ACORD Book Launched!

Book title: "ACORD's transformation: overcoming uncertainty" 1976-2010

On the 26th of September 2012, ACORD launched its new book "ACORD's transformation:  overcoming uncertainty" in Nairobi, Kenya. Subsequent launches will take place in London on 17th October, then in Paris and Ottawa. This unique resource draws attention to the consequences of a rapidly changing political and economic environment on African and international NGOs. It broadens the awareness and understanding of the complex transformation of institutional structure and identity, drawing on the ACORD commitment to maximise the strengths of Africa's own people for development, in opposition to perceptions of the region's ‘weaknesses' needing solutions from the outside.
 About the publication:

Written by recognised international development analyst Professor Alan Fowler and published by ACORD. In its 140 pages, this book provides a real-life account and on-the-spot insights on the very practical dilemmas of organisational change facing ACORD as an international NGO. The ACORD book is an accessible and honest account of ACORD's organizational development, whose relevance appeals to leaders and practitioners in Africa and practitioners in Africa and international NGOs.

If you don't stand for something, you will fall for something. African Proverb
The recent embrace of social movements is a sign that the advent of civil society discourse 20 years ago failed in its potential to relocate NGO praxis in the politics of development. The pressures and attractions of an apolitical economy of a foreign-financed intermediation role have proved too strong. The dilemmas and tensions of ACORD's history and current positioning are one example of such enduring forces in practice, as will have become clear from this book, which has sought to provide critical insights on the challenges, failures and successes of this changing organisation in addressing them

--From the book: ACORD's transformation: overcoming uncertainties (2012)

Who should read this book?
The book's audience includes but is not limited to senior managers and practitioners in the international NGO community specificically those interested in managing strategic change and organizational developments. ACORD wanted to provide an accessible story of institutional transformation and to communicate the lessons it might hold for others within and beyond the international development community. Such audiences might include those running capacity building programs, project managers involved in governance and civil society strengthening initiatives, policy makers and researchers interested in assessing the role, impact future of NGO's and civil society in development, as well as decision makers in donor agencies keen to explore in practical depth how shifts in location and forms of aid financing affect the internal governance of   NGO's and the nature of their development programming with partners.

About the author:

Alan Fowler is an internationally renowned development analyst with over 40 years work as a development practitioner, adviser, professor and lecturer.
He authored numerous publications with an emphasis on the capacity and functioning of civil society, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and their relations with states and funding agencies. Applied work has included the direct management, design and evaluation of local development initiatives in the areas of governance, strategy, analysis and advice on international aid policies and programmes as well as the reform of development institutions.
Find more about Alan Fowler at www.alanfowler.org



Next launches:

The Nairobi launch will be followed by other launches in the UK, France and Canada.
More information about the London, Paris and Ottawa events coming soon!

Languages
Originally written in English, the book is also available in French.

Where can I buy the book?

The book will be available on our online shop soon.

Related articles and resources:
Read first chapter of the book now.

Watch 3 exclusive interviews of Prof. Alan Fowler, Teopista Akoyi and Ousainou Ngum


          
   

    

 

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