• Research
• Publishing
• Awareness Campaigns
• Designing and Conducting Stakeholder Training Courses, Workshops, and Seminars
• Database Development
• Baseline Studies
• Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E)
• Risk Mitigation for Development Projects
• Governance Frameworks (particularly for NGOs)
• IT Governance Frameworks
• Project Management
Research
Our research offerings and abilities are the core contribution of the center. Since its inception, the IRC has been at the forefront of development-related research; collecting and analyzing facts, then delivering the outputs with recommendations and conclusions to policy makers and other stakeholders to inform their priorities for action. We also partner with relevant organizations to 'Arabize' qualitative research tools.
Publishing
Several of the IRC's projects have resulted in the publication of a book that contains the results and outcomes of the center’s research and public policy work. It has been observed that the best mechanism for effecting policy and legislative change is a hard-hitting publication in either book or pamphlet form that substantially raises awareness of the problems facing certain people, groups, races, religions, and ideologies within our society and throughout the rest of the Arab world.
Awareness Campaigns
The IRC has run a number of awareness campaigns in society, with policy makers and with the media, and is constantly creating and becoming part of networks designed to raise awareness throughout the region. We also use new media, weblogs and interactive tools on the IRC website to reach new generations of youth.
Training Courses, Workshops, and Seminars
Another core element of the center’s work is designing and conducting stakeholder training courses, workshops and seminars. It has been found that fully engaging and 'educating' all stakeholders is the surest way to achieve positive outcomes and provide the ability to effect change for the betterment of society as a whole.
Database Development
The IRC has a longstanding experience in database development, having carried out a number of projects for client organizations, as well as collecting in its own right, over 3,000 Jordanian research titles in an online repository that is being converted into a fully fledged electronic library on social research within the Arab world.
Baseline Studies
When carrying out development and/or research projects targeted at underprivileged or mistreated sections of society, it is particularly important that a baseline study is conducted at the outset of the project. The IRC prides itself in carrying out thorough baseline studies within the frameworks suggested by international best practice and, which by definition, provide an accurate (and documented) understanding of the starting point and issues to be tackled to enable positive change.
Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E)
The IRC follows a well known and well proven approach to M&E (based on the work of Kusek and Rist, 2004), that involves 10 steps to building a performance based monitoring & evaluation system that has proven to be highly relevant and focused for development projects. The 10 steps are as follows:
• Conducting a Readiness Assessment
• Agreeing on Outcomes to Monitor and Evaluate
• Developing Key Indicators to Monitor and Evaluate
• Gathering Baseline Data on Indicators
• Planning for Improvement - Setting Realistic Targets
• Monitoring for Results
• Evaluative Information to Support Decision Making
• Analyzing and Reporting Findings
• Using the Findings
• Sustaining the Monitoring & Evaluation System within Government.
Risk Mitigation for Development Projects
International development projects are characterized by elusive goals, a constantly changing bureaucratic and political environment, lack of end user participation, and often the use of foreign technology and consultants to achieve ambiguous objectives. Against this backdrop, the IRC has adopted a best-practice approach to risk mitigation that encompasses the identification of risks and the devising of relevant strategies to mitigate those risks. Risks are grouped into four categories:
• International
• Development-oriented
• Located in Developing Countries
• Financed by International Development Institutions
These groups are further classified into ten categories based on their risk nature:
• Political
• Legal
• Technical
• Managerial
• Economic
• Environmental
• Socio-cultural
• Financial
• Corruption
• Physical
The development project management team will typically identify and evaluate risks proactively and plan risk mitigation strategies to relieve their impact on achievement of project goals. The mitigation strategies include:
• The application of advanced project management tools, practices and principles.
• Participation of beneficiaries.
• Development of training programs.
• Implementation of a sophisticated project monitoring & evaluation system.
• Development of an effective communications environment.
Governance Frameworks (particularly for NGOs)
More so than private corporations, public NGOs are and must be accountable to public scrutiny and be prepared to answer any questions related to their use of donor funds and allocated resources. NGOs are judged not only by their transparency, accountability, and financial sustainability, but also on how well they mobilize and manage resources and deliver services and results. At the IRC, we help NGOs improve and sustain their operations in the following ways, helping them:
• To define and state their missions, values, and objectives clearly, and ensuring that their strategies and operations are in synch.
• To implement better overall management processes as well as financial management, accounting, and budgeting systems.
• Towards better HR planning and development, and training of all staff, managers, administrators, project staff, board members, beneficiaries, members, and volunteers.
• To understand the need for gender equality and implementing best practices and processes that ensure the same.
• To achieve and maintain systems for monitoring, evaluating, and reviewing the organization and its projects, services, and activities.
• To invest consistent efforts towards capacity building and evaluation of human resources.
• To ensure absolute independence of the NGOs auditors.
• To ensure participation in the operations and ongoing development of the NGO from all levels.
• To set up evaluation mechanisms that focus on tangible results and achievements rather than funding utilized.
• To implement systems that are operationally and/or morally essential although not legally required.
• To provide more comprehensive information about their organizations.
• To foster an environment of better networking and cooperation between NGO counterparts, often through participation in NGO and donor networks.
IT Governance Frameworks
IT Governance Framework describes the system by which the current and future use of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) is directed and controlled. It involves evaluating and directing the plans for the use of ICT to support the organization and monitor its activities. It further includes the strategies and policies for using ICT within an organization. The IRC has a wealth of knowledge in this area and has as a key member of its staff, one of only 20 people qualified in the Arab world as a certified professional able to implement, monitor and manage IT Governance Frameworks. The IRC covers six main areas of IT Governance:
• IT Governance Framework: Defining, establishing and maintaining an IT Governance framework (leadership, organizational structures and processes).
• Strategic Alignment: Ensuring the link between business objectives and IT plans and operations.
• Value Delivery: Optimizing expenses and proving the value of IT throughout its life cycle.
• Risk Management: Identifying, assessing, mitigating and managing significant enterprise risks.
• Resource Management: Optimizing the allocation of IT resources and maximizing their efficiency.
• Performance Measurement: Tracking the delivery of IT projects and monitoring IT services.
Project Management
Qualified project managers oversee each of the IRC's projects or programs and follow the dictates of international best practice. This enables each project and its associated team to engage efficiently with all related stakeholders whilst maintaining a tight grip on the constant need to control budgets, meet deadlines, and achieve desired outcomes and objectives.