Kaizen supported an extensive change management and transformation effort in various Jordanian government agencies and private sector companies.
As the lead implementer of all cross-cutting institutional transformation initiatives on the USAID/Jordan economic opportunities flagship program (SABEQ), Kaizen supported government agencies and high-potential private business sectors to fundamentally strengthen organizations and institutions, better integrate women in the economy, and develop and promote a more dynamic economic growth mindset for the country. Kaizen’s support on SABEQ assisted the inside-out institutional reform initiatives of diverse public and private sector clients, while making innovative use of information technology to expand the breadth and depth of overall assistance. Kaizen supported an extensive change management and transformation effort in various Jordanian government agencies which has identified internal champions of change across different levels and trained them on both the technical and ‘human’ side of change management best practices and gained the commitment of these change agents to drive difficult reforms from within.
Highlights
- Provided 280 women with technical/vocational skills training
- Established 2 business/employment centers
- Assisted 2 banks in developing financial products for women and women-owned businesses
- Established a mechanism to connect women’s rights groups
USAID recognized the need for improving Jordanian workforce development, strengthen organization’s institutional capacity, and better integrate women into the Jordanian workforce. As such, Kaizen created a highly innovative, information technology-enabled professional communities on SABEQ. The Professional Communities (PCs) included Jordanian professionals who supported each other through the transfer of ideas and expertise, and identified areas in which external assistance to support their organizational improvement efforts was needed. PCs were created in the following areas: strategic management, human resources, trade and export development, public sector performance, and economic reporting. An interactive web portal complemented each community by serving as an additional meeting place for collaboration, consolidating each group’s collective intelligence, providing international and local resources, and serving as a marketplace for local consulting firms and organizations to make their services available to interested PC members.
A 2010 survey revealed that 99% of PC members would recommend membership to fellow entrepreneurs; 82% gained knowledge that enabled them to create and lead positive change in their organizations/companies; and 90% ranked PCs as excellent and very good. PCs were rated above training centers, business associations, and online business forums in overall value to members, significantly outperforming others in relevance to specific professional needs, practical application, and fostering a collaborative environment. The Jordan PC approach was named a top finalist in the 2010 UNDP ‘Capacity is Development’ knowledge fair, and the PC portal was awarded the ‘gold medal’ (top prize) in a Jordanian social media competition.
At a glance
Client
Status
Past
Location
Jordan
Services
Knowledge sharing networks, economic growth
