Suggestions
Dun Grover
Experienced International Development Practitioner | Advancing Systems Change | ACDI/VOCA
Dun Grover is an experienced international development practitioner who currently serves as the Deputy Chief of Party for the USAID/Honduras Transforming Market Systems (TMS) Activity at ACDI/VOCA.23 In this role, he focuses on market systems development and Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) approaches.3
Professional Background
Grover has over 15 years of experience in the field of international development.2 His expertise includes:
- Monitoring, evaluation, and learning
- Technical advisory for economic development projects
- Market systems development
- Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) methodologies
Current Role and Responsibilities
As the Deputy Chief of Party for the TMS Activity in Honduras, Grover is involved in several key initiatives:
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Market Systems Diagnostic (MSD): He has been instrumental in developing and implementing the MSD framework, which provides industry-level insights into economic trends and system attributes influencing market performance.1
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Stakeholder Collaboration: Grover works closely with various stakeholders, including government agencies, private enterprises, and academic institutions, to foster systemic change in the Honduran market system.1
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Economic Development: He contributes to efforts aimed at creating economic opportunities, new jobs, and increased income, particularly for marginalized groups.1
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Migration Reduction: The TMS Activity, which Grover helps lead, aims to address root causes of illegal migration by improving economic conditions in Honduras.1
Engagement in Professional Development
Grover actively participates in professional development activities and industry events. For example, he recently took part in the Market Systems Symposium, focusing on "Systems Change Assessment - Innovation and Design".4
Dun Grover's LinkedIn profile can be found under the username dun-grover-587833a, where more details about his professional experience and accomplishments may be available.
Highlights
I'm working on a study where we are analyzing how certain factors, related to the Honduran economy, have changed over time and their interplay to create broader dynamics. I'm reaching out to see if anyone has stumbled upon similar methods, frameworks or has insights to share...
Specifically, I am thinking of a classification to describe these factors (or substitute issues, variables, or constraints, if more useful) I have some ideas below on broad classifications :
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Bright Spot: Once lagging factors that are on an upward trajectory
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Maturing: Factors that are on a steady rise increasing their mark over time
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Gridlocked: Factors that are stuck, showing little to no change
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Deteriorating: Factors on the decline, losing their influence and importance.
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Debilitating: Influential factors taking a turn for the worse
Background: I've been working on this dataset that is tracking a set of factors over time to see how they've changed. There is also a matrix that shows how these factors interact with each other, like what factor influences another, and what factor depends on another. Right now, I'm working on figuring out how changes in factors affect changes in others and trying to work on a process to make sense of it.
This is a bit of discovery-based approach to the methodology, so any feedback or ideas are welcome!
Generating #Hypotheses to Ask The Right Questions
Making headway in #marketsystems development (MSD) means trying and testing many ideas. 'Safe to fail' experiments explore challenges from multiple angles to see the potential for change (see Cynefin/Snowden).
Clara García Parra reminded me recently that asking the right questions is critical to accompany this process. Good questions can help organize our thinking around what we do NOT know. This is essential for projet teams to learn and figure out what can work (or not) in a given context.
Since then, I've been thinking about how might we ask better questions. I've found a participatory approach to hypothesis generation—and analysis and reflection— engages the whole team a collective learning process, challenging our assumptions, shedding light on biases and seeing a bigger picture.
I’m really excited to better integrate this practice into the Transformando Sistemas de Mercado #monitoringandevaluation systems. I've shared below some questions we are asking with our partners to test different hypotheses about digital work in Honduras, based on pilot programs.
Thank you Rachel Shah and Gituku Ngene for sharing your own experience and learning from the JobTechAlliance to help us ask better questions.
H1. Skills-Training Alignment: Are skill programs matching global digital market demands, identifying and aligning with in-demand job segments?
H2. Aspiration-Wage Alignment: Is there a gap to bridge between worker career aspirations and wage expectations, and job placements?
H3. Job Position: Are digital jobs for permanent roles or supplemental income, reflecting diverse worker motivations and preferences?
H4. Upskilling Requirements : Are the foundational skills present to open pathways for participants to transition into high-skilled digital employment?
H5. Gravity of Talent Pool: Is the local talent pool competitive to attract global digital job opportunities, increasing access to digital jobs locally?
H6. Remote Work: Are there worker reservations about remote work and their interest in digital career paths?
H7. Digital Ecosystem: Does the digital ecosystem enable supplemental e-learning opportunities and pathways for micro-entrepreneurship?
H8. Next Best Alternatives: Is digital work recognized as a viable opportunity compared with other career possibilities?
Among others….
