| |
Beyond the Horizon: A guide to managing development projects from a distance by Mike Crooke
Beyond the Horizon (ACFID, 2003) focuses on project and program management in the field of overseas aid and development. Particularly, it looks at the issues facing program managers who are not involved in the day-to-day management of project activities, but are usually based thousands of kilometres away. They are responsible for the management of endeavours that are truly beyond the horizon.
Overview While project management is the overall focus of Beyond the Horizon, it recognises that project management takes place in a rich context of development theory, broader program management, agency management, and organisational development practices. The individual program manager - with their values, natural abilities, aspirations, knowledge and experience - and individual approaches to project management is also addressed.
Beyond the Horizon does not provide a set of answers for typical problems, or offer blueprints tools to achieve prescribed results. The focus is on learning how to think about development in creative and flexible ways in order to adapt tools, techniques, processes and approaches to suit each unique development context.
There is discussion of a range of key underlying principles of development. There are also practical tips and tools included.
Here is a guide for program managers’ own development in their chosen profession as well as a rich resource to steer the reader towards other key sources of information and assistance.
About the author In life before development work, Mike worked in agriculture, viticulture, forestry, the building industry and the film industry.
In 1981 Oxfam Australia (Community Aid Abroad) recruited him to work in Somalia on refugee agriculture projects. This work lasted until 1983, and then continued with Save the Children USA until late 1985.
Mike then spent a year at the University of Manchester studying non-formal adult education, with an emphasis on primary health care. This was followed by two and a half years in Northern Luzon, in the Philippines, where Mike worked with a range of small local NGOs.
He returned to Australia in late 1988 to become the Program Coordinator for Oxfam Australia’s Southeast Asia program and, in 1991, their Indochina/China program. In 1993 Mike founded the Unit for Program Documentation, Evaluation and Analysis within Oxfam Australia.
He left Oxfam in 1996 to become the Director of Training and Development Advice at ACFOA (now ACFID). Following just over two years in this position, Mike took up postgraduate studies in program evaluation at the University of Melbourne.
Since that time he has worked as a private consultant in community development, project management training and evaluation. Mike has undertaken work for Australian and Japanese NGOs and bilateral organisations including AusAID, DFID and JICA, as well as private sector companies in over twenty countries. | |  | Prices (AUD) Hard copy: $100.00
PDF version (1mb): $15.00
Postage (per copy)
Australia: $12.00
Europe*: $38
America*: $35
* economy air freight
To order: - Complete and fax or mail an order form (pdf)
- Email including your postal address and credit card details (we do not accept Amex)
| |
