ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK
Asian Development Bank Knowledge Management Action Plan 2021–2025
Knowledge for a Prosperous, Inclusive, Resilient, and Sustainable Asia and the Pacific
The Knowledge Management Action Plan (KMAP) – connects ongoing reforms of the Asian
Development Bank (ADB) to improve how knowledge is managed across its business processes. The KMAP
strengthens ADB’s ability to better deliver tailored knowledge solutions, together with financing, to developing
member countries. The KMAP emphasizes increasing collaboration, improving the quality and eciency of
knowledge services, making knowledge work more attractive, and using a country-focused approach—all
of which contribute to ADB’s value addition, boost client satisfaction, and bolster ADB’s role as a trusted
knowledge provider.
About the Asian Development Bank
ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific,
while sustaining its eorts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in , it is owned by  members
— from the region. Its main instruments for helping its developing member countries are policy dialogue,
loans, equity investments, guarantees, grants, and technical assistance.
PEOPLE AND
CULTURE
PROCESSES AND
SYSTEMS
RELATIONSHIPS
AsiAn Development BAnk
6 ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong City
1550 Metro Manila, Philippines
www.adb.org
MARCH 2021
ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
ACTION PLAN 2021–2025
Knowledge foR A PRosPeRous, InClusIve,
ResIlIent, And sustAInAble AsIA And tHe PACIfIC
ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK
MARCH 
ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
ACTION PLAN 2021–2025
KNOWLEDGE FOR A PROSPEROUS, INCLUSIVE,
RESILIENT, AND SUSTAINABLE ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
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© 2021 Asian Development Bank
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Some rights reserved. Published in 2021.
ISBN 978-92-9262-762-1 (print); 978-92-9262-763-8 (electronic); 978-92-9262-764-5 (ebook)
Publication Stock No. TCS210108-2
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22617/TCS210108-2
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iii
CONTENTS
FIGURES AND BOXES iv
ABBREVIATIONS v
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY vi
I. WHY A KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN?
A. Strategy  and Knowledge Management
B. ADB as a Knowledge Organization in Strategy 
C. The COVID- Pandemic: From Crisis to Opportunity
II. KNOWLEDGE GAP ANALYSIS
A. Organizational Constraints on Strengthening Knowledge
B. Theory of Change
C. Tackling the Constraints on Eective Knowledge Management
III. KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN  
A. Principles-Based Approach 
B. Building on Experiences 
C. Proposed Actions in the Knowledge Management Action Plan 
IV. IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS AND MONITORING 
APPENDIXES
Knowledge Management Cycle 
Knowledge Management Action Plan Results Framework and Its Alignment 
with the Theory of Change and the Corporate Results Framework
Examples of Knowledge Solutions 
Knowledge Management Tools 
Proposed Knowledge Management Action Plan Actions 
Template for Department Knowledge Management Action Plan Road Maps 
GLOSSARY 
iv
FIGURES AND BOXES
FIGURES
Theory of Change
Knowledge Management Action Plan Implementation Arrangements 
and Reporting
Knowledge Management Action Plan Implementation Phases 
Providing Resources for the Knowledge Management Action Plan 
BOXES
Strategy —the Asian Development Bank’s Compass for Change
Gender Equity in Development—Asia Women Leaders Program
How the COVID- Pandemic Transformed the Asian Development Bank
Knowledge to Drive Climate Operations—Indonesia 
Knowledge to Expand Private Sector Operations—Georgia 
Knowledge to Mobilize Cofinancing for Community Resilience—Southeast Asia 
Good Knowledge Management Practices and Principles 
Better Country Knowledge Programming, Sounder Country Partnership Strategies 
Leveraging Knowledge Partnerships 
 Managing Knowledge Captured from Working with Civil Society 
v
ABBREVIATIONS
ADB – Asian Development Bank
COVID- – coronavirus disease
DEfR – development eectiveness review
DMC – developing member country
SDCC-KC – Knowledge Advisory Services Center
KMAP – knowledge management action plan
WPBF – work program and budget framework
vi
The Knowledge Management Action Plan (KMAP) – connects the reforms of the
Asian Development Bank (ADB) to improve how knowledge is managed across all its business
processes. The KMAP supports Strategy  by strengthening ADB’s ability to better deliver
tailored knowledge solutions, together with financing, to developing member countries (DMCs).
The KMAP emphasizes increasing collaboration, improving the quality and eciency of knowledge
services, making knowledge work more attractive, and using a country-focused approach to
benefit DMCs. The KMAP will increase ADB’s value addition, boost client satisfaction, and bolster
ADB’s role as a trusted knowledge provider.
Building on previous action plans, ongoing initiatives, and recommendations of the Independent
Evaluation Department’s Knowledge Solutions for Development: An Evaluation of ADB’s Readiness
for Strategy 2030, the KMAP aims to achieve the following:
(i) Move from counting knowledge products and services to providing knowledge solutions
that clients need.
(ii) Reduce knowledge silos, connect people, and increase collaboration.
(iii) Increase the relevance and quality of knowledge.
(iv) Strengthen the capacity of country teams, including resident missions, to manage
knowledge and strengthen relationships.
(v) Optimize the contribution and learning of sta members, consultants, and partners to
benefit the bank.
The KMAP leverages ongoing ADB initiatives and reforms, including the implementation of the
action plan of the review of ADB’s resident mission operations, the culture transformation initiative,
the country partnership strategy reform review, the review of technical assistance operations, the
digital agenda, the innovation framework, and others. The KMAP follows five principles that will
guide departments and teams in tailoring their knowledge management road maps:
(i) Dierentiated. Knowledge services across DMCs meet dierent needs.
(ii) Balanced. Demand and supply–driven, top-down and bottom-up knowledge services
advance sustainable development in DMCs.
(iii) Culture and learning driven. The importance of organizational culture and learningis
recognized by all of ADB and reflected in all its processes and systems.
(iv) Technology enabled. ADB leverages information technology and uses it well.
(v) Results focused. The results of knowledge work are monitored and measured.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
vii
The KMAP is supported by a Theory of Change that identifies  outputs and  key actions:
(i) People and culture improved to incentivize, create, and promote knowledge solutions.
(a) Align the KMAP with initiatives to transform ADB’s culture.
(b) Recruit, develop, foster, and incentivize sta members who have the needed
knowledge management competencies.
(c) Implement the innovation framework.
(ii) Processes and systems upgraded to encourage client-oriented knowledge creation,
flow, and use.
(a) Strengthen country knowledge programming.
(b) Create a connected enterprise knowledge network.
(c) Strengthen and clarify measures toguide teams in developing quality knowledge
products.
(iii) Relationships built and nurtured across departments in ADB and with knowledge
partners in DMCs and beyond for better-connected knowledge networks.
(a) Create a culture of collaboration through strategic and ecient knowledge
partnerships.
(b) Strengthen the resident missions’ role in advancing relationships.
(c) Reinforce relationships between dierent ADB functions and foster a “One ADB”
approach.
(d) Cultivate relationships with international financial institutions and other
intergovernmental organizations on knowledge management.
As the KMAP has implications for everyone in the organization, all departments and oces will
be responsible for its implementation, and the expanded knowledge management group for its
coordination. The Knowledge Advisory Services Center under the Sustainable Development and
Climate Change Department will serve as the secretariat to expedite the KMAP’s implementation.
1
I. WHY A KNOWLEDGE
MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN?
A. Strategy  and Knowledge Management
The Knowledge Management Action Plan (KMAP) – connects bank-wide reforms to
improve how ADB manages knowledge in all its business processes to give eect to the knowledge
provisions of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Strategy  (Box ). Strategy  is clear
about how ADB should strengthen its knowledge services:
(i) Increase collaboration by instituting a “One ADB” approach, bringing together
knowledge and expertise from across the organization to increase learning, innovation,
and impact in developing member countries (DMCs).
(ii) Improve the quality of knowledge servicesthrough deeper analysis and research,
expedite greater knowledge sharing across countries, and make business processes
more ecient.
(iii) Use country-focused approaches,emphasizing practical knowledge that fits
local conditions; identify lessons; and replicate good practices across the region
and beyond.
ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN 
2
Box 1: Strategy 2030—the Asian Development Bank’s Compass for Change
Despite the devastation caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-) in , the dramatic
changes that have swept Asia and the Pacific since the establishment of the Asian Development
Bank (ADB) are indelible. Middle-income developing member countries (DMCs) now outnumber
low-income ones. In , more than billion people (or over a third of the region’s population) were
extremely poor. In , those numbers fell to  million or a little over a fifth. In , they plunged
to  million or less than a tenth.
a
Still, much more needs to be done, particularly in response to
the COVID- pandemic. Hundreds of millions remain poor, climate change and disasters threaten
swathes of the region and even entire countries, food insecurity stalks millions, and many cities need
to drastically improve living conditions. Women have made greater economic, political, and social
strides than ever, yet they are still hobbled in ways that men are not.
Knowledge, innovation, and partnerships will sharpen ADB’s eorts to work with DMCs to meet these
challenges and achieve the four core targets of Strategy : accelerate progress in gender equality,
climate operations, private sector operations, and long-term cofinancing. While ADB continues to
finance solutions and catalyze finance for DMCs, it will increase the value of its operations by creating
and sharing knowledge to advance economic resilience and sustainability.
The following are Strategy ’s knowledge goals that inform the KMAP:
(i) Strengthen ADB as a proactive knowledge provider.
(ii) Fortify institutional capacity in DMCs.
(iii) Pilot test and scale innovative approaches and solutions.
(iv) Expand knowledge partnerships.
(v) Consolidate explicit knowledge and disseminate it through diverse channels and digital
technologies.
(vi) Improve the flow and capture of relevant tacit knowledge.
(vii) Give sta members incentives to conduct knowledge work and promote knowledge across
ADB, with sector and thematic groups leading the eorts.
Other knowledge provisions in Strategy  include
(i) encouraging knowledge sharing among upper-middle-income DMCs;
(ii) supporting public and private sector operations and providing advisory services and knowledge
support;
(iii) boosting knowledge sharing and collaboration between subregions; and
(iv) mobilizing financial resources for ADB trust funds and deploying them eciently for capacity
development, project preparation, and knowledge work.
a
 ADB. . Asian Development Outlook 2018 Update: Maintaining Stability amid Heightened Uncertainty.
Manila.
Source: ADB. . Strategy 2030: Achieving a Prosperous, Inclusive, Resilient, and Sustainable Asia and the
Pacific. Manila.
I.WHY A KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN?
3
B. ADB as a Knowledge Organization in Strategy 
Under Strategy , ADB provides a spectrum of finance and knowledge services and
partnerships, depending on the country context, the size of ADB operations in the country, and
the complexity of its portfolio. Knowledge management is key to understanding where ADB
can add the most value in a DMC to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. To stay
relevant as a leading and trusted knowledge provider in Asia and the Pacific, ADB must integrate
its knowledge work across sectors and themes and the public and private sectors, ease cross-
disciplinary problem-solving, and advance innovation. A single expertise, sector, or theme is
no longer adequate to provide eective knowledge solutions to development challenges. ADB
must understand complex systems and learn from regional and global best practices while
tailoring them to countries’ needs. Once the regional “family doctor,” ADB must now become
the regional “advisor” that supports DMCs with bespoke solutions on their long-term sustainable
development paths.
In its new role, ADB must not only supply predictable long-term financing and mobilize financial
resources for development and innovation but also provide high-quality policy advice and
institutional and capacity development (Box ).
The combination of finance, advice, and training
will help DMCs decide (i) what kind of development projects and programs are most relevant,
(ii) how they will be financed and designed, (iii) how they fit into a country partnership strategy
and a national development plan, and (iv) who needs to be involved in the work.
Box 2: Gender Equity in Development—Asia Women Leaders Program
Started in  as an Asian Development Bank signature initiative, the Asia Women Leaders Program
bridges significant gaps in women’s leadership capacity. The program targets senior women government
ocials in finance, planning, and infrastructure ministries who can influence their countries’ policies. The
program strengthens ocials’ knowledge, skills, networks, and confidence. Women leaders motivate
and mentor participants, sharing their experiences and insights, and top-level trainers teach techniques
to improve communication, negotiation, and alliance building. The program has trained more than a
hundred middle-management leaders and has been rolled out in several countries in collaboration with
national gender agencies and civil service academies. The program imparts leadership skills to the alumni
network virtually during the pandemic until in-person training can resume.
Source: Asian Development Bank.
Achieving the desired future requires transitions (i) from ADB as a knowledge bank (focusing
on “know what”) to a solution bank (focusing on “know how”), (ii) from a focus on the number
of knowledge products and services produced per department to measurement of the impact of
knowledge solutions applied to complex problems across DMCs, (iii) from collection and capture
of knowledge to co-creation and curating of knowledge solutions across ADB with partners and
ADB. . ADB through the Decades: ADB’s First Decade (1966–1976). Manila.
Middle- and upper-middle-income countries may request complex knowledge solutions and policy advice, while low-
income and fragile and conflict-aected countries may require more institutional and capacity development. However,
some middle-income countries continue to seek support for institutional development and some fragile and conflict-
aected countries benefit from policy advice.
ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN 
