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Who Really Leads Development?

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  • Andrews, Matt

    (Harvard University)

Abstract

"Leadership" is not a common topic for research in international development. In recent years, however, prominent studies like the 2008 Growth Commission Report noted the importance of leadership in development. This and other studies focused on individual leaders--or heroes--when referencing what leaders did to foster development. The current article asks if heroes really lead development. It deconstructs the implied theory behind a 'hero orthodoxy' into four hypotheses; about how change happens in development, who leads it, how it emerges, and how it is bought to completion. Through a qualitative study of twelve interventions in contexts like Afghanistan, Sierra Leone and Kosovo, the article shows that these hypotheses are too simple to really help explain who leads development. It appears that change is complex and requires complex multi-agent leadership interventions.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrews, Matt, 2013. "Who Really Leads Development?," Working Paper Series rwp13-011, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government.
    • Handle: RePEc:ecl:harjfk:rwp13-011
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    File URL: https://research.hks.harvard.edu/publications/workingpapers/citation.aspx?PubId=8974&type=WPN
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Andrews,Matt, 2013. "The Limits of Institutional Reform in Development," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781107016330.
    2. David Brady & Michael Spence, 2010. "Leadership and Growth : Commission on Growth and Development," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 2404, December.
    3. Benjamin F. Jones & Benjamin A. Olken, 2005. "Do Leaders Matter? National Leadership and Growth Since World War II," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 120(3), pages 835-864.
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    Cited by:

    1. Alejandro Fajardo & Matt Andrews, 2014. "Does Successful Governance Require Heroes? The Case of Sergio Fajardo and the City of Medellín: A Reform Case for Instruction," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2014-035, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    2. Matt Andrews & Lant Pritchett & Michael Woolcock, 2016. "Managing Your Authorizing Environment in a PDIA Process," CID Working Papers 312, Center for International Development at Harvard University.

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