As I come to the end of my first month of column writing, I feel the need to share with you the following: My writing is motivated by my desire to inform and share. To inform you on a wide range of development issues (civic, economic and social) that have had — and continue to have — serious impact on Saudi citizens, the society they live in, the businesses they work for, and the institutions that serve them. And to share with you some international “best practices” as model solutions that can be adopted or learned from.
Motivation and desire, on their own do not produce results. Almost all of us know that the craft of writing is not an easy task. It requires time, commitment, research and inquiry.
But more importantly, it demands clarity of thought, and focus of intention — from both writers and readers. Writers need to be driven by a sense of purpose that guides them through the process of giving meaning to incidents and trends that may not have any; and they need that purpose to assist them in painstakingly crafting fragmented topics and ideas into legible parts. Readers, on the other hand, need to feel that these separate, yet cumulative parts are heading towards a specific predefined end.
As a citizen columnist, my desire to write with a “purpose” forced me to devise a tool that would keep me on track especially during those confusing times when a deluge of ideas, opinions, and events would drown my thoughts to the point of analysis paralysis.
After serious reflection and debate with a dear friend, I decided that I needed to frame my articles within a specific context that would give the reader a jump-start into the big picture I was trying to paint. Hence, the concept of “capacity building” was born.
As the weeks go by, you will notice this magnificent term crowning all that I write, and week after week, regardless of the diversity or contentious nature of my topics, you may be certain that I will always provide popular examples of emerging global trends that lead to development and growth through capacity building practices.
Capacity building is a loaded concept that was initially created to maximize the efficiency of nonprofit organization. However, over time, the benefits that resulted from such practices enabled this concept to extend its value to other institutions and entities.
Today, everybody is talking about “capacity building” as the only way forward. From individuals to communities, to organizations and all the way up to government, capacity building (CB) may seem to many as another buzzword that is gaining momentum.
CB is much more than that. It is a practice that is becoming more and more systemized and streamlined into the operational processes and procedures of institutions. CB practices focus on development and growth; the creation and integration of policies and procedures into the operational systems of institutions; the promotion of the rule of law; the empowerment of minorities, and the engagement of all stakeholders as partners in development.
CB practices are best defined by the United Nations Development Programs (UNDP), as the “creation of an enabling environment that has adequate policy and legal frameworks, institutional development, community participation (of women in particular), human resources development and strengthening of managerial systems”.
Such practices are long-term in nature and must include all stakeholders such as ministries, local authorities, NGOs, professional associations, academics and other relevant entities.
CB practices enable individuals to unleash their potential; institutions to function transparently and thereby productively, and society to advance equitably. CB practices provide focus and structure and a systematic approach to doing business and evaluating the results.
My last three articles explored this concept in detail. Capacity building practices are at the heart of my concern for the possible negative impact the new mega projects may have on our unskilled Saudi youth and on our underdeveloped Saudi businesses (Dec. 5); CB practices are at the core of the fast growing and highly popularized practices of the global list for the “100 Most Sustainable Global Corporations” (Dec. 11); and finally, CB practices are the critical determining factor that will, or will not, enable Saudi youths to transition into becoming the knowledge workers of this new IT driven economy (Dec. 19).
In light of my commitment to you, I will continue to provide you with relevant development topics that necessitate the engagement of capacity building practices. This overarching theme is my beacon, and my point of departure.
It is the context and the final destination of all that I write. It allows me to focus under pressure, and refocus when I stray; and it positions you to the advantage of having a bird’s eye view of where your world is heading. If at any point in time in the future I fail to do so, please feel free to remind me to shift back. This is my promise to you.