4
innovation through iterative processes, and (iv) from knowledge trapped in silos and repositories
to knowledge solutions flowing through networks. These transitions go hand in hand with ADB’s
progress toward optimizing eciency, quality, and value addition. Processes must be continuously
improved through quantitative and qualitative feedback and piloting and modeling of new ideas
and technologies.
ADB cannot rely on incremental change to transform the way it conducts business. The
Independent Evaluation Department’s  report on ADB’s knowledge solutions challenges
the very assumption of incremental change.
DMCs face a world vastly dierent than that of
, when ADB was established. ADB must substantially strengthen its ability to deliver
tailored knowledge solutions in addition to finance, invest in sta learning, bolster country
teams’ ability to lead policy dialogue, transform ADB’s culture, and reform systems and human
resource management. Such changes mean not only focusing on improving existing processes
and increasing eciency but also creating greater value for clients.
C. The COVID- Pandemic: From Crisis to Opportunity
The KMAP draws on ADB’s coronavirus disease (COVID-) response, which showcases how
ADB can respond to crises by leveraging collaboration, digitalization, and agility (Box ). Lessons
learned include the following:
(i) Digitalization.Sta members managed businessprocessesvirtually and digitally.
Teams in dierent timezones quickly embraced digital collaboration tools.
(ii) Collaboration. The pressure to deliver made sta members practical, more
collaborative, open-minded, and ultimately eective.
(iii) Agility and responsiveness.COVID- highlighted how connected development
challenges are and how ADBneeds to align bank-wide initiatives and mobilize and
expedite expertise across sectors and themes.
(iv) Management. Management style became more inclusive, team-driven, inquisitive,
and open torisk.
(v) Culture change.Hierarchieswere flattened, meetingsbecame more inclusive, and
expertise was sourced from across the bank. Sta members worked in large teams to
directly applytheirtacitknowledge to project designand policy dialogue with DMCs.
(vi) Remaining challenges.It was dicult to locate needed expertise across the bank,
foster debateand discourse, and create space for collaborationbeyond working on
ADB documents.Management relied on the personal dedication of sta members,
who were themselves aected by thecrisis and delivered above and beyond their
regular annual workplan. Such extraordinary eorts are not sustainable in the long
run. Managers must consider how to balance workloads and cultivate a culture
of collaboration.
K. Dalkir. . Knowledge Management in Theory and Practice. Second edition. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
ADB. . Knowledge Solutions for Development: An Evaluation of ADB’s Readiness for Strategy 2030. Manila.
I.WHY A KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN?
5
Box 3: How the COVID-19 Pandemic Transformed
the Asian Development Bank
The coronavirus disease (COVID-) pandemic is a threat to Asian Development Bank (ADB) member
countries, sta, and operations. Within days, ADB had to move its entire business processes to the virtual
space, manage teams across continents and time zones, funnel tacit knowledge across sectors and
themes into projects and programs, and deliver services rapidly to clients. The crisis increased the sharing
and capture of tacit knowledge in blogs, webinars, and meetings.
In , besides quickly providing a large resource envelope via the Comprehensive Response to
COVID-,
a
ADB released more than , COVID-–related knowledge products and services and
knowledge dissemination support in various formats: blogs, awareness-raising materials, webinar series
such as the Policy Actions for COVID- Economic Recovery Dialogues, Asia Impact, the Insight ADB
series, videos, and other multimedia formats supported policy dialogues and knowledge sharing on how
to manage the crisis. A key message was that mitigating the crisis requires greater (i) regional cooperation;
(ii) social safety nets, transfer programs, and gender equity; and (iii) fiscal stimulus and green infrastructure
investment, including through public–private partnerships.
Teams need to continue collaborating—with each other internally and with external partners—on
assessments, analyses, and problem solving. The COVID- pandemic is not the result of a virus alone. It
is the consequence of well-known deficiencies across multiple systems and issues, including health and
gender. The crisis highlighted the need for a moral framework for development and knowledge work: what
investments, policies, and plans to prioritize; who should benefit; who pays; and what the intergenerational
impact is of each intervention. Understanding these relationships and complexities requires leadership,
values, foresight, mindfulness, experience, and technical skills. ADB’s knowledge workers of tomorrow
apply more than theoretical and analytical knowledge. They solve complex problems in creative and
innovative ways to improve lives in Asia and the Pacific.
a
  In March , ADB announced a . billion initial package to tackle the immediate needs of its
developing member countries. ADB. . ADB’s Comprehensive Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Manila. See also COVID- (Coronavirus): ADB’s Response.
Sources: ADB website; ADB blogs; and ADB. . Navigating COVID-19 in Asia and the Pacific. Manila.
6
II. KNOWLEDGE
GAP ANALYSIS
A. Organizational Constraints on Strengthening Knowledge
While ADB has made great strides in embracing advancements in knowledge management,
analyses carried out over the years have documented constraints and gaps in ADB’s knowledge
work and culture of knowledge sharing and collaboration across the bank and with DMCs.
5
A shortcoming of past knowledge management initiatives is that good practices have not been
highlighted or shared suciently so that they become the standard. ADB needs to move to the
next phase of maturity, which involves, among other things, better ADB-wide knowledge sharing
and organizational learning. ADB still faces the following challenges:
(i) Cultural gaps. ADB’s organizational culture generally does not value knowledge
work as much as lending, leading toa great deal of, but not always strategic and
high-quality,knowledge work. Small technical assistance projects, which can greatly
influence policy, are valued less than large loans in sta performance reviews and
career progression. ADB’s culture does not suciently nurture discussion, debate, and
dialogue, and does not enable fast learning from failures and successes across teams.
(ii) Structural gaps. Organizational silos and competing resource envelopes inhibit
eective and purpose-driven coordination of lending and knowledge work to meet
Strategy 2030’s objectives. The structural separation of knowledge-intensive,
administrative, and operations departments creates an artificial rift between operations
and knowledge work.
5
The more prominent analyses highlighting the constraints include (i) ADB. 2012. Special Evaluation Study on Knowledge
Products and Services: Building a Stronger Knowledge Institution. Manila; (ii) ADB. 2013. Knowledge Management Directions
and Action Plan (2013–2015): Supporting “Finance++” at the Asian Development Bank. Manila; (iii) ADB. 2020. Knowledge
Solutions for Development: An Evaluation of ADB’s Readiness for Strategy 2030. IED Thematic Evaluation Study. Manila;
(iv) ADB. 2017. Lessons from Country Partnership Evaluation: A Retrospective. Manila; (v) ADB. 2017. Knowledge, Finance, and
the Quality of Growth: An Evaluative Perspective on Strategy 2030. Manila; (vi) ADB. 2014. Corporate Evaluation Study: Role of
Technical Assistance in ADB Operations. Manila; and (vii) ADB. 2020. Review of ADB’s Resident Mission Operations. Manila.
Discussions that have increased the understanding of constraints—and ways to overcome them—include the Board
Management retreat of 2018, the Oce of the Vice-President for Knowledge Management and Sustainable Development
retreats of 2018–2020, the 2018 Knowledge Forum, and the informal Board seminar of September 2020 and the
deep-dive session with the Board in October 2020 on the proposed KMAP. Finally, the Roundtable Discussion on
Knowledge Management for Development in early December 2020, which brought together leading academicians and
practitioners (including from the private sector), yielded valuable insights on the state of play in knowledge management
governance and management, in theory and in practice.
II.KNOWLEDGE GAP ANALYSIS
7
(iii) Institutional and/or procedural gaps. ADB builds on decades of knowledge
management frameworks and has demonstrated eective knowledge management in
theory and practice.
ADB has dedicated knowledge management functions but still
needs to tackle the following:
(a) lack of clear incentive structures for knowledge work;
(b) more reliance on lending and transactions in DMC portfolios and less on knowledge;
(c) scarce resources for knowledge work in middle-income countries;
(d) limited long-term capacity development and institution building in low-income
countries and fragile and conflict-aected situations;
(e) excessive outsourcing of knowledge work (largely through overreliance on consultants);
(f) lack of rigorous peer review of knowledge work;
(g) varying levels and quality of knowledge management tool applications;
(h) uneven resident mission capacity to inform and manage knowledge work;
(i) a static country knowledge plan exercise that does not dynamically respond to the
changing needs of DMCs; and
(j) weak knowledge-coding measures in repositories, databases, and client
management registries, which have not maximized knowledge work across the
bank or enabled strong and eective knowledge partnerships.
(iv) Lack of focus on results. ADB has not suciently emphasized reporting on and
measuring knowledge solutions and their impact in DMCs.
(v) Lack of maturity in data management. ADB still relies on huge manual eorts to
access, validate, and reconcile data to support operations and respond to requests
within ADB and from partners and clients. Data integration and data management must
be automated and upgraded.
B. Theory of Change
At the core of the KMAP is a Theory of Change that explains how to bridge knowledge
management gaps so that ADB can become a leading and trusted provider of knowledge solutions,
and contribute to better-informed policies, innovative programs and projects, and operations
in DMCs (Figure ).
The KMAP’s Theory of Change identifies the following assumption and
expected result: DMCs have to ensure that their development includes low-carbon growth,
climate resilience, environmental consciousness, human capital development, gender equity, and
socioeconomic recovery from the COVID- pandemic. Knowledge solutions and lessons from
other countries and from decades of project implementation are needed to achieve the triple
bottom line of developing human capital, mitigating climate change, and advancing sustainable
economic development. The Theory of Change includes three pillars or outputs:
(i) People and culture incentivized to create and promote knowledge solutions. To build
a culture of collaboration, allowing the free flow of ideas and appreciating sta members
as knowledge workers, ADB (a) implements a values-based culture transformation
initiative aligned with knowledge management; (b) recruits sta members with the
O. Serrat. . Knowledge Solutions: Tools, Methods, and Approaches to Drive Development Forward and Enhance Its Eects.
Manila: ADB; O. Serrat. . Notions of Knowledge Management. Knowledge Solutions. . Manila: ADB; and O. Serrat.
. Knowledge Solutions: Tools, Methods, and Approaches to Drive Organizational Performance. ADB and Springer.
See Appendix  for examples of knowledge management tools.
Drawn from ISO  (Knowledge Management Systems—Requirements), particularly on knowledge management
enablers (human capital, processes, technology and infrastructure, governance, and knowledge management culture).
ASIAn deVeloPMenT BAnK Knowledge MAnAgeMenT ACTIon PlAn 2021–2025
8
knowledge management competencies for their jobs and improves talent management
and sta learning; and (c) puts in place an innovation framework to enable sta members
to learn from “what works and what does not” and to test new ideas.
9
(ii) Processes and systems streamlined for client-oriented knowledge creation, flow, and
use. To deepen the understanding of clients’ knowledge needs, provide channels that allow
agile collaboration, and strengthen measures to deliver quality knowledge solutions, ADB
(a) strengthens country knowledge programming; (b) establishes a closely connected
enterprise knowledge network where information on sector and thematic work and new
initiatives, among others, can be accessed and augmented; and (c) produces relevant and
quality knowledge products and services that result in eective knowledge solutions.
(iii) Relationships built and nurtured across departments within ADB and with knowledge
partners in developing member countries and beyond. To encourage sharing, piloting,
and scaling up of innovative ideas, ADB (a) leverages stronger and more strategic
knowledge partnerships to deliver knowledge solutions to clients; (b) updates the
capacity of resident mission teams and their leadership to ensure solutions are provided
for delivering the best results with available resources; (c) institutes the “One ADB”
approach by clarifying and confirming the roles of all team members (e.g., country
directors and resident missions, sector directors and divisions, sector and thematic
groups, the Economic Research and Regional Cooperation Department, among others) in
client relationships; and (d) nurtures relationships with international financial institutions
and other intergovernmental organizations on knowledge management.
9
The proposed ADB innovation framework strengthens the drivers of innovation and advances ADB’s ability to identify,
support, test, and scale innovation. The 2020 Innovation Fair showcased innovative knowledge solutions and approaches.
ADB. 2020. Faces of Innovation. Manila.
Figure 1: Theory of Change
Improved development results in Asia and the Pacific
ADB recognized as leading and trusted
regional knowledge organization
Better-informed policies, programs,
projects, and operations in DMCs
Increased requests from DMCs and knowledge partners to ADB to help them solve development challenges
DMC-tailored knowledge solutions channeled through projects, technical assistance,
policy dialogues, research papers, workshops and events, ADB digital platforms and social media,
and interactions with knowledge partners
Improved institutional culture
for incentivizing, creating, and
promoting knowledge solutions
Enhanced ADB processes and systems
for client-oriented knowledge creation,
flow, and utilization
Strengthened ADB knowledge
partnerships and relationships
Key action
areas
Long-term
result
Immediate
result
Measuring results
3
actions
10 sub-actions
3
actions
10 sub-actions
4
actions
4 sub-actions
Assumption
Processes
and systems
Relationships
People
and culture
ADB = Asian Development Bank, DMC = developing member country.
Source: Asian Development Bank.
II.KNOWLEDGE GAP ANALYSIS
9
ADB and DMCs will increasingly tailor knowledge solutions through policy dialogue, research
work, projects, technical assistance support, knowledge events, ADB digital platforms and social
media, and interactions with knowledge partners. By doing so, DMCs and knowledge partners will
increasingly request ADB to help solve their development challenges.
C. Tackling the Constraints on
Eective Knowledge Management
ADB must achieve the following to move from counting knowledge products and services to
providing knowledge solutions that clients need:

