'This book is a well-documented, fascinating and insightful analysis of how to apply principles of change to the business of government and the public sector. For those in government making a contribution to society, it illuminates a way forward in creating impact for citizens served. It is a must read for all students and practitioners implementing OD in the public sector.' - Lennox Joseph, American University, USA 'Whether you work in Government, an NGO, the private sector, or a donor agency, this book is important because it focuses on a critical gap in implementing governance improvement programs. Armstrong focuses attention on the importance of national ownership of the development agenda and provides some concrete alternatives and examples of where this has made a difference.' - Fred Carden, IDRC Evaluation, Canada 'This is an extremely timely book. The author recognises an emerging consensus that for a developing country to raise itself out of poverty - and to stay that way - it needs a capable government that is responsive to the needs of the population. With a clear and well-targeted focus on government capacity development, the author observes that 'Building effective and accountable public institutions is arguably the core challenge for sustainable poverty reduction." - Peter Taylor, Think Tank Initiative, Canada 'In this outstanding book, Jim Armstrong brings a much-needed set of theoretical and practical insights to the field of Government Capacity Development. This is an important book which should be widely read not only by governments and their advisors but also business people who wish to help enhance the future of their nations.' - Karl Moore, McGill University, Canada
