Capacity development is central to improving standards of living and reducing poverty in developing member countries. It is much more than just training or skills transfer; it is about effective institutions, a sound unpoliticized policy environment, accountability systems, effective relationships, and appropriate incentives. As noted in this study, capacity development should be firmly rooted in a country's political economy. It is a means to an end---the end being improved government per...

The very best didn't get there by accident. The best have a different way of thinking and acting in their daily lives. And it's not enough to just to succeed - they also have an uncontrollable desire - the desire to get better. The good news for the rest of us is that success leaves tracks. Michael Heppell has spent his life studying successful people, attempting to distil what it is that the very best do that others don't. He's interviewed entrepreneurs, personalities and leaders from pol...

A 2012 ECONOMIST BOOK OF THE YEARMany of the United States' most innovative entrepreneurs have been immigrants, from Andrew Carnegie, Alexander Graham Bell, and Charles Pfizer to Sergey Brin, Vinod Khosla, and Elon Musk. Nearly half of Fortune 500 companies and one-quarter of all new small businesses were founded by immigrants, generating trillions of dollars annually, employing millions of workers, and helping establish the United States as the most entre...

As we move into an era of unprecedented volumes of data and computing power, the benefits aren't for business alone. Data can help citizens access government, hold it accountable and build new services to help themselves.Simply making data available is not sufficient. The use of data for the public good is being driven by a distributed community of media, nonprofits, academics and civic advocates.This report from O'Reilly Radar highlights the principles of data in the publi...

Much of what constitutes Big Data is information about us. Through our online activities, we leave an easy-to-follow trail of digital footprints that reveal who we are, what we buy, where we go, and much more. This eye-opening book explores the raging privacy debate over the use of personal data, with one undeniable conclusion: once data's been collected, we have absolutely no control over who uses it or how it is used.Personal data is the hottest commodity on the market today—trul...

What would you like to change in your life? Be more focused at work? Communicate more effectively? Find work-life balance? Make smarter decisions? Be more patient with your team or family? Have greater self-confidence? Less stress? Just . . . be happier?Often, the biggest obstacle to change lies in our most deeply ingrained habits: those automatic thought processes that operate outside our consciousness, and yet have a profound impact on our behav...

Whether you are composing a Web page on the Internet or agonizing over an annual budget report, these books are the key to clarity, accuracy, and economy in any writing task.Covers everything from the first spark of inspiration to the final draft. Writers will see how a series of careful questions will lead them to the messages of their reports, and will learn how to let those messages drive the structure of the piece. From this foundation they will be able to crea...

Do you ever feel that you could be – well – just that little bit happier? This simple book reveals how you can be happy every day, through these surprisingly easy tips and advice.Whoever you are, whatever you do, and whatever is holding you back, you can do it AND be happy.How To Do Everything and Be Happy is a book for ordinary people, with ordinary lives. People who have been ambling along and wondering if things would be better if they were just a little different. It's ...

The government has literally billions of dollars to give away. While many people express interest in applying for government grants they falsely think the process is too complicated. The Guide to Government Grants Writing simplifies this process. In addition, information is provided on bidding for government contracts, which are available to organizations of all types as well as individuals.The Guide to Government Grants Writing is a concise, simple but elegant to...

Managers who use their time well can double their effectiveness. Managers who also have the facility of an agile memory coupled up to their time saving can be streets ahead of the average executive. PART ONE outlines how to use correct time management not only to achieve more but to become a motivated leader who inspires "followers" – as opposed to incorrect time management that results in stress and loss of self-esteem as well as a loss of the respect of subordinates. Time is the only fin...

A first of its kind, this book provides you everything you need to know about successfully navigating the grant writing process including understanding the language of grant writing, finding grants, preparing the proposal, completing the application, preparing budgets, organizing information and timelines, revising and editing the proposal, including the assessment and evaluation, and building meaningful relationships with program officers and colleagues.

Working with difficult people is always a challenge, but it's possible to defuse tense situations through an understanding of aggressive behavior. Roy Lilley provides practical ways to recognize the different types of difficult people, resolve disputes and handle complaints. This easy-to-follow book is essential for managers looking to improve performance, sales people looking to win more business and anyone who works with the difficult colleagues or the public.