Managing messiness for success

Part 4 of four in the Messiness Series

This paper discusses why and how an agile learning organisation is so important to respond to messiness when working with innovative MSD approaches to inclusive growth.

It describes what an agile learning organisation looks like up close and draws on MDF experience during phase one operations (2012-2017).

The authors chose to use the McKinsey 7S Model to examine MDF’s experience of becoming an agile learning organisation because of its relevance to the development experience. The choices a private firm makes in its continuous search for opportunities and competitive advantage are very similar to the choices MSD programmes make in order to be relevant and effective in advancing an inclusive growth agenda. 

Part 1, Why and how embracing messiness is the key to success
Part 2, Why building the plane while flying it is the only approach that works builds on the Industry Life Cycle tool (Part 1) via two further diagnostic tools 
Part 3, Let core principles guide the artful choice between ‘proscriptive orthodoxy’ and ‘anything goes’ outlines some of the implications distilled from MDF’s experiences as relevant to a range of contributors - from MSD practitioners to donors and consultants

• More about MDF, Market Development Facility on BEAM's programme index