For a state to be effective, it must carry out a core set of governance capabilities that meet citizens’ expectations and earn public trust while setting the conditions for economic and market development. Effective and accountable states must also participate in a global community of nations, which is governed by shared international norms and standards. ISE works to refine concepts and frameworks for governance, economic and civic engagement, and international relationships.
ISE’s underlying methodology begins with the Ten Functions of the State. These interrelated functions inform the constellation of rules, policies and institutions that deliver on citizens’ expectations and aspirations. From the Rule of Law–the glue that binds the functions together–to building Human Capital and effective Asset Management for the public good, the Ten Functions of the State provide a framework for understanding and improving the compact between citizens and government. While not an exhaustive list, the Ten Functions offer a common starting point for understanding a state’s responsibilities to its citizens and designing solutions to some of the toughest challenges facing today’s societies. Explore the Ten Functions and our analysis.
There is an urgent and universal need to develop an agenda and framework for reimagining the state’s ability to understand and meet evolving citizen expectations and support a global order that works in the interests of all sectors of society. ISE’s State of the State initiative aims to reinvigorate a collective agenda on state effectiveness by listening to leaders and citizens alike to assess emerging global trends impacting the role of the state, build on the lessons of the last decade of reform and statecraft, and explore the “how-to” of making the state more effective and legitimate. This multi-year dialogue aims to design a forward-looking Agenda for the State for the next 10-15 years that can align the efforts of different stakeholders, bridge communities of practices and help guide future policy and academic directions. Read more about the challenges and opportunities facing the state-centric international model here.
As part of ISE’s State of the State project, this paper provides an outline of the global challenges and trends facing the state-centric international model and suggests pathways to support and build institutions that deliver…
This article originally appeared in The Hill on November 2, 2017 By Clare Lockhart and David Thorpe Hurricane Maria left no corner of Puerto Rico untouched, meting out systematic destruction to the island and the lives…
When a government adopts a team-based performance management approach, it sends the powerful message that the state values institutional culture as the primary determinant of performance. This Development Practice Note explains how a team-based approach…
ISE Partners Consortium 2016
Singapore has undergone a remarkable transition since gaining statehood. ISE examines the sequence of priorities and drivers fueling its economic growth from a post-colonial city into a center of industry and trade.
For the last two decades there has been consensus on the centrality of governance to countries’ ability to provide security, prosperity and well-being for their citizens. The promotion of good governance, however, particularly in developing…