(i) Related to people and culture. Optimize the contribution and learning of sta
members, consultants, and partners to benefit the bank. ADB must consider how it
should develop the capacity of sta members, create a culture that values knowledge
management and lifelong learning, and ensure that sta members are incentivized
and recognized regionally and globally as experts. ADB should expedite the exchange
of knowledge among not only sta members but also consultants; build an expertise
locator, with sta member and consultant profiles; forge partnerships with clear
outcomes; and borrow knowledge judiciously from think tanks and universities.
(ii) Related to processes and systems.
(a) Increase the relevance and quality of knowledge in the knowledge management
cycle (Appendix ). ADB is good at capturing and, to some extent, storing
knowledge in reports. However, it must improve how knowledge is reused and
how quality is ensured, and pay more attention to knowledge dissemination,
application, and transfer and to learning in the context of country portfolios.
ADB must integrate knowledge activities into lending and across silos and
recognize everyone in ADB as a knowledge worker.
(b) Strengthen country teams and build resident missions’ knowledge management
capacity. ADB should improve upstream analysis and assessment and better
coordinate country diagnostic work within ADB and with country partners.

(iii) Related to relationships. Break down knowledge silos to connect people and increase
collaboration.Knowledge is not created in a vacuum but through partnerships and
networks, both internal and external. ADB must stress knowledge and functions, not
hierarchies or silos; ease and foster knowledge collaboration between knowledge and
operations departments; and encourage interconnected, self-organized communities
and sharing of knowledge between internal groups, including the ADB Institute, and
external resources and partners.

Knowledge management means generating, capturing, and disseminating knowledge; applying lessons learned
(e.g., opening new business lines based on what has been learned); and engaging externally, collaborating extensively,
and upscaling learning.

ADB is improving, on a pilot basis, its country knowledge programming as part of the country partnership strategy in
the Philippines and has incorporated lessons learned into the KMAP. The lessons include the need to focus the country
knowledge programming exercise on (i) identifying a DMC’s knowledge needs and gaps, (ii) discussing which knowledge
gaps ADB can help fill and what kind of knowledge services it can oer, (iii) emphasizing a “One ADB” approach to
promoting knowledge, (iv) preparing a knowledge dissemination plan, and (v) synchronizing the work of the -year rolling
country operations business plan with a similar period for knowledge products and services.
ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN 
10
These issues point to the need for a KMAP that (i) is based on principles and is forward-looking,
(ii) serves as a platform to build synergies for parallel reform eorts,

and (iii) guides action to
achieve Strategy ’s objectives. Reflecting the strategy’s priorities, the KMAP will build on,
expand, and reinforce existing good practices, and apply lessons learned on how knowledge
management tools are used to drive climate operations (Box ), expand private sector engagement
(Box ), and mobilize long-term cofinancing with knowledge (Box ). All these areas are among
the key priorities of Strategy .
Box 4: Knowledge to Drive Climate Operations—Indonesia
In their nationally determined contributions (NDCs), countries have outlined their commitments to
achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement, including greenhouse gas reduction targets and actions for
adaptation. However, current collective commitments are insucient to meet the Paris Agreement’s
goal of limiting global temperature rise to well below  degrees Celsius. All countries need to exert
substantial and long-term eorts to raise their NDCs. To support its developing member countries
(DMCs), Asian Development Bank (ADB) establishedNDC Advance, a technical assistance platform
that helps them mobilize finance and build capacity to achieve their NDCs. Using the platform,
DMCs can translate their NDCs into climate investment plans and identify priority climate projects;
access innovative financing; and develop methods and tools to measure, monitor, and report on NDC
commitments. NDC Advance is part of Supporting the Implementation of ADB’s Climate Change
Operational Framework –. ADB is active in theNDC Partnership, working closely with other
development partners.
In , NDC Advance financed a consultant posted to ADB’s Indonesia Resident Mission to help
integrate climate and disaster considerations into thecountrypartnership strategy, –,and
identify potential investments aligned with Indonesia’s NDC. NDC Advance support deepened the
country team’s understanding of how to tackle climate change, build climate and disaster resilience,
and increase environmental sustainability as provided in Strategy . The support was instrumental
to developing the country partnership strategy to strengthen resilience, focusing on climate change
and the environment. The assistance enabled on-demand expertise to expedite engaging with
the government and development partners. Indonesia’s experience shows that providing targeted
in-country support can lead to more ambitious climate operations in country partnership strategies.
Source: Asian Development Bank.

Many innovation reforms and initiatives are ongoing in ADB and intricately linked with the knowledge agenda. They can
be viewed from the perspective of the KMAP’s three pillars: (i) people and culture: a culture transformation initiative,
revamped leadership programs, a talent management program, the establishment of the innovation framework, and a
better-targeted learning strategy; (ii) processes and systems: the review of technical assistance operations, the execution
of the digital agenda (including digitalization of sovereign operations and the digital workplace), the review of the country
partnership strategy reform, and the review of ADB’s resident mission operations and the related action plan; and
(iii) relationships: the review of ADB’s approach to knowledge partnerships and the framework for better engagement
with upper-middle-income countries.
II.KNOWLEDGE GAP ANALYSIS
11
Box 5: Knowledge to Expand Private Sector Operations—Georgia
Until , the Asian Development Bank (ADB) nonsovereign portfolio and pipeline in Georgia was
limited. Private sector players had little awareness of ADB and limited access to private sector experts
from ADB headquarters. As a result, ADB faced competition from other development finance
institutions. ADB sovereign and nonsovereign operations had not yet been integrated.
ADB posted an expert to the Georgia Resident Mission to help the country team deepen its
understanding of national relationships and dynamics, strengthen relationships with clients, and create
new networks with partners. Collaboration became more seamless because of team interactions,
resulting in faster identification of nonsovereign opportunities and creation of joint projects and
initiatives between sovereign and nonsovereign operations. The joint gender mainstreaming workshop
series, for example, which has held three in-person and online sessions since , helped ADB
raise awareness of and interest in the bank’s growing focus on gender-related projects. The series
strengthened the network of nonsovereign clients and positioned the bank as a “finance  knowledge
provider” that promotes gender balance and diversity in the C-suite.
Supported by strategic knowledge work, ADB’s nonsovereign portfolio has consolidated through
innovative and landmark transactions, including (i) the first green bond from Georgia and the South
Caucasus, (ii) the first Private Sector Operations Department health-care project in Central and West
Asia, (iii) technical assistance to explore the potential of geothermal resources in the country, and
(iv) loans to financial institutions that support small and medium-sized enterprises.
Source: Asian Development Bank.
Box 6: Knowledge to Mobilize Cofinancing for Community Resilience—
Southeast Asia
Scaling up community investments in resilience to climate and disaster risk was a priority of
the Integrated Disaster Risk Management Fund, administered by the Asian Development Bank
(ADB) and financed by the Government of Canada.
a
Taking a multipronged approach, the fund
supported national governments, such as that of Myanmar, where theMyanmar National Framework
for Community Disaster Resilience identified opportunities to intensify investments through
poverty reduction policies and programs.
b
The multi-stakeholder framework anchored the ADB-
financedResilient Community Development Project,approved in .
c
Recognizing that investments need to be driven by communities in partnership with local
governments, the fund supported four pilots in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Viet Nam. Three of the
pilots were implemented by grassroots women’s organizations and captured the tacit knowledge of
local communities on strengthening resilience. More importantly, the pilots allowed ADB to partner
with the Huairou Commission, a global coalition of grassroots women’s organizations working in
 countries.
d
The fourth pilot worked with a microfinance institution to study the feasibility of
adisaster-resilient microfinance product, which could be scaled up by ADB investments.
e
continued on next page
ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN 
12
The lessons learned from the pilots were documented and shared with stakeholders, including
developing member country agencies and donors.
f
Knowledge from the pilots was captured in
technical guidelines on boosting resilience throughsocial protection programs,
g
community-driven
development programs,
h
and women-focused investments,
i
thereby strengthening ADB’s climate
actions in social development and gender projects.
The knowledge work recognized the importance of ADB engaging in emerging global topics such
as the devolution of climate finance to build local resilience, which led to ADB working closely with
theInternational Institute for Environment and Development, a leading global climate resilience think
tank.
j
The community resilience–related outputs of the Integrated Disaster Risk Management Fund
demonstrated the vast need to help countries in Asia and the Pacific escalate community resilience
investments. The coronavirus disease pandemic has highlighted why countries are vulnerable and
why local resilience must be reinforced.
a
 ADB. Integrated Disaster Risk Management Fund. Manila.
b
  PreventionWeb. Myanmar National Framework for Community Disaster Resilience: Promoting People-
centered, Inclusive, and Sustainable Local Development.
c
 ADB. Myanmar: Resilient Community Development Project. Manila.
d
 Huairou Commission. Grassroots Women at the Frontline of COVID19.
e
  ADB. . Disaster-Resilient Microfinance: Learning from Communities Aected by Typhoon Haiyan.
Manila.
f
  ADB. . Accelerating Sustainable Development: Investing in Community-led Strategies for Climate and
Disaster Resilience. Manila.
g
 ADB. . Strengthening Resilience through Social Protection Programs: Guidance Note. Manila.
h
  ADB. . Scaling Up Resilience-Building Measures through Community-Driven Development Projects:
Guidance Note. Manila.
I
 ADB. . Enhancing Women-Focused Investments in Climate and Disaster Resilience. Manila.
j
 International Institute for Environment and Development.
Source: Asian Development Bank.
Box 6 continued
13
III. KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
ACTION PLAN 
A. Principles-Based Approach
The KMAP is based on the following principles:
(i) Dierentiated. Knowledge services across DMCs consider dierent needs.
(ii) Balanced. Demand and supply–driven, top-down and bottom-up knowledge services
are balanced.
(iii) Culture and learning driven. The KMAP recognizes the importance of organizational
culture and learning.
(iv) Technology enabled. Information technology is used eciently.

