Shifting the locus of learning: catalyzing private sector learning to drive systemic change

Despite learning being at heart of the process of economic development - it is less frequently seen as a critical function within systems that can catalyse and quicken systems change and enable adaptation.

This brief makes the case that to stimulate systemic change, economic development programmes can, and should, focus on facilitating stronger learning processes within local actors, such as firms, other organisations, government, and civil society -  and systems, such as sectors and local economies.

It spotlights 10 strategies for action across two pathways to support learning:

• at the market actor level - such as building capacity for customer centricity and supplier insights, and then applying amplification strategies
• at the systems level - such as strengthening institutions that build trust and feedback loops, enhancing system performance data, and improving the reach and capacity of learning service providers

These strategies are anchored by specific examples from 13 programmes doing this work now across 11 countries, including programming in Uganda, Honduras, Mozambique, Vietnam, Nigeria and Serbia.