[governance-vn] UNDP Jobs: Senior International consultant/researcher for research on Anti-corruption and Governance Reforms

[Vern Weitzel]

Senior International consultant/researcher for research on “Anti-corruption and 
Governance Reforms as Economic Growth Strategies for Viet Nam: Lessons from East 
Asia”

Publish Date: 17-Jun-2008

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is looking for highly qualified 
and experienced international candidates for the position of Senior 
International Consultant/Researcher for research on “Anti-corruption and 
Governance Reforms as Economic Growth Strategies for Viet Nam: Lessons from East 
Asia” (Special Service Agreement contract).

Attached are the Terms of Reference.

An application letter in English expressing your interest in the post and 
updated curriculum vitae should be sent to the address below.

Only short–listed candidates whose applications respond to the criteria in the 
Terms of Reference will be contacted.

Contact

Do Thi Thanh Huyen
UNDP Viet Nam
25-29 Phan Boi Chau
Ha Noi - Viet Nam

Fax: (84 4) 942 2267
Email: registry.vn at undp.org
Deadline for submissions: Wednesday 05:00 PM | 02-Jul-2008



United Nations Development Programme
25-29 Phan Boi Chau
Ha Noi, Viet Nam


Terms of Reference for Research on

Anti-corruption and Governance Reforms as Economic Growth Strategies for Viet Nam:
Lessons from East Asia


  1. Scope of Work

The senior international consultant/researcher, according to the following terms 
of reference, and
under the coordination of UNDP’s Policy Advisor on Public Administration Reform 
(PAR) and
Anti-Corruption (AC) will deliver the products described below:

2. Background

Viet Nam is developing country which has grown rapidly over the last two 
decades, and it is
expected to transit to middle-income country status by 2010. Like many other 
East Asian
countries, it has developed with specific context related governance 
capabilities and economic
strategies. It has been extremely successful in developing labour-intensive 
manufacturing
industries and overall growth rates have been amongst the highest in the world. 
However, despite
these remarkable achievements, the country now faces challenges in sustaining 
high growth
rates, as this will involve moving up the value chain and raising productivity 
in very competitive
global markets. In the first six months of 2008 Viet Nam has found itself 
grappling with high
inflation levels, collapsing markets and an increasingly restive workforce. In 
addition, the
National Assembly had recently revised growth projections and downgraded them 
from 9% to
7% for 2008.

The contemporary consensus is that sustaining growth in low and middle income 
countries
involves the implementation of good governance reforms, which includes achieving 
success in
anti-corruption strategies as well as in rule of law and accountability reforms. 
The assumption is
that these reforms will make markets more efficient and create investor 
confidence for long-term
investments that are vital for technology upgrading and moving up the value 
chain. However, the
actual implementation of many for these good governance reforms is cumbersome 
and has
proven difficult to sustain in the long term in specific contexts.

A comparative approach may suggest that successful developing countries in East 
Asia have had
strong governance capabilities for sustaining growth and institutional 
capabilities for ruling out
particular types of corruption, but these have not been the governance 
capabilities and
generalized anti-corruption strategies identified in the good governance approach.

This research will therefore seek to identify alternative directions in which it 
may be useful to do
further research and carry out policy dialogues in Viet Nam for identifying and 
implementing
governance reforms that are both politically feasible as well as being 
growth-enhancing and
developmental in the light of actual experience in East Asian countries that are 
more developed
than Viet Nam. The framework does not claim that institutional strategies that 
were followed in
other countries can be directly replicated in any other country, but by 
identifying what particular
institutions achieved in more advanced countries, we can initiate a debate about 
what governance
reforms should achieve in Vietnam in the next five to ten years, and therefore 
given its own
initial conditions and political realities, what types of institutions and 
governance reforms may
be most appropriate for achieving these goals in the Vietnamese context.

3. Objective

The proposed paper will provide a summary of the current state of play in terms 
of the growth-
enhancing or developmental governance capabilities that have helped East Asian 
countries
achieve one of the most remarkable economic and social transformations in 
recorded history,
while also tackling corruption strategically.