(v) Results focused. The results of knowledge work are measured (Appendix ).
The KMAP needs to take an iterative approach. The KMAP follows the latest knowledge
management research and recommendations, which suggest that knowledge management is
improved notby onebigaction or a silver bulletbut by many small actions, usually sta behavior,
which need to be nudged.Often, thesharingofgood practices creates experiences that change
behavior.The benefits from thesemany small actions materialize over time and not overnight.
B. Building on Experiences
The KMAP builds on nearly  decades of concerted knowledge management eorts in ADB.

The plan focuses on measurable indicators (drawing from the Corporate Results Framework)
for key results of a robust Theory of Change and incorporates Strategy ’s dierentiated

The digital agenda’s program on the digital workplace and connected data aims to establish data management standards
and processes. Along with platforms to support a centralized database, the digital agenda supports improved searchability
of corporate documents and records, enabled by the electronic document and records management system. The system
will provide records management features in SharePoint, easing the governance and retention of valuable corporate
records amid an increasing volume of documents (nearly  million as of ) and promoting the use of a corporate
metadata scheme to improve information retrieval.

Previous knowledge management action plans were (i) the  Knowledge Management Framework, which focused
on improving knowledge management systems and databases (ADB. . Knowledge Management in ADB. Manila);
(ii) the Knowledge Management Action Plan –, which reinforced communities of practice and coordination
between knowledge and operations departments (ADB. . Enhancing Knowledge Management under Strategy 2020:
Plan of Action 2009–2011. Manila); and (iii) the Knowledge Management Action Plan –, which guided ADB’s
Strategy  in, among others, establishing the operations cycle in DMCs as the basis for planning and applying
knowledge solutions, and fostering a culture of sharing knowledge (ADB. . Knowledge Management Directions and
Action Plan (2013–2015): Supporting “Finance ++” at the Asian Development Bank. Manila). The action plans responded
to the needs of their time, and as the world changed, knowledge management adapted.
ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN 
14
approach to engage with dierent DMCs in ways that meet their specific knowledge needs and
increase the focus on knowledge solutions (Appendix ).

Lessons from preparing earlier KMAPs and the analysis of ADB’s myriad processes for
operations and back-oce support point to the need for a stronger bank-wide harmonized
approach to managing knowledge.

As knowledge transcends the work of every sta member,
the KMAP cannot be prepared in isolation and should be synchronized with eorts directed at
people, processes, technology, and relationships—the key assets that define knowledge-driven
organizations and increase organizational maturity.

The KMAP benefits from the latest research on good knowledge management practices and
principles gleaned not only from the literature but also from global best practices (Box ).
Box 7: Good Knowledge Management Practices and Principles
(i) Knowledge is intangible and complex; it is created by people and resides with people.
(ii) The untapped potential of knowledge must be harnessed to deepen the value of services to
developing member countries.
(iii) The focus of knowledge management must be sharpened to clarify organizational objectives,
strategies, and needs.
(iv) Agile knowledge management practices must be adopted that are customized and context
specific; no single knowledge management solution fits all organizations.
(v) Knowledge management needs to enable shared understanding and requires interaction
between people and empathy for their viewpoints, using content, processes, and technologies
(Appendix  provides an overview of knowledge tools).
(vi) Knowledge is not managed directly. By managing the working environment, one nurtures the
knowledge lifecycle.
(vii) Culture is critical for eective knowledge management.
(viii) Knowledge management should be iterative, incorporating learning and feedback cycles,
and support innovation.
Note: Knowledge management practices and principles that merit consideration can be seen in the
knowledge management initiatives of other multilateral development banks and development partners,
including (i) the African Development Bank’s Knowledge Management Strategy, –;
(ii) the World Bank’s Knowledge Management Action Plan, –; and (iii) the International Fund
for Agricultural Development’s Knowledge Management Framework, –. The Roundtable
Discussion on Knowledge Management for Development, held on  December , brought together
experts from academia and the private sector to share experiences and research. The experts confirmed that
the Knowledge Management Action Plan is a comprehensive approach cognizant of the latest research.
Sources: ARK Group. . A Guide to Global Best Practice and Standards in KM; ISO :(en)
Knowledge Management Systems—Requirements; APQC. . Knowledge Management at Arup Group
Limited: Case Study; and C. Collison, P. Corney, and P. Lee Eng. . The KM Cookbook: Stories and Strategies
for Organizations Exploring Knowledge Management Standard ISO 30401. London: Facet Publishing.

ADB. . Measuring, Reporting and Recognizing Knowledge Products and Services and Knowledge Solutions.
Memorandum.  October (internal). Addendum. Each department submits knowledge solutions, which are evaluated
using defined criteria before being presented at the annual operations review meeting. The initiativewas thefirst
ADB-wide exercise to measureandreport howADBknowledge helped solve DMCs’development problems.

A substantive range of analytical work feeds into the KMAP. The drafters relied, among others, on the review of various
initiatives ongoing at ADB (for example, resident mission operations, the innovation framework, the country partnership
strategy, and technical assistance) and of actions implemented under KMAP, –. See footnote  for citations of
other relevant analytical work.

K. Dalkir. . Knowledge Management in Theory and Practice. Burlington, MA: Elsevier.
III.KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN 
15
C. Proposed Actions in the Knowledge Management
Action Plan
The KMAP brings synergies across bank initiatives and reforms and focuses on culture change,
more responsive client services, and better use of networks (Appendix ). The three pillars include
specific corporate activities, which need to be tailored to each department.
Pillar 1: Invest in people and culture. The actions supporting this pillar are aligned withADB’s
values-based culture transformationinitiativeprogramand build on the review of ADB’s culture.
ADB’s core values will anchor the KMAP and various bank-wide culture change initiatives
to embrace collaboration and knowledge promotion, among others. Culture change will help
promote the understanding that each sta member is a knowledge worker.
ADB needs to recruit sta members with the relevant knowledge management competencies for
their jobs. ADB’s competency framework must include knowledge management competencies
and behaviors. Recruitment and performance review should strengthen the assessment of
knowledge management capabilities, including collaboration, agility, and a desire for lifelong
learning.
A knowledge culture is supported by excellent talent management and sta learning, which require
a corporate learning platform and a principles-based learning strategy so that sta members can
access all types of relevant learning programs easily and monitor their impact on performance and
sta development. Sta learning will improve with the development of curated learning programs
and well-managed on-the-job learning for specific job families and functions (for example, for
country directors), including digital skills, and for managers to better support sta members’
eorts to develop and promote lifelong learning. Equally important is the improvement of an
expertise locator to easily identify expertise, networks, and communities across the bank.
An important part of culture change is embracing a common understanding of innovation,
fostering a less risk-averse approach to doing things, and learning from mistakes.

The KMAP will
link with the ADB innovation framework and support its implementation.

Pillar 2: Improve processes and systems. Actions supporting this pillar will promote Strategy
’s country-dierentiated approach and strengthen ADB’s capacity to deliver tailored
knowledge solutions to clients. Providing knowledge products and services to and with clients
requires deep understanding of countries’ knowledge needs and capacity, and the mapping of
collaboration opportunities to create, apply, and transfer knowledge.
Better processes are needed to strengthen country knowledge programming. Resident missions
are ADB’s primary channels for engaging with DMCs, and country programming is the main
interface for engagement. ADB needs to refine the country knowledge programming process
(Box ) and strengthen all country teams

by training sta members and/or repurposing vacant

Greater innovation and eciency are demonstrable results of good knowledge management practices.

The draft innovation framework includes (i) investing in culture change; (ii) investing in sta members’ and DMC
counterparts’ innovation skills;(iii) developing business processes for innovative projects and initiatives;(iv) forging new
partnerships, especially with innovation leaders in industry, academia, and DMCs;and (v) measuring ADB’s innovation
capabilities and outputs.

A country team is composed of sta members at a resident mission and sta members at headquarters or at other oces
in the country.
ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN 
16
sta positions.

Resident missions must have a stronger role in vetting the knowledge programs
developed by the regional and other departments and support peer-to-peer learning between
DMCs. The review of ADB’s resident mission operations provides concrete actions that link with
the KMAP (Appendix , see footnotes).

Box 8: Better Country Knowledge Programming,
Sounder Country Partnership Strategies
Strategy  calls for strengthening the country-focused approach and promoting knowledge
management in Asian Development Bank (ADB) operations. By refining the country knowledge
program as part of the country partnership strategy, ADB seeks to provide developing member
countries (DMCs) with demand-responsiveknowledge solutions.
The country knowledge program is the backbone of the country partnership strategy. After an
assessment of the country’s knowledge needs during the strategy period,the program details how
ADB will meet current and future knowledge needs through a set of results and outcomes, in keeping
with country and ADB priorities.
Departing from the traditional menu of knowledge products, services, and solutions, the updated
country knowledge program introduces a dynamic mechanism for delivering demand-driven
knowledge. The program aligns all of ADB’s knowledge work with client services. ADB consultations with
governmentsensure that the knowledgeoptionsoered are coordinated, collaborative, and demand
responsive.
The knowledge outcomescan be classifiedinto three:
(i) increased awareness and evidence-based information, including flagship products, technical
studies, working papers, and communication support for policy dialogue;
(ii) better program and project delivery, including policy support, sector technical assistance,
project feasibility studies, guidance notes and toolkits, and case study and innovation notes on
project and program design and implementation; and
(iii) improved capacity and skills, including knowledge partnerships and collaborations, trainings,
workshops and conferences, study trips, expert visits, and knowledge exchanges to build long-
term capacity and strengthen institutions.
Once a DMC’s knowledge needs are classified, ADB can plan for strategic impact and understand
its own comparative advantage. The objective is to provide strategic, long-term, and just-in-time
knowledge and to strengthen links with the lending portfolio. A dynamic country knowledge program’s
outcomes make it easier to monitor progress during the country partnership strategy period and
through the annual country operations business plan, where individual knowledge products and
services can be listed for each outcome.As of February , Mongolia, the Philippines, and VietNam
had adopted this approach.
Source: Asian Development Bank.

The Strategy, Policy and Partnerships Department (SPD)–led country partnership strategy review paper recommends ways
to strengthen country knowledge programming. ADB. . Country Partnership Strategy and Results Framework Review.
Manila.

ADB. . Review of ADB’s Resident Mission Operations. Manila, provides a -year action plan. The KMAP is aligned with it.
III.KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN 
17
Silos continue to limit cross-department collaboration and learning. The digital agenda can partly
solve the problem. ADB stands to gain from maximizing the benefits of advanced technology
to make collaboration more widespread and agile; better manage (dispose, retain, and archive)
records with business value; and deliver and apply knowledge in real time.

ADB can benefit
from creating a connected enterprise knowledge network from which sta members can access
information about all aspects of ADB operations, particularly the work in DMCs. Access can be
improved by, for example, (i) leveraging existing knowledge management platforms (such as
k-Nexus), and (ii) strengthening the role of sector and thematic groups to expand knowledge
networks—virtual and physical—to ensure that knowledge is harvested and curated using
the appropriate platforms and digital tools. In a time of information and knowledge overload,
knowledge must be curated and filtered and made available to sta members and clients by using
technology and the skills of the sector and thematic groups and other expert communities.
To tailor knowledge solutions to client needs, ADB seeks to strengthen knowledge management
processes to guide teams in identifying relevant and quality knowledge products and services,
and to allow sucient time to transfer tacit knowledge through learning, debriefing knowledge
holders, and codifying the knowledge.

Departments’ knowledge management functions need
to be carried out by dedicated teams and explicit functions within teams, which will be formed
by training existing sta members and/or repurposing vacant positions. The teams serve as
knowledge brokers, connectors, knowledge journalists who document tacit knowledge from
teams, relationship managers, silo breakers, role models, and change makers. The development
of sector and thematic learning programs and country knowledge exchange should be better
coordinated through after-action reviews, case study discussions, and improved peer review,
among others.
Pillar 3: Strengthen relationships. A strong knowledge network is key to ensuring that the bank
taps the knowledge of its sta members (all of whom are knowledge workers in their own right)
and external partners to collaborate on solutions that are timely, relevant, and sustainable. ADB’s
substantial reliance on consultants means it needs to better utilize, leverage, and codify knowledge
and ensure that they are included in ADB’s knowledge management business processes.
To ensure that it strengthens and diversifies its country, regional, and global partnerships,
ADB must create clear accountability and improve processes to co-create relevant and timely
knowledge solutions with knowledge partners. ADB will thereby cement the importance of
engaging in and creating strategic and ecient knowledge partnerships. Think tanks are important
in informing policy analysis. ADB will design and adopt flexible models to establish results-
oriented partnerships across various institutions within and outside DMCs, including civil society
organizations, and the private sector (Box ).
The resident missions have a comparative advantage in building enduring relationships with
key DMC stakeholders and should lead in building strong local knowledge networks. Resident
missions proactively engage with civil society, academia, and the private sector, particularly to
prepare country partnership strategies. Resident missions need better processes for identifying
the best partners, streamlining cumbersome procedures, and maximizing relationships.

