Shifting the Locus of Learning: Catalyzing Private Sector Learning to Drive Systemic Change
Building competitive, resilient, and inclusive economic systems demands a private sector with the capacity to effectively learn and adapt. This brief makes the case that to stimulate systemic change, economic development programs can and should focus on facilitating stronger learning processes within local actors (e.g., firms, other organizations, government, and civil society) and systems (e.g., sectors, local economy).
Key Takeaways
Learning is at the heart of the process of economic development — it drives more competitive, resilient, and inclusive firms and systems. Yet learning is less frequently seen as a critical function within systems that can catalyze and quicken systems change and enable adaptation.
Programs can and should shift the locus of learning from being only program-focused to system-focused. This implies a shift in agency away from a program directing the learning process to strengthening the capacity of market actors (e.g., firms, organizations) and the system itself to better learn and adapt on their own.
Two pathways to support learning are at (i) the market actor-level (e.g., through strengthening capacity for customer centricity and supplier insights and then applying amplification strategies) and at (ii) the systems-level (e.g., strengthening organizations that build trust and feedback loops; enhancing system performance data; and improving reach and capacity of learning service providers).
Source: USAID
Year: 2023
