The Asia Foundation

11x17 version.

The Asia Foundation’s approach to effective economic governance builds on the knowledge that the engine for sustainable growth is the formal and informal MSME sector, the major source of employment for most...

11x17 version.

The Asia Foundation’s approach to effective economic governance builds on the knowledge that the engine for sustainable growth is the formal and informal MSME sector, the major source of employment for most countries in Asia. However, the growth and job-generation performance of MSMEs are often constrained by a wide spectrum of institutional obstacles. To address the constraints to MSME growth, the Foundation has developed specialized tools to analyze local business environments, measure the quality of local economic governance, assess progress through a set of quantitative and qualitative indicators, and support policy reforms. Local Economic Governance Indexes (EGIs), developed in collaboration with local and international partners, are one of these tools.

Cambodia, where the Provincial Business Environment Scorecard (PBES) was first implemented in 2006, and Sri Lanka where the first Economic Governance Index (EGI-SL) was conducted in 2007, are the two most recent additions to the LEGIs...

Cambodia, where the Provincial Business Environment Scorecard (PBES) was first implemented in 2006, and Sri Lanka where the first Economic Governance Index (EGI-SL) was conducted in 2007, are the two most recent additions to the LEGIs developed by The Asia Foundation and its partners.  These two indexes, based on the experience of The Asia Foundation in the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam, had to be adapted to the specific economic and administrative context of Cambodia and Sri Lanka.  They have, however, the same objectives:
• Providing updated information to the private sector about the business environment in their area, and thus creating a demand for an improved business environment.
• Creating a frame of reference for local leaders and public officials as they seek to improve policies and economic governance practices in their area.
• Stimulating a proactive and competitive process involving all relevant stakeholders in their efforts to offer a more supportive business environment.

Sri  Lanka is a multi-­ethnic, multi-­religious society with four major religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and   Roman Catholicism. As the country emerges from decades of war, new ethno-­religious dynamics are emerging...

Sri  Lanka is a multi-­ethnic, multi-­religious society with four major religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and   Roman Catholicism. As the country emerges from decades of war, new ethno-­religious dynamics are emerging which have implications for peace and coexistence between communities. This survey is meant to help uncover some of those dynamics. Within this complex and evolving ethno-­religious landscape, The Asia Foundation conducted the National Values in Sri Lanka Survey in late 2011 to gain a more grounded understanding of people's perceptions of religious beliefs and practices, influence of religious leaders, inter-­religious relations, and tolerance for religious expression.

Financial Management Training Modules: This series of four training modules is designed to provide the teaching and learning materials for training modules for LA officials in Financial Management. Each module kit contains...

Financial Management Training Modules: This series of four training modules is designed to provide the teaching and learning materials for training modules for LA officials in Financial Management. Each module kit contains printed resource material for trainers and participants, visual-aid material for trainers (such as power-point presentations on CD), learning exercises and simulations for trainers to use in workshops, and relevant computer software applications (such as Excel spreadsheets, on CD), to support a two-day workshop. Each module is available separately in Sinhala and Tamil from The Asia Foundation and the Sri Lanka Institute of Local Governance (SLILG).

• Module 1 – Financial Reporting and Cash Management
• Module 2 – Revenue Enhancement
• Module 3 – Grant Management and Donor Relations
• Module 4 – Office Management

This handbook presents basic information on advocacy and how it can be pursued by private enterprises, government institutions and other organizations in Sri Lanka to establish and safeguard their rights. It was prepared by The Asia...

This handbook presents basic information on advocacy and how it can be pursued by private enterprises, government institutions and other organizations in Sri Lanka to establish and safeguard their rights. It was prepared by The Asia Foundation, Sri Lanka, through its Local Economic Governance Program, with financial support from the Australian Agency for International Development and the Department for International Development (UK). The handbook is largely adapted from a publication on policy advocacy for SMEs in Indonesia, prepared by The Asia Foundation in Indonesia. It has also drawn on advocacy materials developed Dr. Hetifah Sjaifudian Sumarto, an independent consultant to The Asia Foundation.

(Sri Lankan Version) This handbook presents basic information on advocacy and how it can be pursued by private enterprises, government institutions and other organizations in Sri Lanka to establish and safeguard their rights. It was...

(Sri Lankan Version) This handbook presents basic information on advocacy and how it can be pursued by private enterprises, government institutions and other organizations in Sri Lanka to establish and safeguard their rights. It was prepared by The Asia Foundation, Sri Lanka, through its Local Economic Governance Program, with financial support from the Australian Agency for International Development and the Department for International Development (UK). The handbook is largely adapted from a publication on policy advocacy for SMEs in Indonesia, prepared by The Asia Foundation in Indonesia. It has also drawn on advocacy materials developed Dr. Hetifah Sjaifudian Sumarto, an independent consultant to The Asia Foundation.

Occasional Paper No. 2, July 2010

The processes of development are fundamentally shaped by powerful political, economic, and security actors in aid-recipient countries. These actors use their influence to shape formal governance...

Occasional Paper No. 2, July 2010

The processes of development are fundamentally shaped by powerful political, economic, and security actors in aid-recipient countries. These actors use their influence to shape formal governance institutions, policies, and the distribution of development assistance to advance their interests. The political settlements framework is an important new approach that may help international development organizations to better understand and respond to this reality and the challenges to developmental progress that is often affected by political dynamics in developing countries. This paper seeks to translate the concepts underlying political settlements into principles, strategies, and guidelines for practical action by donors and other development assistance organizations.

Thomas Parks, Regional Director for Governance and Conflict, The Asia Foundation
William Cole, Senior Director, Governance, Law, and Civil Society Programs & Program Strategy and Development, The Asia Foundation

While much of Asia is developing rapidly, some countries and subnational regions remain caught in protracted cycles of conflict and fragility, leading to under-development, poor governance and instability. State-society relations in these...

While much of Asia is developing rapidly, some countries and subnational regions remain caught in protracted cycles of conflict and fragility, leading to under-development, poor governance and instability. State-society relations in these environments are often troubled, and have frequently become the primary cause of prolonged conflict and fragility. Many citizens in conflict-affected and fragile regions have come to see their government as distant, unresponsive, inaccessible, or absent altogether. When citizens perceive states as illegitimate, many will simply avoid contact with their governments, and in some cases support violent challenges to state authority.

While much of Asia is developing rapidly, several countries and subnational regions remain caught in protracted cycles of conflict and fragility, leading to under-development, poor governance and instability. State-society relations in these...

While much of Asia is developing rapidly, several countries and subnational regions remain caught in protracted cycles of conflict and fragility, leading to under-development, poor governance and instability. State-society relations in these environments are often troubled, and have frequently become the primary cause of prolonged conflict and fragility. Many citizens in conflict-affected and fragile regions have come to see their government as distant, unresponsive, inaccessible, or absent altogether. When citizens perceive states as illegitimate, many will simply avoid contact with their governments, and in some cases support violent challenges to state authority.