ADB. . Information Classification. Administrative Orders. AO .. Manila.

The socialization, externalization, combination, and internalization model of IkujiroNonaka, further refined
byHirotakaTakeuchi, describes the cycle of tacit and explicit knowledge flow and capture. I. Nonaka and H. Takeuchi.
. The Knowledge-Creating Company: How Japanese Companies Create the Dynamics of Innovation. Oxford: Oxford
University Press.
ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN 
18
Box 9: Leveraging Knowledge Partnerships
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has forged many knowledge partnerships. Until recently,
however, no unified database provided an overview of all partnerships, their strategic intent, and
their impact. In , ADB set up the Knowledge Partnership Database—the Toolbox—asa one-
stop shop where sta members can easily find ADB’s knowledge partners. The Toolbox also
providestemplates and guides to make building of partnershipsseamless and easy. Since its roll-out,
communicationbetween knowledge partnershas increased as has the sharing of compelling storiesof
collaboration with external partners. It is designed tosystemize ADB’s approach to building strategic
partnerships and to expand knowledge networks.
Source: Asian Development Bank.
To expand field expertise and strengthen the capacity of frontline sta members to deliver
knowledge solutions, ADB must rethink the range of skills needed to enable country teams
and resident missions to build and manage relationships. Drawing from the recommendations
and action plan of the review of ADB’s resident mission operations, knowledge management
in resident missions will include, among others, (i) sharpening their role as client and program
teams, (ii) focusing on deeper diagnostics to advance knowledge of the country context, and
(iii) refining the country focus of knowledge operations. These actions will allow ADB to
maintain its cutting-edge understanding of country issues; develop the best solutions to meet
development needs (including integrated solutions); and help strengthen relationships with the
private sector, academia, civil society, and other organizations. The KMAP will build on knowledge
management achievements, which showcase a structured approach to internal and external
capacity development, working closely with the ADB Institute’s capacity as an outstanding think
tank, capturing and sharing tacit knowledge, and transferring and applying knowledge (Box ).
Strengthening relationships between ADB functions and fostering a “One ADB” approach
requires agility, collaboration, and a concerted eort to mobilize responses to knowledge needs
from key players in the bank. ADB will review and reconfirm the roles of key actors (country
directors and resident missions, sector directors and sector divisions, sector and thematic groups,
among others) in responding holistically to clients, developing and managing portfolios, and
strengthening the new ADB client management system.
Nurturing relationships with international financial institutions and other intergovernmental
organizations on knowledge management will enable ADB to benefit from good practices on
managing knowledge through continuous learning. The organizations and ADB can partner on
knowledge initiatives. Building such a knowledge collaboration network will strengthen ADB’s
own focus on knowledge work.
III.KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN 
19
Box 10: Managing Knowledge Captured from Working with Civil Society
The NGO and Civil Society Center (NGOC) of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) helps project
ocers engage with civil society organizations (CSOs). In Uzbekistan, for example, NGOC helps
three projects—one each for agriculture and natural resources, transport, and water—involve local
organizations in project delivery. NGOC joins project and country teams across ADB to show how
CSOs can add value to projects and how ADB teams can build relationships with CSOs. NGOC
helps ADB sta members identify ADB resources for CSO engagement and pinpoint CSO and
youth partners.
NGOC brings the voices of civil society to ADB through brownbag speakers and training programs.
CSOs are a source of innovation, such as the Building Resources Across Communities (BRAC)–
designed graduation approach to poverty reduction, which ADB now incorporates into some of its
lending. NGOC’s annual training program, which reaches more than  sta members each year,
provides an opportunity for dialogue with civil society representatives and ADB management. The
civil society program of the annual meeting is a much larger platform that promotes CSO participation.
NGOC is building a resource center on its digital community site, which includes a wide range of
ADB publications on civil society engagement. They include civil society briefs; NGOC’s flagship
publication, which presents the civil society landscape in selected developing member countries;
guidance on participating in and working with CSOs; social media feeds highlighting good practice in
CSO engagement; Participation Tools for the Pacific; and a suite of three training courses on working
with CSOs, available to ADB sta members, CSOs, and government ocials.
NGOC continues to expand its knowledge repository. For example, it is discussing with the
Lao People’s Democratic Republic country team how it can host a database on CSOs.
Source: Asian Development Bank.
20
IV. IMPLEMENTATION
ARRANGEMENTS
AND MONITORING
As the KMAP has implications for everyone’s work in the organization, its implementation will be
the responsibility of all departments and oces (Figure ).
The KMAP’s proposed implementation arrangements have five primary features:
(i) Role of departments and their knowledge management focal points. Departments
are responsible for implementing the KMAP. A small group in each department should
be designated as focal point for knowledge management and will support and monitor
KMAP implementation. The group of knowledge focal points will be trained to advise
on knowledge management tools, best practices, communication, and eective
knowledge application and transfer. Each department will formulate its own road
map (Appendix ) and develop dierentiated approaches to execute the KMAP’s
principles and adapt the actions.

The group coordinating the action plan of the review
of ADB’s resident mission operations, led by the Strategy, Policy, and Partnerships
Department and the Budget, People, and Management Systems Department, will
support and monitor the KMAP resident mission–related actions. The Strategy 
implementation group will monitor and tackle related key implementation issues.
(ii) Role of the knowledge management group. The mandate of the existing knowledge
management group in departments under the Oce of the Vice-President for
Knowledge Management is proposed to be expanded.

The group will coordinate
KMAP implementation across the bank, serve as a clearinghouse to ensure synergies for
bank-wide reforms and initiatives, and report on best knowledge management practices
and on progress to senior management and the Oce of the President through the
Strategy  implementation group.

The Knowledge Advisory Services Center of the
Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department (SDCC-KC)

A model will develop and test examples of how to use knowledge management tools to benefit clients.

The group has consisted of senior sta members from the Department of Communications, the Economic Research and
Regional Cooperation Department, the Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department, and the Oce of the
Vice-President for Knowledge Management and Sustainable Development.

The group was established in December  to promote collaboration across departments, facilitate exchange of ideas
between dierent business lines on key strategic initiatives, and serve as a high-level platform for corporate change
management. The group consists of the heads of the operations departments; the Sustainable Development and Climate
Change Department; the Information Technology Department; the Procurement, Portfolio and Financial Management
Department; and the Budget, People, and Management Systems Department, and is led by the head of the Strategy, Policy
and Partnerships Department.
21
IMPleMenTATIon ARRAngeMenTS And MonIToRIng
Figure 2: Knowledge Management Action Plan
Implementation Arrangements and Reporting
Board of Directors
KMAP regular progress monitoring
KM in DEfR and WPBF
Senior management
(MCM, ORM, STGs workplan meetings)
Knowledge management focal points across the bank support department road maps
(all resident missions and departments
)
S2030 implementation group
(HOD level)
KMG reviews knowledge
solutions and KMAP
implementation progress
Coordination and model-building services
by SDCC-KC (in coordination with
STGs and knowledge focals)
Heads of departments
Reporting for DEfR and WPBF
(SPD)
DEfR updates
WPBF inputs and review
of KMAP resources
KMG includes
ERCD, SDCC,
DOC, operations
departments, SPD,
PPFD, OGC, ITD,
and ADBI
DOC = Department of Communications; DEfR = development eectiveness review; ERCD = Economic Research
and Regional Cooperation Department; HOD = head of department; ITD = Information Technology Department;
SDCC-KC = Knowledge Advisory Services Center, Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department;
KMAP = Knowledge Management Action Plan; KMG = knowledge management group; MCM = management committee
meeting; ORM = operations review meeting; PPFD = Procurement, Portfolio and Financial Management Department;
S2030 = Strategy 2030; SPD = Strategy, Policy and Partnerships Department; STGs = sector and thematic groups;
WPBF = work program and budget framework.
Source: Asian Development Bank.
will be the secretariat for the knowledge management group and coordinate with and
support entities across ADB that are implementing reforms and their KMAP road
maps. SDCC-KC will support country knowledge programming, lead new ways of
strengthening collaboration, improve strategic engagement with knowledge partners,
and feature knowledge management best practices and innovation to change behavior.
(iii) Work program and budget framework and development eectiveness review.
To keep transaction costs of implementing and monitoring the KMAP to a minimum,
existing reporting mechanisms will be used. Through the work program and budget
framework (WPBF), departments inform the Board of the scope of their operations and
quantitative and qualitative knowledge work.
28
Reporting on the progress in meeting
the Corporate Results Framework requirements as part of the annual development
eectiveness review (DEfR) will ensure that headway in attaining knowledge results is
28
The WPBF analyzes elements of knowledge work contained in, for example, technical assistance operations (new
commitments and number of knowledge and support technical assistance projects), department knowledge products,
knowledge solutions, stang requirements (including experts increasingly used to generate and share knowledge in key
sectors and thematic areas), and building of sector and thematic knowledge. The WPBF provides a comprehensive picture
of, among others, knowledge work as integral to ADB operations.
ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN 
22
communicated to the Board.

The mechanisms combine quantitative and qualitative
data from the client and sta surveys. Additional sta survey questions will be designed
to capture sta behavior and satisfaction related to knowledge management. The
KMAP includes a results framework composed of indicators from the Corporate Results
Framework and the client and sta surveys (Appendix ).
(iv) Results monitoring and action tracking. Part of DEfR reporting entails seeking DMCs’
feedback to measure the eect of ADB’s knowledge work and client satisfaction.
The reporting will draw upon the results of the biennial client survey (baseline
data are available as of  and will be available again in ). The Department
of Communications will continue to monitor dissemination of ADB’s published
knowledge work. The sta survey will monitor sta behavior and satisfaction. The
participation of knowledge partners and experts, including technical advisory groups,
in reviewing and giving feedback on the quality of key knowledge products and
services will be expanded.

The KMAP will be tracked annually, with status updates
provided for all ongoing actions. The impact of improved knowledge management is
increased eciency,quality,and innovation. Since ADB is a noncommercial entity, its
business volumeis not the onlyappropriate indicator.The KMAP will monitor how
ADB advances policy dialogue and whether projects help achieve the Sustainable
Development Goals in line with Strategy targets.
(v) Reporting to senior management. Sta members will regularly report on progress
and emerging issues in executing the KMAP at management committee meetings,
operational review meetings, and sector and thematic group workplan discussions, and
to the Strategy  implementation group.
KMAP implementation arrangements are designed to reduce departments’ reporting transaction
costs and to maximize reporting on (i) knowledge results in achievements and client satisfaction
(through the DEfR to the Board, with information channeled through existing means);
(ii) knowledge work that is part of the work program of departments and its alignment across
ADB with Strategy  (through the WPBF to the Board, using existing channels); and
(iii) knowledge solutions and reports on issues of KMAP implementation (via eorts of the
knowledge management group, with SDCC-KC secretariat services, and through reporting
mechanisms to senior management).
KMAP implementation is planned in three phases (Figure ): (i) phase one—align ADB’s
knowledge management eorts with the KMAP’s principles and action plan, (ii) phase —
customize approaches and improve good-practice models, and (ii) phase —mainstream these
practices and models across the bank. All three phases are underpinned by culture change, talent
management, and innovation.

ADB. . ADB Corporate Results Framework, 2019–2024. Manila. The framework has  knowledge indicators grouped
into four categories: knowledge delivered, used, and benefiting clients; and ADB’s readiness to become a better knowledge
organization. Of the  indicators,  are results framework indicators with baselines and targets, and  are tracking
indicators;  are harmonized with those of other multilateral development banks. The KMAP will provide additional
indicators to monitor progress in line with the Theory of Change. The Corporate Results Framework midterm review,
planned for , will provide an opportunity to adjust the framework’s knowledge indicators.

