This article is part of The Future of Global Development, a series for Devex Executive Members that explores what development leaders think of the industry’s top issues.
Development professionals often want to stay close to the main beneficiaries of their work — a preference that holds true even as they climb up the ranks. But among many executives, there’s an awareness that effective development work happens at both the local and institutional levels.
The 2014 Development Influencers Survey, which polled senior development executives earlier this year, found that the highest proportion of respondents, 47 percent, said their best development work happens at the national, regional or global level. Roughly the same amount, 44 percent, said it happens at the individual or village level.
Respondents from nongovernmental organizations and social enterprises tended to believe their best work is done among individuals or communities.
About the author
Anna Patricia Valerio
Anna Patricia Valerio is a Manila-based development analyst focusing on writing innovative, in-the-know content for senior executives in the international development community. Before joining Devex, Patricia wrote and edited business, technology and health stories for BusinessWorld, a Manila-based business newspaper.
