ABSTRACT
This chapter describes several very different development regions and experiences to explore approaches to vision and strategy development. It highlights the experience of the Long-Term Perspective Studies in Africa, which were similar in spirit to the Comprehensive Development Framework, and the country-driven development strategies of East Asia, shaken but still sound. The chapter presents multisectoral development planning and business corporate planning. It also considers lessons from World Bank evaluations of its comprehensive diagnostic tools. The chapter argues why it has been so difficult to move away from blueprints. It deals with implications for aid agencies and their practices in carrying out economic analyses and advisory services, as well as research, knowledge management, technical assistance, and capacity building. There is the risk of a proliferation of strategy and action plan processes, notably in response to international conventions, which can result in overburdening governments and reducing their capacity for action.
