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Developing the capacity of employers' organizations in the Arab Region through effective policy and social dialogue (Regional, Yemen and Jordan)- Final Evaluation

eval_number:

1940

eval_url:

https://webapps.ilo.org/ievaldiscovery/eval/1940

lessons_learned:

themes:

theme:

Tripartism & constituent partnerships

category:

Organizational issues

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comments:

Heads of businesses and heads of families. Also, even if women do not act as family business decision-makers, they could be encouraged share their problem solving skills with their children and preparing the next generation to innovate and strengthen their business.

challenges:

Distance between groups such as employers with unions, and both with government. Where there is no tradition of dialogue, each will just not be on the radar of the other. ILO needs to be inventive in finding ways that demonstrate the advantages of employers and workers listening to each other to achieve the common goal of a productive workplace. ILO programmes such as FIP and WISE could be used.

success:

Locating good trainers and facilitators: integrating values of dialogue, ensuring the right people come to training sessions.
On the wider social plane spreading respect for workers, practical entrepreneurship into social and mainstream media (using social media and traditional popular media: radio, soap operas, young people’s theatre etc.)

context:

The subtle changes in relationships that this requires will take place where new problems are not fully solved by traditional means and where a pragmatic approach of trying something new in the workplace does not threaten the framework of social respect.

description:

Introducing decent work practices and institutions into non-Western countries is not done in a vacuum. Existing cultures have ways of representing interests, communicating needs and influencing economic and political leadership which need to be understood and respected. ILO tripartite institutions are introduced but may remain unused while traditional methods of dialogue and influence continue. From comments made to this evaluation it seems that In the Arab States a pattern of client relationships often depends on a few interlocutors whose strengths are their commitment and trust, but whose weaknesses can be that interlocutors guard the knowledge that goes with their position rather than sharing it. Improving this situation was perhaps an unforeseen aspect of the project’s origins. Inclusive democratic rights in the work place and more freedom in business were seen as goals of the Arab Spring, but that did not mean that leaders were ready to embrace trade unions or Western style tripartism. With the “failure” of that movement of change (or its over-interpretation by the West) the answer is more likely to be smaller scale actions such as creating more opportunities for women-led family businesses (a focus that this project achieved in oPt and Jordan). Such a focus can enable this target group to learn business success from each other and encourage municipalities to provide safe and healthy market place facilities. Or for business leaders to encourage their clients and interlocutors to share their experience with promising younger colleagues who can build on this tradition by learning the skills of presenting arguments for step-by-step improvements in government business policies.

administrative_issues:

Staffing in the ILO covers three basic skills sets: those of administration (bureaucratic skills), research (academic skills) and development intervention (facilitating skills). The latter skill set needs to be given greater prominence especially, in cross cultural communication, developing the ability to listen to the real questions on beneficiaries’ minds. Reforming communication patterns within ILO so that the official language is not so bureaucratic and opaque.

url:

https://webapps.ilo.org/ievaldiscovery/lessons/194068

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location:

country:

Arab States - regional

region:

Arab States

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eval_title:

Developing the capacity of employers' organizations in the Arab Region through effective policy and social dialogue (Regional, Yemen and Jordan)- Final Evaluation