Interviews

The study also incorporates information from semi-structured interviews and discussions (formal and informal) to (1) gain deeper knowledge of the effectiveness of individual case studies and the reasons for the assessed level of effectiveness, (2) to increase understanding of overall reasons for UN effectiveness, including higher-level reasons. These interviews and discussions focus on a core group of present and former UN staff and others with substantive knowledge of each case study and expertise in addressing EDPs. Interviews and informal candid discussions with experienced UN and other development aid officials provide deeper insights into the effectiveness of UN performance. The most substantive interviews are semi-structured face-to-face interviews held with six former senior or very senior UN managers focusing on UN effectiveness. A written description of the problem, a definition of EDPs and a question seeking their views on how to improve UN effectiveness to guide these interviews was distributed before the interviews were conducted.

4.6 Problem Tree Analysis

The analysis of the case studies will identify factors and patterns that contribute to UN successes and failures in addressing EDPs. Study of the EDP examples and insights from the research diary and interviews provide additional information to help evaluate the level of UN effectiveness and the reasons for this assessment. Problem-tree analysis (PTA) is another of the research methods used and is a type of cause-effect analysis. This well-proven and standard tool is applied in the design of development aid programmes and projects by both the UN and donor agencies (DFID 2003; NORAD, 1999; UNDP, 2009). A problem- tree analysis identifies the“root causes and major effects of the problems in order to better design solutions”(p39, UNDP, 2009). A PTA has the ability to identify both immediate and higher-level causes of problems, including EDPs. In doing so, the PTA will provide a greater depth of analysis of the barriers to UN effectiveness including UN, country-specific and other factors.

In addition, the factors and patterns identified in the PTA can help determine whether causes can be grouped into categories, including those that correspond with those variables proposed as being are particularly relevant to this study. These factors include development aid programme and project design, organisational culture and the complexity of addressing EDPs as set out in Chapter 3.

A PTA is also very useful to identify which stakeholders are most closely linked with particular causes of an EDP, and who therefore is the most appropriate entity for addressing those causes. For example, the PTA will help identify the UN agencies and management entities within the agencies that are most relevant to the causes of EDPs not being adequately addressed.

A PTA is also a key tool for identifying what needs to be done to address a problem. When causes of problems are correctly identified, it follows logically that project activities and outputs can be designed to more accurately target the problem. Alternatively, if the causes are of a higher-level or broader nature, the project designer must take these into account and increase the scope of the intervention or influence other development partners to help address such issues (UNDP, 2009).

PTAs vary in scope and complexity, for example, a PTA for a project targeting a fairly narrow issue is substantially less complex than a PTA for a major and complex programme such as one addressing EDPs. A simplified framework of a PTA is presented in Figure 4.2. The PTA comprises a series of boxes that set out the problem, its effects and its causes. The boxes represent the tree trunk (the problem), the branches (the effects) and the causes (the tree roots). The effects and causes are listed and grouped according to categories and/or causal chains, taking into account that most problems have categories of specific causes plus underlying causes that contribute to an immediate cause of a problem. For example, Figure 4.2 shows that an immediate cause of the problem is “inadequate channels and opportunities for citizen involvement in decision-making relating to public policy”, with underlying contributing causes shown in boxes below the immediate cause, including “low awareness of potential e-governance”.

A draft PTA based on the case study evaluations, EDP examples, research diary and interviews, will be reviewed by a panel of experienced UN officials then finalised. In summary, the PTA is a management and planning tool that can help identify and respond to reasons why EDPs in developing countries are not being adequately addressed. Conducting PTAs also makes it possible to identify non-project specific factors that may compromise the effectiveness of the development project.

Figure 4.2: Problem Tree Analysis

(p39, UNDP, 2009)

4.7 Summary of how the components of the methodology will work together.

The Case Study evaluation provides a detailed analysis of the effectiveness of the UN projects and programmes to address EDPs in developing countries. The findings are augmented by an analysis of EDP examples, to validate findings of the case study analysis.

The research journal and expert interview results provide additional insight to explain the effectiveness of the UN in addressing EDPs. The PTA provides more in-depth analysis of the causes of EDPs and of UN effectiveness in addressing them.