New paradigm of capacity development: Can international development aid Agencies change accordingly?

This paper is about organizations managing change. "Management of change is a complex, dynamic and challenging process rather than a set of recipes." (Paton & McCalman, 2000: 2) Although changing any organization is difficult, whether it be a multinational private company or a community level volunteer organization, it is especially challenging for international public organizations such as the UN, "an extraordinarily broad organization, with a mandate that spans the entire gamut of human experience:" (Heinbeq~er & Goff, 2005: 6) Moreover, change in an international organization with "high visibility, symbolic aura and broad agenda" (Luck, 2003: 1) is'subject to scrutiny at both substantive and political level. (Ibid: 5) More than any other types of organization, international development aid agencies draw attention from a wide spectrum of people around the world. Changes in such big international organizations affect not only their managers and staff but also their cooperating organizations, politicians and taxpayers of funding countries and the politicians and the public in countries receiving funds and programmes. Because of the interests at stake, there are strong forces encouraging the organizations to "enhance its efficiency and/or effectiveness in advancing its core goals and principles." (Ibid: 4) At the same time, those who are enjoying the status quo within and around the organization resist change.