The research will have a comparative approach, in order to examine Viet Nam with 
regards to
the specific constraints it faces in sustaining its growth into the future, the 
institutional and
governance challenges that are likely to be constraining its growth in the 
future, and the
governance reforms that have been attempted so far. In doing so, the paper will 
posit Viet Nam
in the context of alternative growth-enhancing governance and anti-corruption 
agenda, to
identify possible areas of further research and policy dialogue.

4. Outputs

Project outputs will consist of one discussion paper of about 30-40 pages long 
(single spaced)
tentatively entitled “Anti-corruption and Governance Reforms as Economic Growth
Strategies for Viet Nam: Lessons from East Asia” to underscore the similarities and
differences between Viet Nam and other South-East and East Asian countries. In 
addition a
power point presentation (10-12 slides) will be prepared summarizing the policy
recommendations.

UNDP will arrange for translation and publication in Vietnamese and English. The 
papers will
be made publicly available through the normal distribution channels, and 
distributed to national
and international agencies. UNDP also actively encourages the researcher to 
publish the papers
in other outlets, including scholarly journals and institutional websites as 
long as the support of
UNDP is explicitly acknowledged in these publications.

5. Methodology

The consultant/researcher will work under close supervision of the Policy 
Advisor on PAR and
AC during the assignment. To the possible extent, the analysis will have to be 
based on statistical
data and documented material, including the compilation of recently published 
studies and
reports. The research methodology will include the revision, analysis and 
synthesis of data,
statistics, documents and publications on the theme. The consultant/researcher 
will be in charge
of collecting the information, with specific inputs from UNDP’s PAR and AC Advisor.

The consultant/researcher will have to identify the sources of all kind of 
information, and cite
them properly in the research. S/he is not necessarily expected to generate 
primary information,
but to develop and present in-depth analysis based on compilation and processing 
of secondary
sources.

The research paper is not an essay of qualified opinion neither a newspaper type 
article and
needs to be grounded on evidence and documented data. Therefore, the 
consultant/researcher
will keep frequent working sessions with the PAR and AC advisor who can request 
additional
information and clarity where deemed appropriate. UNDP will support the research 
process
however the ultimate responsibility on access and accuracy of data relies on the
consultant/researcher.

6. Timing, duration and location

Research will commence in July 2008. It is estimated that 40 person-days of 
international
expertise will be required to complete the research paper. A minimum of 05 of 
these days will be
spent in Hanoi, with the remaining 35 days spent at the researcher’s home base. 
UNDP will
arrange for one trip to Hanoi at the end of the research for a presentation of 
the outputs.

It is envisaged the research will be carried out between July – September 2008.

7. Reporting lines and administrative support

The researcher will report to the Policy Advisor on Public Administration Reform 
of UNDP in
Viet Nam. The researcher will keep the Policy Advisory Team informed of progress 
on a regular
basis and will submit drafts of the research paper to UNDP for discussion and 
comment. UNDP
will provide administrative support for research and international travel.

8. Tasks and qualifications

8.1. Tasks:
1. Conduct original research comparing trends in governance, growth and 
anti-corruption
strategies in Viet Nam and other East Asian countries during the liberalization 
period;
2. Identify policy lessons relevant to Viet Nam;
3. Produce an original, high quality Discussion Paper tentatively entitled 
“Anti-corruption
and Governance Reforms as Economic Growth Strategies in Viet Nam: Lessons
from Easts Asia”

8.2. Qualifications and experience:
 PhD in economics or political science;
 At least 15 years experience conducting applied research in developing countries,
preferably in the analysis of Asian economies;
 Demonstrated expertise on economic-governance issues, including 
anti-corruption and
governance reforms;
 A strong international publications record;
 Proven ability to write clear, jargon-free English.


9. Deadline for application: Wednesday July 02, 2008

Send application to:
25-29 Phan Boi Chau Street, Hanoi, or via email to registry.vn at undp.org no later 
than 5:00 PM
(Hanoi time) Wednesday July 02, 2008.

Applications must include an application letter and updated curriculum vitae.

UNDP is an equal opportunity employer and female candidates are particularly 
encouraged to
apply.


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