Who really leads development?
Abstract
鈥楲eadership鈥� is not a common topic for research in international development. In recent years, however, prominent studies like the 2008 Growth Commission Report noted the importance of leadership in development. This and other studies focused on individual leaders鈥攐r heroes鈥攚hen examining 鈥榳ho leads development鈥�. The current article asks if heroes really do lead development. It deconstructs the implied theory behind the 鈥榟ero orthodoxy鈥� into four hypotheses: about how change happens in development; who leads it; how it emerges; and how it is bought to completion. Through a qualitative study of twelve interventions in contexts like Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, and Kosovo, the article shows that these hypotheses are too simple to really help explain who leads development. It appears that change is complex and requires similarly complex multi-agent leadership interventions鈥攏ot individual heroes.
Citation
Andrews, M. Who really leads development? UNU-WIDER, Helsinki, Finland (2013) 19 pp. ISBN 978-92-9230-669-4 [WIDER Working Paper No. 2013/092]