Several sector and thematic groups, such as the Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management Thematic Group, are
already identifying external reviewers for all knowledge products to ensure high quality and relevance.
23
A. Providing Resources
ISO  (section .., Resources) states that to provide resources to a knowledge
management system, four elements need to be considered: funding, workforce, technology, and
management commitment. To this list can be added an organizational culture that motivates
sta members to take on change management. Technology and management commitment are
dicult to quantify but crucial to understand how ADB can support the KMAP.

Knowledge

Well-defined methodologies to ascertain “management commitment” and “openness to change management” are
generally lacking. However, they are critical to understanding the amount of resources ADB needs to implement the
KMAP. Both elements have become increasingly visible in ADB in recent years, and their contribution to helping meet the
KMAP objectives should not be underestimated.
Figure 3: Knowledge Management Action Plan Implementation Phases
PHASE 1, 2021 PHASE 2, 2022–2023 PHASE 3, 2024–2025
ALIGN WITH
OVERALL PRINCIPLES
CUSTOMIZE
MAINSTREAM
•Define cultural elements,
values, and behavior that
advance collaboration and
knowledge sharing
•Create best-practice models
for KM behavior and culture
•Harmonize team cultures with
corporate KM priorities
•Build expert micro-networks •Assess sta performance,
talent management, career
progression based on KM
contribution to teams and
the organization
•Roll out a single interface to
access knowledge from and
add it to ADB's knowledge
platform
•Define business value of
knowledge work in each DMC
•Expand learning action plan
•Run projects through the
innovation hub and train sta
to use innovation tools
•Create positive experiences for
sta members and clients to
show the value of KM
•
Test dierentiated or
DMC-specific country
knowledge programming
approach
•Feature successful partnerships
and develop a system to manage
relationships with clients
and partners
•Communicate and market
ADB’s knowledge solutions
and their impact to all
stakeholders
•
Lead IFI KM community of
practice and share
organizations’ research
•Review the quality of
knowledge products
•Build integrated team models
•Test digital KM solutions
•Implement ADB-wide
learning strategy
•Include in the human capital
road map a learning platform
and an expertise locator
•Establish ADB innovation
hub model
•Develop recommendations for
ADB learning strategy
Expand knowledge
governance group
•
Redesign peer review process
•
Map and showcase KM best
practices in teams, develop
department KM road maps
•
Establish dynamic country
knowledge programming
process in 5 countries
•
Review and propose eective
partnership tools
•
Define One ADB roles and
KM responsibilities of
country teams
•
•Develop KM road maps with
departments, update terms of
reference of KM focals
KNOWLEDGE
SOLUTION
BANK
People
and culture
Processes
and systems
Relationships
Continuously advance culture change, talent management, innovation, resident mission reform
ADB  Asian Development Bank, DMC  developing member country, IFI  international financial institution, KM  knowledge
management, KMAP  Knowledge Management Action Plan.
Source: Asian Development Bank.
IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS AND MONITORING
ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN 
24
work and knowledge management are financed through sta time, administrative budget for sta
consultants, service providers, technical assistance resources, and loan and grant projects that
can fund capacity development and knowledge sharing and capture. The existing ADB experts
pool is a unique source of knowledge work and organizational learning. As knowledge work is
integral to all departments’ operations and covers all areas (sector and thematic), determining the
exact level of resources dedicated to knowledge work is not feasible. The closest proxies for such
calculations are the following:

(i) Total size of technical assistance for knowledge generation and sharing, innovation,
project preparation and implementation, and DMC capacity development. For example,
during the – WPBF, projected technical assistance commitments total
. billion (or an average of  million per year, in contrast to an average of actual
commitments of  million during the – WPBF).
(ii) Level of the Technical Assistance Special Fund, up from  million actual commitment in
– to a projected commitment of  million in –, of which  million
is allocated to upper-middle-income countries.

Some of these resources are earmarked for
strengthening departments’ coordination and focus of country knowledge work.
(iii) Other special funds (from  million in – to  million in –).

(iv) Trust funds (from  million in – to  million in –).

(v) Level of stang costs. The WPBF for – stipulates that “ADB’s eort to
oset future sta requirements will be achieved through productivity enhancements.”
These include, for example, (a) sharing sta resources across departments and
operations through short-term assignments, strategic sta placements, a mobility
framework, and pooled experts; and (b) making greater use of flexible position
management, adjusting job roles and grades, and redeploying existing sta positions
across departments. Provision of resources, therefore, need not be in the form of
nominal increases in sta size but opportunities to leverage networks.
The KMAP will use existing resource allocation processes strategically to seek additional resources:
(i) Many of the actions proposed in the KMAP will be cost neutral and require no or few
direct resources. The actions focus on eciency and quality improvements and rely on
sensible allocation decisions.
(ii) Proactive and flexible budget management provisions have made funds fungible such
that knowledge work can be financed by reallocating funds meant for the year’s budget.
For example, business travel allocations may be set aside for more sta consulting
expenses. Costs do not increase even if knowledge work does.
(iii) The review of ADB’s resident mission operations recommends better alignment of
knowledge technical assistance resources with DMCs’ knowledge needs and with the
lending portfolio.
(iv) The skills development program for sector and thematic groups allots about  million
annually for training programs for the  groups, to make better use of ADB case studies to
improve the flow, transfer, and capture of tacit knowledge and lessons learned.

ADB. . Work Program and Budget Framework, 2020–2022. Manila.

The Technical Assistance Special Fund supports, among others, knowledge sharing among DMCs and in areas where
countries have limited domestic expertise, such as advanced technology; emerging issues (e.g., aging population); and
public–private partnership legal frameworks.

Other special funds include the Japan Special Fund and the Financial Sector Development Partnership Special Fund.

