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Knowledge Solutions

INFOCUS ADB provides a wider range o knowledge-enricheddevelopment solutions

Knowledge underpins development eectiveness.

When managed in ways that let organizations

generate value rom knowledge-based assets,

knowledge can become the heart and soul o

successul action.

ADB is in a privileged position to leverage

knowledge or learning, perormance, and change

to improve development eectiveness in Asia and

the Pacifc. ADBs central position lets it identiytrends within and across the region. Its wide array

o lending and nonlending products and services

allows it to extend integrated assistance. ADBs

technical and fnancial credibility enables it to bring

large, attractive fnancing to support knowledge-

based assistance packages. In short, ADB is well

placed to deliver inormation-rich development

assistance throughout the region.

Continually enhancing knowledgemanagement practices

ADBs developing member countries (DMCs)recognize its capacity, and look to it or

comprehensive knowledge solutions that respond to

their evolving requirements. And nowin line with its

long-term strategic ramework 20082020 (Strategy

2020) guidelinesADBs Knowledge Management

Center is acilitating and coordinating upgrades o

Challenge How can ADB play a bigger role in putting the potential o knowledge solutions to work in Asia and the Pacifc?

Strategy ADB will enrich knowledge management activities through internal learning rom operational practice andexternal learning rom long-term strategic partnerships with other international fnance institutions andworld-class academic and research institutions.

Response ADB is improving linkages between knowledge management and its operations, enhancing ADB-hostedcommunities o practice, strengthening external knowledge networks, boosting sta learning and knowledgesharing, and promoting the ADB Knowledge Management Centers role as acilitator and coordinator.

Knowledge management is about getting the right knowledge to the right peopleat the right time, and helping them apply it.Olivier Serrat, Principal Knowledge Management Specialist

the organizations knowledge practices to meet DMC

demands through our strategic thrusts that

Improve knowledge linkages from and to

operations. Now there is sharper coordination

and cooperation to promote knowledge

management in ADB operations.

Enhance communities of practice. ADB sta

are encouraged to take advantage o growing

opportunities to engage with and becomemembers o ADB-hosted communities o practice.

Strengthen external knowledge networks.

Learning and innovation across the region

are being enhanced by strengthening

partnerships with a more rigorous selection o

knowledge suppliers.

Incorporate knowledge management into staff

training. Knowledge management and learning

are being integrated into ADBs learning and

development program to boost sta learning

and knowledge sharing rom the outset

and continually.

The actions and outputs under each thrust are

specifed in the Knowledge Management Action

Plan, 20092011 approved in July 2009. ADB crated

a Knowledge Management Results Framework to

operationalize this plan and ensure that critical

results are achieved as intended. The ramework

ADBs Strategy 2020meeting the needs o Asiaand the Pacifc

Strategic Direction Inclusive Economic Growth

Environmentally

Sustainable GrowthRegional Integration

Drivers o ChangePrivate Sector

Good Governance

Gender Equity

Knowledge Solutions

Partnerships

Read more at

www.adb.org/Strategy2020/

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highlights intended outcomes, useul indicators,

and targets.

Making knowledge management one ofADBs most effective development tools

ADBs strategic coordination is ensuring knowledge

generated by ADB and other sources is more

closely linked and embedded in its activities. ADBs

Technical Assistance Strategic Forum is emphasizing

improved knowledge coordination across regionaland other departments.

Each regional department is encouraged to

ormulate country partnership strategies that

analyze DMC knowledge requirements. Helping them

through this process are the respective knowledge

management units they have established, most

o them guided by knowledge management

rameworks and work plans, to acilitate internal and

external learning.

Communities o practice and inormal networks

are being integrated into ADBs business processes.

ADB now supports 14 communities o practice

and 17 inormal networks. A frst-ever survey to

gauge actors contributing to the communities

perormance was conducted in 2009 and

interventions were launched to address gaps,

including additional sta positions, a tenold budget

increase, streamlined guidelines on sector and

thematic reporting, a new sector and peer

review process to incorporate sta operations-

based knowledge into project designs, and

year-end gatherings.

Creating strategic partnershipsbetween ADB communities of practiceand networks of practice

Networks o practice can be an invaluable resource

or development agencies. ADB established 24

regional knowledge hubs17 on water-related topics

and the rest on fnance, trade, partnerships, and

sustainable developmentto encourage research

and networking on innovative knowledge products

and services.

To be eective, relationships must be strategic.

ADB is set to publish guidelines or designing

knowledge partnerships, which will ensure that

critical knowledge outputs and outcomes rompartnerships are defned rom the outset.

Wherever possible, resident missions are actively

involved in the selection o networks o practice.

Nonregional institutions rom ADB member countries

are being identifed in accordance with ADBs sector

and thematic priorities.

ADB ensures that knowledge products and

services are relevant to policy makers in DMCs and

tie in better with internal audiences. A recent study

ADBs KnowledgeManagement CenterThe KnowledgeManagement Centeris the facilitatorand coordinatorfor all knowledgemanagementactivities for ADB.It plays a critical

role in introducingnew knowledgemanagementapproaches,monitoring theprogress of knowledgemanagement, andreporting to ADBManagement.

assessed the demand or knowledge products

through resident and regional missions, revealing

the challenges and opportunities the latter ace in

terms o sharing knowledge with stakeholders.

Equipping ADB staff with the toolsof knowledge management

ADB is also continually upgrading sta skills to meet

the evolving needs o DMCs.

Beginning in 2008, ADBs induction programor new sta included briefngs on knowledge

management and learning. In 2009, sta members

were trained in narrative techniques to leverage

the contributions that storytelling can make to

operations. Courses under two seriesLearning

or Change Primers and Knowledge Management

and Learning Serieswere conducted to promote

awareness o, and action on, knowledge generation

and sharing. More knowledge-specifc training

programs are being designed.

ADBs Knowledge Solutions series (www.adb.

org/knowledgesolutions) urther strengthened

competencies in strategy development, management

techniques, collaboration mechanisms, knowledge

sharing and learning, and knowledge capture

and storage.

Another initiative that has strong potential or

discussion, research, and application in the feld

is the Knowledge Showcase series (www.adb.org/

knowledgeshowcases), which highlights ground-

level innovative ideas.

Eorts to capture, store, and share the tacit

knowledge o past and present sta were also

boosted through narrative techniques. Oral history

interviews were conducted to orm the basis o aliving ADB archive. A key output o this exercise, the

bookADB: Refections and Beyond, showed ADB at

its most introspective. To expand this living archive,

ADB completed a sustainable development timeline

cataloguing major sector and thematic landmarks in

its operations. This will anchor a planned interactive

multimedia platorm to be used as an evolving

repository o ADB milestones.

We are also introducing new inormation and

communication technologies to disseminate ADBs

good practices and nontraditional approaches or

use by policy makers, nongovernment organizations,

other development practitioners, interestedscholars, and the private sector.

These initiatives will ensure ADBs delivery of

knowledge-enriched development products and

services and will promote sustainable development

in its DMCs.

For more detailed inormation on current and

pipelined knowledge management initiatives, read

the Delivering an Eective Organization chapter in

the 2010 ADB Annual Report.

NFOCUS

Asian Development Bank. April 2011.

ADB Focal PointOlivier Serrat

Regional and Sustainable

Development Department

www.adb.org/knowledge_

management/default.asp

For inquiries, contact

ADB Media Center

mediacenter@adb.org

Tel +63 2 632 5090

In this publication, $ refers to US dollars.