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Market systems development for Decent Work: the Lab – Phase II - Final evaluation

eval_number:

3210

eval_url:

https://webapps.ilo.org/ievaldiscovery/eval/3210

location:

country:

Inter-Regional

region:

Inter-Regional

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eval_title:

Market systems development for Decent Work: the Lab – Phase II - Final evaluation

recommendations:

date:

2020-12-17 00:00:00.0

themes:

theme:

Organizational issues

category:

Programme implementation

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action_plan:

In the short-term the project has worked to input into the productivity ecosystem design to ensure that SECO’s next large investment into the ILO includes a coherent systems approach that considers the learnings from the Lab. With regard to further SECO investment into the Lab, SECO has indicated that systemic programming will feature in its next four-year dispatch and it has recognised that the Lab has been a strong project, however, it has not indicated that it will further finance any investment into the project. To this end, the SME Unit Head and GCVCE will continue follow up with SECO – alongside the coordination meetings for the productivity ecosystem project – to explore if any further opportunities may come up.

management_response:

Partially Completed

progress:

Partially achieved

admin_units:

SME

title:

SECO’s vision for the Lab is still valid. Whilst wide institutionalisation is not feasible in the short-to-medium term, the Lab has shown that influence is possible, albeit the time frame for achieving it is much longer than initially expected. The Lab has also demonstrated the value of knowledge generation on market systems approaches to decent work in its own right. The research and technical expertise the Lab represents, housed within and strengthening the ILO, a key SECO partner, provide reason for SECO to continue investing (ideally alongside the ILO itself and other external donors interested in MSD) in the functions the Lab plays. Other potential donors’ interest is likely to be similar to SECO’s. Lab 2 has proven the value of having technical expertise on a market systems approach embedded in the ILO to donors who see the ILO as a key partner and who are also interested in MSD. Meanwhile, research and technical expertise on a market systems approach to decent work is useful to these donors in its own right, as it is applicable to the design, implementation, and measurement of a broad portfolio of systems change programmes (with and beyond the ILO) that include decent work objectives. Further, the Lab’s technical knowledge on systems change will be needed on an ongoing basis in the future productivity ecosystems project, if that project is to build its success on systems approaches. For SECO, it will likely be more efficient, and represent better value for money, to leverage the Lab’s knowledge than to seek to rebuild similar expertise within the project. It is important to recognise that sustainability as originally envisioned is not feasible in the immediate future, so investment would need to be tracked against progress, with frequent review of expectations regarding who will perform and pay for the functions the Lab plays in the long run.

project_symbols:

GLO/17/06/CHE

url:

https://webapps.ilo.org/ievaldiscovery/recommendations/14689

information_source:

Head Quarters

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