Background
The 2019 Independent External Evaluation of the EBRD’s Evaluation System recommended that EvD undertake a thematic evaluation of learning and knowledge management at the EBRD. Board and Management agreed with this recommendation, and EvD subsequently delivered this assessment in 2021. The focus of the evaluation was on internal processes and policies to support learning and knowledge management inside the Bank. This evaluation also supported the SCF 2021-2025, which made an explicit commitment to strengthening the Bank’s learning and evaluation culture.
Main findings
The EBRD lags behind comparator organisations in the IFI, private and philanthropic sectors. The evaluation considers the EBRD to be a prototype knowledge organisation.
EvD found that there were mixed perceptions around the extent to which EBRD was open to learning from mistakes, with focus being on learning from successes.
Individual staff incentives and time availability do not allow reflection, creation and sharing of knowledge, or innovation.SCOPE
Unlike most IFIs, the EBRD does not have a dedicated knowledge management function. The Knowledge Management team is small and mostly donor-funded, which creates a risk that LKM activities are prioritised on the basis of donors’ objectives rather than the Bank’s needs.
Significant gaps in IT, data governance and flow of knowledge persist despite progress made. Opportunities offered by new technologies such as machine learning, cognitive automation and Artificial Intelligence are untapped.
The lack of an EBRD LKM strategy, policy or framework means there is no clear statement of the business proposition for LKM.
