.

Submitted by Claudio Alves Rodrigues (calvespmp@hotmail.com) on 2015-02-26T16:40:24Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2015 Governanca para Resultados_Mestrado FGV_Claudio Alves Rodrigues vFinal.pdf: 5718998 bytes, checksum: 3f971692719b6dbcd6356f867b07f9d2 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Marcia Bacha (marcia.bacha@fgv.br) on 2015-03-03T11:41:09Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2015 Governanca para Resultados_Mestrado FGV_Claudio Alves Rodrigues vFinal.pdf: 5718998 bytes, checksum: 3f971692719b6dbcd6356f867b07f9d2 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Marcia Bacha (marcia.bacha@fgv.br) on 2015-03-03T11:41:54Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2015 Governanca para Resultados_Mestrado FGV_Claudio Alves Rodrigues vFinal.pdf: 5718998 bytes, checksum: 3f971692719b6dbcd6356f867b07f9d2 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-03T11:42:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2015 Governanca para Resultados_Mestrado FGV_Claudio Alves Rodrigues vFinal.pdf: 5718998 bytes, checksum: 3f971692719b6dbcd6356f867b07f9d2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015 / The adoption of a results-oriented governance in the public service has emerged as an organizational management approach as part o f a broad movement o f the new public management (NPM). In Brazil, public companies have been concerned in the search for better management contrai mechanisms to achieve good results in the delivery of public services for customers and users. The term 'Organizational Performance Management' refers to any integrated and systematic approach to improving performance to achieve strategic aims and pro mote the mission and values ofthe organization. Thus, this research studies practices related to the organizational performance management, enabling the targeting of efforts on improving key processes, taking into account the specific characteristics o f the public nature. Another relevant aspect o f this work comes from studies by Management Objectives and Managing for Results, adopting understanding Manage by Objectives to achieve the results. Thus, a literature search was performed to identify the main frameworks of organizational performance. After this stage, it was established a criticai analysis of frameworks by watching the main contributions and strengths. Finally, it was built an assessment model in arder to make a diagnosis of managerial processes and qualify at what stage the company, which is the object of this study, is focusing on the governance for results. The assessment result reflected the perceptions of employees and managers on performance and its determinants. / A adoção de uma governança voltada para resultados na administração pública surgiu como uma abordagem de gestão organizacional, fazendo parte de um amplo movimento da nova gestão pública (NGP). No Brasil, as empresas públicas têm se preocupado em buscar melhores mecanismos de controle da gestão no sentido de lograr bons resultados na prestação dos serviços públicos para os clientes e à sociedade usuária dos serviços. O termo 'Gestão de Desempenho Organizacional' refere-se a qualquer abordagem integrada e sistemática que vise melhorar o desempenho para alcançar objetivos estratégicos e promover a missão e os valores da organização. Assim, esta pesquisa estuda práticas relacionadas à gestão de desempenho organizacional, que possibilitem o direcionamento dos esforços na melhoria dos processos chaves, levando em consideração as particularidades inerentes à natureza pública. Outro aspecto de relevância deste trabalho advém dos estudos da Gestão por Objetivos e da Gestão para Resultados, adotando a compreensão de Gerenciar por Objetivos para se conquistar os Resultados. Deste modo, foi realizada uma pesquisa bibliográfica para identificar os principais frameworks sobre desempenho organizacional. Após esta etapa, foi estabelecida uma análise crítica dos frameworks, observando as principais contribuições e pontos fortes. E por último, foi construído um modelo de avaliação com o propósito de fazer um diagnóstico dos processos gerenciais, e qualificar em qual estágio a empresa objeto deste estudo se encontra, sob o enfoque da governança para resultados. O resultado desta avaliação refletiu as percepções dos funcionários e gestores sobre o desempenho e seus determinantes.