Trust funds are used for investment projects and technical assistance for capacity development; project preparation, including
detailed design; and knowledge work. As of mid-, ADB had administered  trust funds, of which  were active.
25
(v) The sta development program, managed by the Budget, People, and Management
Systems Department (about  million a year), funds leadership development,
management skills, e-learning, personal growth, coaching, external learning programs,
membership in professional associations, and business skills.
(vi) The digital agenda sets funds aside for change management and skills development in
information technology use and includes the preparation of a human capital road map.
Prioritizing and phasing actions can inform options to provide resources to implement the KMAP
(Figure ).
B. Assessment
A midterm assessment of the KMAP is proposed in the first half of  to improve its
implementation. The assessment will be done in collaboration with departments that will be
represented in the expanded knowledge management group. The report will be presented to senior
management and for information to the Board with recommendations for additional measures
that may be required. A comprehensive stocktaking of examples of knowledge management
practices in ADB is ongoing and will guide all ADB teams. The stocktaking will continue and share
best practices. A final assessment of the KMAP implementation will be conducted in early 
to inform the next KMAP.
Figure 4: Providing Resources for the Knowledge Management Action Plan
No additional cost
Integral to existing
mandates and initiatives
Cost neutral
Eciency measures
that mobilize existing
budgets
Additional cost
One-time costs to
increase productivity
•Launch of culture
transformation initiative
•Human capital road map
•Implementation of
culture change
•Department KM road maps •Improved peer review and
KM as part of business
processes
•Bolstered KM capacity
with explicit functions in
country teams
•Strengthened KM capacity
with explicit functions
•Country knowledge programming
•Expansion of country teams
•Existing systems upgraded and
made interoperable
•Client relationship
management system
•Reinforced partnerships
•KM capacity development
People
and culture
Processes
and systems
Relationships
KM  knowledge management.
Source: Asian Development Bank.
IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS AND MONITORING
26
APPENDIXES
APPENDIX 1
Knowledge Management Cycle
Innovation
Double-loop learning
Key issues
Eciency
Reuse
Personalization
Curation
Quality Improvement
Storing
knowledge
Disseminating
knowledge
Applying
knowledge
Transferring
knowledge
Learning from
applying
knowledge
•Are we doing the right
thing in ADB
operations?
•Is knowledge capture and
search easy?
•Are we making knowledge available
when employees and clients need it?
•Are we capturing and sharing
knowledge that is valuable for
clients and ADB?
•Is the most relevant knowledge
captured and stored?
•Is knowledge reused?
•How can we improve the
quality of knowledge work?
•Can we do better?
•Curation
•Responsiveness
•Quality
•Learning
•Can our assumptions
be improved?
Creating and
capturing
knowledge
ADB  Asian Development Bank.
Source: Adapted from K. Dalkir. . Knowledge Management in Theory and Practice. Second edition. Cambridge,
MA: MIT Press.
APPENDIXES
27
APPENDIX 2
Knowledge Management Action Plan Results Framework
and Its Alignment with the Theory of Change and the
Corporate Results Framework
Results Statements Indicators Data Source
Long-term results Improved development
results in Asia and the Pacific
Medium-term
results
. Better-informed policies,
programs, projects, and
operations in DMCs
.A. Clients benefiting from ADB’s
contribution to DMC policy, programs,
projects, and operations ()
Client survey–new
.B. Clients satisfied with ADB’s
development eectiveness in helping
them achieve results ()
Client survey–CRF
.C. Completed technical assistance
projects rated successful ()
Administrative data
.E. Event participants reporting increased
knowledge and/or skills (number)
Administrative data
. Improved recognition of
ADB as a leading and trusted
regional knowledge solutions
provider
.A. Clients describing ADB as trustworthy
()
Client survey–new
.B. Client rating on comparative quality of
ADB knowledge products and services ()
Client survey–new
.C. Client rating on comparative
dissemination eectiveness of ADB
knowledge products and services ()
Client survey–new
.D. Clients satisfied with the use of ADB
knowledge products ()
Client survey–CRF
. Increased flow of DMC-
tailored knowledge solutions
.A. Web-distributed knowledge solutions
(number of downloads)
Administrative data
.B. Engagement on social media (number) Administrative data
.C. Quality rating of knowledge expert
panels and/or technical advisory groups on
key selected knowledge solutions ()
Independent panel
review–new
.D. Client rating on ADB’s performance in
providing integrated solutions () (new)
Client survey–new
.E. Client rating on alignment of ADB’s
technical assistance operations with DMC
national development priorities () (new)
Client survey–new
.F. Innovative operations and technical
assistance project ()
Administrative data
continued on next page
28
APPENDIXES
Results Statements Indicators Data Source
Intermediate
results
Pillar 1. People and culture
Improving institutional
culture to incentivize, create,
and promote knowledge
solutions
.. Sta reporting improved practices in
knowledge management ()
Sta survey–new
.. Sta rating ADB as providing enabling
culture for Strategy  implementation
()
Administrative data
.. Sta rating ADB as an eective
knowledge and learning organization ()
Sta survey–CRF
Pillar 2. Processes and systems
Strengthening ADB processes
and systems for client-oriented
knowledge creation, flow,
and use
.. Sta satisfied with ease of finding and
capturing knowledge ()
Sta survey–new
.. Client rating on the eciency of
ADB’s delivery of technical assistance ()
Client survey–new
.. Validated ratings of relevance of
ADB’s country assistance programs ()
Administrative data
.. Knowledge products and services
drawn from k-Nexus (number)
Administrative data
Pillar 3. Relationships
Strengthening ADB’s
knowledge partnerships and
relationships
.. Sta rating on eectiveness of ADB’s
internal collaboration ()
Sta survey–new
.. Sta rating on eectiveness of ADB’s
external partnerships ()
Sta survey–new
.. Stakeholders satisfied with ADB’s
collaboration with development partners ()
Client survey–CRF
.. Clients satisfied with ADB’s
responsiveness to meeting their needs ()
Client survey–CRF
ADB  Asian Development Bank, CRF  Corporate Results Framework, DMC  developing member country.
Source: Asian Development Bank.
Table continued
APPENDIXES
29
Alignment of Results Indicators with Theory of Change
Improved institutional culture
to incentivize, create, and
promote knowledge solutions
Enhanced ADB processes and systems
for client-oriented knowledge creation,
flow, and utilization
Strengthened ADB knowledge
partnerships and relationships
Long-term
result
Immediate
result
Measuring results
Improved development results in Asia and the Pacific
Increased flow of DMC-tailored knowledge solutions
A. Client rating on comparative quality of ADB
knowledge products and services (%) (New)
A. Web-distributed knowledge solutions (number of downloads)
1.1. Sta reporting improved
practices in knowledge
management (%) (New)
2.1. Sta satisfied with ease of finding
and capturing knowledge (%) (New)
3.1. Sta rating on eectiveness of ADB’s
internal collaboration (%) (New)
3.2. Sta rating on eectiveness of ADB’s
external partnerships (%) (New)
3.3. Stakeholders satisfied with ADB’s
collaboration with development partners (%)
3.4. Clients satisfied with ADB’s
responsiveness to meeting their needs (%)
2.2. Client rating on the eciency of
ADB’s delivery of technical assistance
(%) (New)
2.3. Validated ratings of relevance of
ADB’s country assistance programs
(%) (New)
2.4. Knowledge products and services
drawn from k-Nexus (number)
1.2. Sta rating ADB as
providing an enabling culture
for Strategy 2030
implementation (%)
1.3. Sta rating ADB as an
eective knowledge and
learning organization (%)
B. Engagement on social media (number)
C. Quality rating of knowledge expert panels and/or technical advisory groups on key selected knowledge solutions (%) (New)
D. Client rating on ADB’s performance in providing integrated solutions (%) (New)
E. Client rating on alignment of ADB’s technical assistance operations with DMC national development priorities (%) (New)
F. Innovative operations and technical assistance projects (%)
A. Clients benefiting from ADB’s contribution to DMC policy,
programs, projects, and operations (%) (New)
B. Client rating on comparative dissemination
eectiveness of ADB knowledge products and services
(%) (New)
B. Clients satisfied with ADB’s development eectiveness in
helping them achieve results (%)
C. Clients describing ADB as trustworthy (%) (New)
C. Completed technical assistance projects rated successful (%)
D. Clients satisfied with the use of ADB knowledge
products (%)
D. Event participants reporting increased knowledge and/or skills
(number)
People and culture Processes and systems Relationships
ADB recognized as leading and trusted
regional knowledge organization
Better-informed policies, programs, projects,
and operations in DMCs
Total of 25 indicators
Corporate Results Framework: 12
New: 13
ADB = Asian Development Bank, DMC = developing member country.
Source: Asian Development Bank.
30
APPENDIX 3
Examples of Knowledge Solutions
In , the Asian Development Bank (ADB) started collecting knowledge solutions from its
operations and other work. The initiativewas the first bank-wide exercise to measure, report,
and recognize how knowledge helps solve development problems faced bydeveloping member
countries (DMCs).That year,  departmentsnominateddiverse sets of knowledge solutions.
Submissions included knowledge products (including detailed analytical reports and studies),
knowledge services (such as conferences and workshops),and knowledge embedded in technical
assistance projects and programs. The evidence included media citations, video blogs, and
observations from DMC clients.
The submissions were validated by the knowledge management group.Most were validated by
the departments. The group identified knowledge solutions as significant if they
(i) tackled a clearly identified problem,
(ii) were based on knowledge and evidence,and
(iii) were necessary and decisive in delivering development results or highly appreciated by
clients and beneficiaries.
Of the submissions,  were assessed as significant while the rest were viewed as needing
more evidence of impact and client appreciation to establish how the knowledge resolved the
development challenge identified.
Examples of significant knowledge solutions are the following:
(i) Knowledge as policy advice rendered and accepted
(a) Given how detrimental air pollutionis topublichealth, the East Asia
Departmentteam recommended policies to curb air pollution inUlaanbaatar.
The policy note was part of a series of eorts to reduce air pollution by more than
 from the winter of  to the winter of . Mongolian Parliament Speaker
ZandanshatarGombojavcited the policy note when he assigned working groups
to curb air pollution and the cabinet to improve measures to combat air pollution
and to strengthen the engagement of the private sector, civil society, media
companies, and international organizations in the eort. The speaker ordered
ocials to study medium- and long-term recommendations in a policy note,
Winning the Fight Against Air Pollution in Ulaanbaatar, and to implement the
policy actions consistently. 
(b) Following decades of underinvestment in education, weak human capital
threatens to trap Myanmar in an economic model based on cheap, unskilled labor
and natural resource exploitation, undermining poverty reduction and inclusive
growth. The Southeast Asia Departmentsupported analysis, policy and planning,
capacity development for post-primary education, and pilot testing of technical
and vocational education and training programs to equip disadvantaged youth
with skills urgently demanded in the labor market. The support helpedthe Ministry
of Education formulate its National Education Strategic Plan for secondary
education and technical and vocational education and training.
APPENDIXES
APPENDIXES
31
(c) The Regional Cooperation and Integration Thematic Group of the Sustainable
Development and Climate Change Department worked with the Pacific
Department on a studyof opportunities for and challenges to reducing poverty in
neglected border regionsto boosttrade and cooperation between Indonesia and
Timor-Leste. The studyinformed and expedited the signing of a memorandum of
understanding between them on cross-border cooperation. As committed to in
the memorandum, the Timor-Leste government allowed Indonesian tourists to
enter Timor-Leste without a visa.
(d) Depleting groundwater resources in and around Dhaka raised the need to tap new
sources of surface water. An ADB project explored the potential of the Meghna
River as an alternative water source. As the river faces serious pollution threats, a
 South Asia Department report, Protecting the Meghna River—A Sustainable
Water Resource for Dhaka, recommended designating ecologically critical areas,
promoting cleaner industrial production, monitoring pollution, controlling
wastewater discharge and pesticide use, and empowering local stewardship of the
river. The Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority and its Department of
Environment are keen to implement the recommendations. Otherwise, additional
treatment would cost about . million annually if the river water quality
deteriorated further.
(ii) Knowledge solutions that demonstrated the use of evidence
(a) Informed by a  urban assessment and an integrated urban planning
and regional development process in ,a million loan toGeorgiawill
finance the preparation and design of the Livable Cities Investment Program.
It willmakecities more accessibleand inclusive, withbettersolid waste
management, small and medium-sized enterprise development, and women’s
entrepreneurship. The program was led by the Central and West Asia Department
and multiple sector and thematic groups.
(b) In the absence of quantifiable information to understand market gaps in trade
finance and their impact, the Private Sector Operations Department and the
Economic Research and Regional Cooperation Department prepared the Trade
Finance Gaps, Growth, and Jobs Survey. It aims to (i) identify market gaps in trade
finance, (ii) understand why gaps exist, (iii) explain their impact on growth and
jobs, and (iv) identify actions to close the gaps. The study is the first of its kind and
has been cited by institutions and publications, including The Economist and The
Financial Times. The study recommends that governments adopt common laws
as well as a legal entity identifier. A unique electronic -digit identifier for legal
entities participating in financial and commercial transactions would help combat
money laundering and encourage knowing the customer.
(iii) Knowledge solutions that use high-level technology
(a) The . billion Shandong Green Development Fund helps decarbonize the
province and supports the nationally determined contribution of peaking carbon
emissions by . The climate fund is the first in the People’s Republic of China
(PRC) that integrates gender equality into financing. The project promotes a green
procurement framework anduses digital platformsto improve the preparation of
high-quality infrastructure projects and to monitor the fund’s financial and climate
32
targets. ADB is scaling up the initiative nationally through the Ministry of Ecology
and Environment in the PRC, and in Southeast Asia and Mongolia.
(b) Extremely remote, vulnerable to climate change, weak in governance, and
categorized since  as a fragile and conflict-aected situation, Nauru lacked
the institutional and human resource capacity and experience necessary for
eective, ecient, quality project preparation and implementation. To solve
these problems, ADB mobilized technical assistance and projects to engage
independent design reviewers to advise the government on project design, probity
experts to fully audit project procurement,and an independent technical auditor
to ensure compliance with technical and safeguard standards. ADB used digital
twin technology supported by drones to monitor projects.
(c) Therapid adoption of smart devices and the accompanying change in readership
habits from print to digitalencouraged ADB to explore new ways of reaching
its audience.The ADB annual report digital file is among the most downloaded
products on ADB’s website.The addition ofthe Smart Reader versionwas
expected to lead to a decrease in the number of PDF downloads. The Smart
Reader has significantly expanded the audience for the annual report, bringing in
thousands of new readers, while the PDF downloads have remained consistent
with previous years. As of  December , the Smart Reader had attracted
, mobile users.
APPENDIXES
APPENDIXES
33
APPENDIX 4
Knowledge Management Tools
Capital (employees can increase their value),
motivation (role models), policy
• Meetings, workshops,
conferences, webinars
• Knowledge mentorships
• Informal exchanges
• Best-practice sharing:
exchanges, publications,
field trips, study tours
• Seminars on lessons learned
• Storytelling, knowledge maps
People
Systems, technology
• Document management system
• Content management system
• Group software (e.g., MS 360) for cooperation
and communication
• E-learning platforms
• Digital knowledge maps
• Social software
• Portals
• Digital community sites, sta directories,
expert locator systems
Processes, organizations, relationships
• Responsibilities, provision of resources
for knowledge management
• Job rotations
• Knowledge planning methods, such as work
process analysis
• Integration of client knowledge
• Communities of practice, knowledge
assessment methods
• Open culture for knowledge sharing and
collaboration, diversity
Underpinned by incentives for knowledge management
Source: Asian Development Bank.
34
APPENDIX 5
Proposed Knowledge Management Action Plan Actions
