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AID Management: Strategic Management Can Help AID Face Current and Future Challenges

NSIAD-92-100 Published: Mar 06, 1992. Publicly Released: Mar 06, 1992.
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Highlights

GAO provided information from its general management review of the Agency for International Development (AID), focusing on: (1) current AID efforts to introduce strategic management compared to a GAO model for strategic management developed for use in other agencies; and (2) persistent management problems and future challenges facing AID.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
U.S. Agency for International Development The Administrator, AID, should establish a strategic management process and take the steps necessary to identify key issues to be resolved and articulate a clear strategic direction shared by key internal and external groups. Establishing a strategic management process would include, among other things, ensuring that the systems for making management decisions on programs, budgets, operations, and personnel levels are integrated and include accountability and monitoring.
Closed – Implemented
Under a recent reorganization, the Policy Directorate was established as the Office of Policy and Program Coordination. AID is strengthening this Office's capacity for, among other things, strategic planning, policy development and communication, sectoral strategy development, resource projections, and performance evaluation. In January 1994, the Administrator outlined his vision of a strategic management process. This process will include a broadly participatory process of strategic planning; rigorous review of mission and bureau portfolios; continuous consultations, including NGOs and other donors; and the systematic measurement, collection and analysis of performance information. Through the design of a new operations system, AID plans to integrate systems for making management decision on programs, budgets, operations and personnel levels. The system is also designed to ensure accountability and monitoring of AID's sustainable development programs and activities.

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Topics

Financial management systemsForeign economic assistanceGeneral management reviewsStaff utilizationInternal controlsInternational relationsManagement information systemsProgram managementStrategic managementForeign assistance