ABSTRACT

The notion of capacity and how to develop capacity is a relatively new approach and objective for many organisations and scholars, even though the general idea of capacity building is an integral part of human endeavour. Capacity building at an organisational level can be seen as a consequence of strategy for creating more effective, sustainable, and vital organisations. The term can be used to describe initiatives from strategic to operational levels, so long as these initiatives aim at or have achieved a change in an organisation’s ability to address its challenges and opportunities.

We argue that it is a core responsibility of managers and organisations to constantly invest in this work as it positions them more strongly for the future. The most impact is achieved not as a result of a one-time investment, but with continuous improvement and investment in developing capacity. We offer a 6Ps model as a way to think about and design for capacity building. In terms of measurement, we propose that organisations should look beyond the simple achievement of goals and look at what actually occurred during the capacity development effort.