Table 1.

Three Eras of External Expertise in Development Aid.

Quick-Fix Implementer Era
1960s–1990s		Collaborative Turn Era
1990s−2005		Proper Organization Proxy Era
2005–2020s
Role of Sida and its aid bureaucratsExpert agency – contractor of agents who would solve development aid problemsExpert agency – knowledge leader in Swedish societyAdministrative agency – main task to finance and control aid funds. Catalyst.
Dominating competencies and values at SidaImplementation expertise.
“Solving the problems”
Development country-focused organization.		Thematic expertise – program officers. Participatory approaches.
What values
“Doing the right things”
Horizontal organization.		Management/generalist expertise.
How values
“Doing things right”
Controllers, lawyers.
Hierarchical organization.
Role, use, and critique of external expertsImplementers of projects. Criticized for consultocracy in project decisions.Facilitators of processes. Close consultants.
Criticized for not doing things right and for consultocracy in administrative decisions.		Increase in management experts. Trust transfers to legitimize “proper organizations.”
Criticized for not seeing the bigger picture and for consultocracy in project decisions.
Swedish consultancy marketMany smaller Swedish consulting companiesLarger Swedish consulting companiesMainly large international consulting companies
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