IDSC - Impressions and Considerations

IDSCIDSC

-- ImpressionsImpressions andand

ConsiderationsConsiderations

Dr. Edgar GöllIDSC – Center for Future Studies, Cairo

InWent Alumni Networking ConferenceAlexandria, October 30, 2008

1. Context and Background

2. Status Quo and Challenges

3. Suggestions and Ideas

1. Context and Background

2. Status Quo and Challenges

3. Suggestions and Ideas

Context

• decisive moment in history (for mankind and for Egypt) > SD

• many pressing problems to solve, and to manage the future development

• to support this is the task of the IDSC and the CFS

Window of Opportunity• IDSC is in the phase of strengthening its capacities and

developing working conditions, management and effectiveness further

• InWent and Denkmodell are giving an important input

• IDSC is a kind of power station and generator for innovation in the Egypt administration and society

• In advanced countries like Germany the improvement of the performance of institutions is an ongoing process of many years. The mistakes made there do not have to be duplicated by IDSC and others. Finding: there are no single magical and totally new solutions, but a lot of experience and approaches from which to learn

• In modern societies reflection becomes a necessity and it is a very good time now to improve the current situation – it is a window of opportunity!

THE place of Future Studies in Egypt ... !

... through workshops, conferences, studies, reports, quarterly magazin, etc.

Attitude

Look at someone who reveals your mistakes, as if (s)he tells you about

a hidden treasure.(Buddhist aphorism)

This presentation is based on great sympathy for the Egyptian people and especially the colleagues at IDSC

– although with a language and knowledge gap.

1. Context and Background

2. Status Quo and Challenges

3. Suggestions and Ideas

Society EGYPT• Friendliness, openness – very HUMAN (+ and -)!• Flexibility, creative problem solving, pragmatism• Frustration about living conditions and quality of life• Low trust for the government and elites• Uncertainty about the future (i.e. socio-economic

polarization, progress)• Rules but no adequate enforcement / support

(incentive structure for behavior)• Blaming the others• Low degree of public discourse and collective action• Limited capabilities of discussion and decision-making

beyond hierarchies (i.e. due to education style)• Convenience (split / gulf between family culture and

work culture, private and public spheres)

Institution IDSC - CFS• Friendliness, openness

• Flexibility, creative problem solving, pragmatism

• Frustration with work environment (appreciation, progress, results etc.)

• Ideas and plans, strengthening of enforcement and realization (incentive structure for behavior)

• Strong Individualism, blaming the others

• Few opportunities for collective and deep discussion; few organized or informal learning processes

• Innovative concepts but sub-optimal implementation (i.e. evaluation)

• Low culture of collective motivating (teaching, knowledge transfer)

Image 1

Fog DustMistrust

Work Ethics in Egypt:

The work style and leadership style is a determinant of work and work ethics. It can be described as a “control-fear-symbiosis”: Control and fear perpetuate each other and create a rather hostile working environment with low productivity, low motivation and fear of innovation and change. Communication, information flow and reflection would be essential steps to break this vicious circle.

(Sonja Al Amry, gtz-study “Work Ethics Urban Egypt”, 2008)

Image 2

Team Spirit / group identity

„Every institution and every team needs simple, definite and unifying goals. The mission has to be sufficiently clear, but also ambitious enough as to produce a common vision. Without engagement

for a common vision there is no institution; in that case there is only a

bunch of people.”

(Peter Drucker)

Image 3Reality: white >> Potential: colored

“In management the focus is on people. The task of management is, to enable the people to deliver collective accomplishments, to make

their strengths effect-full and to make their weaknesses insignificant.”

(Peter Drucker)

“The only thing which takes more time (and more work) than to engage the right employees

is, to reverse wrong staff decisions.” (Peter Drucker)

Basic challenges are (1):

• Basic knowledge and expertise about Future Research (concepts, methods etc.)

• Communication, information, transparency • Clear orientation internal (overview of ongoing

activities, their meaning)• Division of labor, structural overburden of some

staff members, changes in assignments• Human Resource Management (limited

resources > good management of time, staff, priorities)

• Organization of working processes

Basic challenges are (2):

• Motivation, identification and loyalty with IDSC and CFS (frustrations on all sides)

• High staff fluctuation• Cumulating expertise, knowledge transfer• Evaluation system and promotion system (incl.

job titles)• External relations to important target groups and

experts• Leadership, guidance and authority (source of

inspiration as “good example”)

In sum, there is need for...

• Individual level“Team spirit” [mentality, attitudes, organic fabric] based on good capacities and motivation, strong relations and bindings, reliance, trust (>soft ware<)

• Organisation level“reflexive management” (>hard ware<) [information-flow, learning organisation], formal and informal structures, processes, relations, incentive structures, participation

• Opportunity structure for interaction and learningSpaces and times for interaction (horizontal, vertical –formal, informal), settings for communication, orientation

1. Context and Background

2. Status Quo and Challenges

3. Suggestions and Ideas

C. Suggestions and Ideas

Spectrum

• minimum and optimum

• short-term and long-term

• small improvements and structural changes

(spectrum with regards to efforts needed for

implementation; commitments; resources)

1. Organisation

• One option: conduct an internal Future Workshop about the future of CFS (getting results and learning a method).

• Shared/open collective calendar

• Basic reading list (or “reader” for all old and new staff)

• Opportunities for talks and exchange (integrating into bi-weekly department meeting, or separate coffee break, etc.)

2. Working Process

• Department-meetings every two weeks (exchange of news: presenting a project or a specific actual topic / or lecturing about an interesting book or article / discussing next tasks and dates and conference attendance etc.). Minutes of results > basis for next meeting!

• Project meetings every two weeks (project staff plus one external on occasion)

• Ecological working conditions (use of copy-mashine and printer, paper-recycling, light, AC)

3. Qualification

• Attending conferences and workshops, learning and practicing to present papers, to do moderation, to give lectures, to write articles etc.

• Enabling successful studies and qualified reports (feel “to make a difference”) with support from staff and leadership

• Trainings in-house or external (HRD, in other institutions, or other countries, i.e. InWEnt)

• Internships in other and foreign institutions

4. Human Resource Management

• Annual personnel talk (appraisal, evaluation) with each individual employee (about results, impression, assessment, interests, aspirations, opportunities etc.)

• Encourage development and learning, be actively “inclusive” and integrative, make offers

• Clearifying the qualification for each researcher and expert (“specialization”)

• Improve recruitment (target groups, media)

5. External Profiling

Exemplary activities for CFS

• Organize an annual conference about “Future Studies in the Arab World”

• Publish a journal or yearbook about “Future Studies in the Arab World”

• „Arab Future Prize“ (annual, specific topics, special prize for students etc.)

Shukrran!