The Bank's use of technical assistance for institutional development

Technical assistance (TA), including project-related training, is the principal instrument the Bank uses to promote institutional development (ID). This paper reviews trends in ID-related TA for FY1982-88 and examines why there is little evidence of improvement in its use, despite the recommendations in many past studies and reviews. It identifies the minimum requirements for successful ID-related TA, and gauges whether the Bank is equipped to take on the challenge of improving it, or whether it should consider other ways to promote ID.