Skip to main content

LUP Student Papers

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

The Meaning of the Logical Framework Approach for NGO-officials in Colombia - A phenomenological study of results-based management in development cooperation

Nisses, Alfred LU (2015) STVK02 20142
Department of Political Science
Abstract
The quest for effectiveness and results has become a top political priority in the international development sector during the last decade. One of the prevailing tools for effectiveness and goal fulfilment for development projects is the Logical Framework Approach (LFA). Implementing organisations, such as NGOs, are often obliged to use the LFA for planning, implementation and evaluation in order to get funding from international donors.
This thesis takes its departure in the critique of the LFA, both concerning its theoretical assumptions and its practice. With a phenomenological approach and through qualitative interviews with 13 NGO-officials working with human rights, peace building and democracy projects in Colombia, this thesis... (More)
The quest for effectiveness and results has become a top political priority in the international development sector during the last decade. One of the prevailing tools for effectiveness and goal fulfilment for development projects is the Logical Framework Approach (LFA). Implementing organisations, such as NGOs, are often obliged to use the LFA for planning, implementation and evaluation in order to get funding from international donors.
This thesis takes its departure in the critique of the LFA, both concerning its theoretical assumptions and its practice. With a phenomenological approach and through qualitative interviews with 13 NGO-officials working with human rights, peace building and democracy projects in Colombia, this thesis examines the perceptions and experiences of the LFA.
The analysis shows a widely shared perception of a discrepancy between the theoretical assumptions of the tool and how development projects work in reality. Two problematic assumptions of the LFA are risk prediction and articulation of measurable and verifiable results. It is also shown that the NGO-officials perceive donors to apply different approaches to the LFA; some donors use the LFA with flexibility and with aim to promote learning while others use it strictly for accountability purposes. Furthermore, it is argued that the LFA could be understood as an instrument, which indirectly control the actions of implementing organisations through technical reasoning. (Less)
Abstract (Spanish)
La búsqueda de la eficacia y los resultados en el sector del desarrollo internacional se han convertido en una prioridad política durante la última década. Una de las herramientas dominantes usadas para la eficacia y el cumplimiento de las metas en los proyectos de desarrollo es el marco lógico. Las organizaciones ejecutoras, como las ONG, están frecuentemente obligadas a utilizar el marco lógico para planificación, ejecución y evaluación de sus proyectos con el fin de obtener financiación de los donantes internacionales.
Esta tesis toma su salida en la crítica del marco lógico, tanto en la relación con sus suposiciones teóricos como en su práctica. A través de entrevistas cualitativas con 13 funcionarios en ONG que trabajan por los... (More)
La búsqueda de la eficacia y los resultados en el sector del desarrollo internacional se han convertido en una prioridad política durante la última década. Una de las herramientas dominantes usadas para la eficacia y el cumplimiento de las metas en los proyectos de desarrollo es el marco lógico. Las organizaciones ejecutoras, como las ONG, están frecuentemente obligadas a utilizar el marco lógico para planificación, ejecución y evaluación de sus proyectos con el fin de obtener financiación de los donantes internacionales.
Esta tesis toma su salida en la crítica del marco lógico, tanto en la relación con sus suposiciones teóricos como en su práctica. A través de entrevistas cualitativas con 13 funcionarios en ONG que trabajan por los derechos humanos, la construcción de la paz y proyectos de democracia en Colombia, esta tesis analiza las percepciones y las experiencias del marco lógico. El enfoque teórico es la fenomenología.
El análisis muestra una percepción ampliamente compartida de una discrepancia entre los suposiciones teóricos de la herramienta y cómo los proyectos de desarrollo funcionan en la realidad. Dos suposiciones problemáticos del marco lógico son la predicción de riesgos y la articulación de resultados medibles y verificables. El análisis también muestra que los funcionarios perciben que diferentes donantes quieren que las ONG usen el marco lógico por propósitos distintos – algunos donantes lo utilizan estrictamente para fines de rendición de cuentas, mientras que algunos lo utilizan con flexibilidad y más bien con fines de aprendizaje. Además, se argumenta que el marco lógico podría entenderse como un instrumento que indirectamente controla las acciones de las organizaciones ejecutoras a través de un razonamiento técnico. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Nisses, Alfred LU
supervisor
organization
course
STVK02 20142
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
LFA, Results Based Management, International Development, Phenomenology, Aid Effectiveness, New Public Management, Accountability, Colombia
language
English
id
4913923
date added to LUP
2015-02-26 09:45:46
date last changed
2015-02-26 09:45:46
@misc{4913923,
  abstract     = {{The quest for effectiveness and results has become a top political priority in the international development sector during the last decade. One of the prevailing tools for effectiveness and goal fulfilment for development projects is the Logical Framework Approach (LFA). Implementing organisations, such as NGOs, are often obliged to use the LFA for planning, implementation and evaluation in order to get funding from international donors. 
This thesis takes its departure in the critique of the LFA, both concerning its theoretical assumptions and its practice. With a phenomenological approach and through qualitative interviews with 13 NGO-officials working with human rights, peace building and democracy projects in Colombia, this thesis examines the perceptions and experiences of the LFA. 
The analysis shows a widely shared perception of a discrepancy between the theoretical assumptions of the tool and how development projects work in reality. Two problematic assumptions of the LFA are risk prediction and articulation of measurable and verifiable results. It is also shown that the NGO-officials perceive donors to apply different approaches to the LFA; some donors use the LFA with flexibility and with aim to promote learning while others use it strictly for accountability purposes. Furthermore, it is argued that the LFA could be understood as an instrument, which indirectly control the actions of implementing organisations through technical reasoning.}},
  author       = {{Nisses, Alfred}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{The Meaning of the Logical Framework Approach for NGO-officials in Colombia - A phenomenological study of results-based management in development cooperation}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}