Theory of Change: Pillars and Actions to Achieve Desired Results Responsibility
PILLAR 1: PEOPLE AND CULTURE
1. Align the KMAP with culture transformation initiatives.
ADB needs to align its incentives with the new values and enable Strategy .
..Align the KMAP with culture transformation initiatives embracing collaboration and
knowledge promotion.
Lead: BPMSD, SPD, SDCC
Support: All departments
.. Articulate new values and associated behaviors and integrate them into human
resource practices, systems, and business processes to reinforce changes expedited
and sustained over time.
Lead: BPMSD
Support: All departments
..Include building an enabling culture for knowledge and innovation in leadership
development and coaching programs.
Lead: BPMSD
Support: All departments
2. Recruit, develop, and incentivize sta members who have relevant knowledge
management competencies.
..Based on the outcome of the ADB-wide job architecture review, develop detailed
knowledge management competencies, specify encouraged behaviors for each job
family, and apply them in the recruitment process. This action includes updating terms
of reference of department knowledge focal points and of the bank-wide knowledge
management group.
Lead: BPMSD, SDCC
Support: All departments
.. Reinforce knowledge management competencies and behaviors
(e.g., collaboration and agility, lifelong learning) through the performance review
and the incentive system.
Lead: BPMSD, SDCC
Support: All departments
.. Establish a single corporate learning platform supported by a learning action plan
based on ADB learning principles, so that sta members can easily access corporate,
organizational, sector and thematic, digital skills, and digital workplace–specific
learning programs through one portal.
Lead: BPMSD, SDCC, ITD
Support: All departments
.. Set up or improve sta members’ and consultants’profiles in the ADB system,
including on sector and thematic group community sites, to locate and complement a
skills–expertise matrix in line with related human resource support measures.
Lead: BPMSD, ITD, PPFD
Support: All departments
.. Encourage and facilitate the continuous sharing, transfer, and capture of tacit
knowledge among sta members and teams, particularly during times of mobility
(e.g., changing roles, promotions, pending departure from ADB).
Lead: BPMSD
3.Implement the innovation framework.
.. Put in place and carry out a change management program supported by
department knowledge management focal points to foster innovation in internal
processes and in development operations to make transformational change possible.
Lead: SPD, SDCC
.. Monitor and report on implementation of the innovation framework’s five actions:
(i) Invest in culture change. (ii) Invest in sta members’ and DMC counterparts’
innovation skills. (iii) Develop business processes for innovative projects and initiatives.
(iv) Forge new partnerships, especially with innovation leaders inindustry, academia,
and DMCs. (v) Measure ADB’s innovation capabilities and outputs.
Lead: SPD, BPMSD, SDCC
Support: All departments
PILLAR 2: PROCESSES AND SYSTEMS
1. Strengthen country knowledge programming eorts in the country partnership strategy,
to prioritize government demands and needs and target knowledge outcomes.
.. Refine country knowledge programming
a
to identify priority areas for ADB’s
knowledge support and develop knowledge outcomes and solutions for DMCs during
preparation of country partnership strategies to support current and future lending.
b
Lead: SPD
Support: SDCC
continued on next page
APPENDIXES
APPENDIXES
35
Theory of Change: Pillars and Actions to Achieve Desired Results Responsibility
... Apply processes and tools
c
to understand DMCs’ knowledge needs,
e.g., (i) rigorous quantitative and qualitative analytical work and sector and thematic
assessments; (ii) participatory stakeholder knowledge consultations, including with
civil society organizations; (iii) futures thinking and foresight; and (iv) training in
dynamic country knowledge plans focusing on knowledge outcomes.
Lead: Operations
departments
Support: SDCC, ERCD
.. Strengthen the knowledge management capacity of resident missions to meet their
knowledge needs and perform required knowledge management functions in country
teams. This action includes equipping resident missions with awareness-raising and
information material about the scope of ADB’s knowledge work that could be relevant
for DMCs.
Lead: Operations
departments
Support: BPMSD, SDCC
..Oer knowledge management capacity-building and skills development programs
to DMC entities that may request them.
Lead: Operations
departments, PPFD
Support: BPMSD, SDCC
2. Create a connected enterprise knowledge network where ADB stamembers can access and contribute to
uniform information about all sector and thematic work; new initiatives; country context; and projects,
with all their consulting reports and supporting data.Make the information available across sectors, themes,
and departments.
.. Unleash the knowledge potential oered by the corporate deployment of
the electronic document and records management system. Include knowledge
management in sovereign operations modernization and digital workplace programs
under the digital agenda. Use an implementation road map that specifies resource
requirements and priorities.
Lead: SPD, ITD, OAS
Support: Regional
departments, SDCC, PPFD,
ITD
.. Develop a long-term vision and determine the technologies for ADB’s knowledge
work, such as artificial intelligence–assisted knowledge management as part of the
digital agenda.
Lead: ITD
Support: Operations
departments, SDCC, PPFD
.. Strengthen the work of sector and thematic and other practice groups (e.g.,
procurement and financial management) to expand knowledge networks—virtual
andphysical—to ensure that relevant knowledge isstored, shared, and communicated
using the proper platforms and modalities (e.g., online communities, discussion sites,
case studies).
Lead: SDCC, DOC
Support: BPMSD, SPD,
regional departments, OAS,
PPFD
3. Strengthen and clarify measures toguide teams in developing quality knowledge products and services.
Allow sucient time to transfer tacit knowledge through learning, debriefing knowledge holders, and codifying
the knowledge.
.. Develop department road maps to ease the application of KMAP principles
to department-specific knowledge management actions to align the KMAP to
departments’ business needs.
Lead: All departments
.. Contribute to ADB as a learning organization by (i) coordinating the development
of sector and thematic learning programs and country knowledge exchange; and
(ii) employing after-action reviews, case study discussions, peer review measures,
and the findings of the Independent Evaluation Department.
Lead: Operations
departments
Support: All departments
(SDCC for STG programs)
.. Review the knowledge components in technical assistance programs that advance
priority knowledge work and operations, using the criteria of relevance (knowledge
gaps), sustainability, dissemination, reputation risk, and partnership opportunities.
Lead: All departments
(sector directors, country
directors, STG chiefs)
.. Develop a clear and meaningful peer review process for internal and external
knowledge products and knowledge solutions, ensuring that the right experts
(internal and external) review the documents early on. Ensure that peer reviewers are
recognized, leading to improved sta profiles and reputations.
Lead: All departments
continued on next page
Table continued
36
Theory of Change: Pillars and Actions to Achieve Desired Results Responsibility
PILLAR 3: RELATIONSHIPS
1. Create a culture of collaboration through strategic and ecient knowledge partnerships, and improve the
quality of relationships with the ADB Institute and with governments, academia, civil society, the private sector,
and others.
1.1. Continuously review ADB’s overall approach and current practices with respect
to knowledge partnerships to identify areas for improvement. Propose how ADB
can engage in, communicate with, and develop strategic knowledge collaboration
workplans with the ADB Institute as ADB’s think tank, and with external partners such
as governments, academia, and the private sector. Produce measurable outputs and
meet performance indicators.
Lead: Knowledge
management group,
SDCC-KC, SPD, DOC
Support: All departments
2. Strengthen the resident missions’ role in advancing relationships.
2.1. Align the KMAP with the knowledge management recommendations of the
review of ADB’s resident mission operations, particularly on (i) “One ADB” country
teams,
d
(ii) strengthening of the role of resident missions as client and program units,
e
(iii) deepening of country diagnostics, and (iv) sharpening of the country focus of
knowledge operations with “resident mission service windows.”
Lead: SPD
Support: SDCC, operations
departments, ERCD
3. Strengthen relationships between ADB functions and foster a “One ADB” approach.
3.1. Review and reconfirm the roles of key actors (country directors and resident
missions, sector directors and sector divisions, sector and thematic groups, among
others) in client relationships, program and portfolio development, development of a
“One ADB” approach, and the use of the new ADB client management system.
Lead: SPD, SDCC
Support: All other
departments
4. Where relevant and they add value, nurture relationships with international financial institutions and other
intergovernmental organizations on knowledge management.
4.1. To learn from the experiences of others in eective knowledge management,
engage with and seek to formalize the community of practice on knowledge
management among international financial institutions and multilateral development
banks, where doing so adds value for ADB.
Lead: SDCC
Support: SPD
ADBI = ADB Institute; BPMSD = Budget, People, and Management Systems Department; DMC = developing member country;
ERCD = Economic Research and Regional Cooperation Department; ITD = Information Technology Department;
KMAP = Knowledge Management Action Plan; PPFD = Procurement, Portfolio and Financial Management Department;
SDCC = Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department; SPD = Strategy, Policy and Partnerships Department;
STGs = sector and thematic groups.
a
 A guidance note on preparing dynamic country knowledge plans is being prepared.
b
  Review of ADB’s Resident Mission Operations, Action Plan, 2.4 Sharpen country focus of knowledge operations.
(i) Reform business processes for knowledge products and services to enable more eective management by resident
missions and quality control by knowledge departments. (ii) Establish a knowledge clearinghouse to better match knowledge
department programs with operational needs and review and align sta instructions accordingly. (iii) Develop the country
focus of the Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department and the Economic Research and Regional
Cooperation Department (in addition to the country workplans under action 1.1).
c
  Review of ADB’s Resident Mission Operations, Action Plan, 2.2 Deeper diagnostics on country engagement. (i) Regularly assess
(at least once during the country partnership strategy cycle) country sector, cross-sector, and/or private sector development
(with Private Sector Operations Department support). (ii) Update sector or thematic road maps. (iii) Strengthen country
economist positions to create sucient internal capacity to coordinate country diagnostics.
d
  Review of ADB’s Resident Mission Operations, Action Plan, 1.3 “One ADB” country teams. (i) Define terms of reference
of country teams to include maintaining ADB’s cutting-edge understanding of country issues, and developing the best
solutions to meet development needs, including integrated solutions. (ii) Formalize country teams widened to the Private
Sector Operations Department; the Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department; the Economic Research
and Regional Cooperation Department; the Procurement, Portfolio, and Financial Management Department; and the Oce
of Public–Private Partnership. (iii) Make team members accountable for the country team objectives. (iv) Include country
team tasks in sta workplans, with country director feedback on performance. (v) Systematize country director (or delegate)
performance feedback on sta members of any department directly contributing to country operations.
Table continued
APPendIXeS
APPendIXeS
37
e
  Review of ADB’s Resident Mission Operations, Action Plan, 2.1 Sharpen role of resident missions as client and
program units. (i) Confirm the country director’s and/or resident mission’s leading role in client relationships,
sovereign program and portfolio, and development of “One ADB” approaches. (ii) Confirm the sector director’s
and/or the sector division’s leading role in sector issues and end-to-end accountability for all sovereign
operations in the sector. (iii) Strengthen the role of external relations ocers in resident missions, including
standardizing a direct reporting line to the country director.
Source: Asian Development Bank.
38
APPENDIX 6
Template for Department Knowledge Management
Action Plan Road Maps
The road map needs to link with the business planning process: (i) country partnership strategy
and country knowledge program process, (ii) department workplans, (iii) internal sta knowledge
needs, and (iv) developing member country future development trends. The road map will be
further developed in consultation with the knowledge focal points.
Date:
Department:
Knowledge focal or team:
1. Identify the purpose of knowledge work
WHAT knowledge? {Identify focus areas relevant for
the department’s core business.}
{Identify tacit and/or documented
as well as any valuable knowledge
at risk (e.g., knowledge that can be
lost because few experts hold it or
experts who hold it are about to
retire).}
{List the relevant country
partnership strategies and country
knowledge plans that are under
preparation; country operational
business plans; new solutions,
projects, and/or deals; regional
cooperation and integration
approaches.}
{List knowledge “containers.”
(Where is the knowledge
located—in a person, an archive, a
tool, a document?)}
HOW is knowledge applied? {Identify critical areas of policy
dialogue (regional, national), and
capacity development and
innovation projects and/or
initiatives.}
{List knowledge management tools
being applied, tested.}
WHO creates, identifies, and
applies knowledge?
{Identify key internal and external
partners. Define the role of
knowledge focals.}
{List the collaboration tools being
used.}
2. Adapt the Knowledge Management Action Plan to department needs
Pillars Phase 1 () Phase 2 (–) Phase 3 (–)
People and culture
Processes and systems
Relationships
APPENDIXES
39
GLOSSARY
knowledge – information or understanding that enables action
to create value through increased productivity and
innovation (ADB [Strategy and Policy Department,
Sustainable Development and Climate Change
Department, and Department of External Relations].
. Knowledge Products and Services: Definition
and Reporting. Memorandum.  April [internal])
knowledge asset – accumulated information and knowledge of an
organization that are relevant to its core businesses
and operations
knowledge competence – ability to apply knowledge and skills to achieve
intended results in development and delivery of
knowledge services, knowledge asset management,
collaboration and partnership, technical application,
and change management and adoption
knowledge management
governance
– organization members’ roles and responsibilities
in generating and capturing information and/or
knowledge and accumulating an organization’s
knowledge assets
knowledge management – process of ensuring proper generation, storage,
acquisition, dissemination, and use of knowledge to
meet an organization’s objectives
knowledge solution – knowledge-based practical ideas, designs,
approaches, products, and processes that resolve
problems (ADB [Department of Communications;
Economic Research and Regional Cooperation
Department; Sustainable Development and
Climate Change Department; and Strategy, Policy
and Partnerships Department]. . Measuring,
Reporting and Recognizing Knowledge Products and
Services and Knowledge Solutions. Memorandum. 
October [internal])
40
tacit knowledge – knowledge that is dicult to articulate or capture
through writing or recording. The tacit knowledge of
ADB resides in its sta, sector and thematic groups,
and practice groups, and is embedded in its projects
and programs
Theory of Change – a set of causal relationships that determine how a set
of actions will bring about the most desired outcomes
for intended beneficiaries
GLOSSARY
ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK
Asian Development Bank Knowledge Management Action Plan 2021–2025
Knowledge for a Prosperous, Inclusive, Resilient, and Sustainable Asia and the Pacific
The Knowledge Management Action Plan (KMAP) – connects ongoing reforms of the Asian
Development Bank (ADB) to improve how knowledge is managed across its business processes. The KMAP
strengthens ADB’s ability to better deliver tailored knowledge solutions, together with financing, to developing
member countries. The KMAP emphasizes increasing collaboration, improving the quality and eciency of
knowledge services, making knowledge work more attractive, and using a country-focused approach—all
of which contribute to ADB’s value addition, boost client satisfaction, and bolster ADB’s role as a trusted
knowledge provider.
About the Asian Development Bank
ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific,
while sustaining its eorts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in , it is owned by  members
— from the region. Its main instruments for helping its developing member countries are policy dialogue,
loans, equity investments, guarantees, grants, and technical assistance.
PEOPLE AND
CULTURE
PROCESSES AND
SYSTEMS
RELATIONSHIPS
AsiAn Development BAnk
6 ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong City
1550 Metro Manila, Philippines
www.adb.org
MARCH 2021
ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
ACTION PLAN 2021–2025
Knowledge foR A PRosPeRous, InClusIve,
ResIlIent, And sustAInAble AsIA And tHe PACIfIC