Working Papers (Brac Institute of Governance and Development)http://hdl.handle.net/10361/1192024-03-28T12:27:56Z2024-03-28T12:27:56ZConversations with employers: Exploring graduate employability in BangladeshMatin, ImranAli, TariqWiebe, Paulhttp://hdl.handle.net/10361/162212023-02-08T10:05:47Z2004-01-01T00:00:00ZConversations with employers: Exploring graduate employability in Bangladesh
Matin, Imran; Ali, Tariq; Wiebe, Paul
The Bangladeshi graduate labour market is going through rapid and dramatic changes. The increasing importance of the private sector coupled with the intensifying forces of globalization has considerably changed employers’ needs regarding graduate employment. The research focuses on employers’ perspective in this rapidly changing graduate labour market. It specifically addresses two questions: What are the generic attributes that employers look for? And how do employers find individuals with these attributes? In order to answer these questions, we interviewed a range of employers. However, the paper focused on sectors that are desirable for BRAC University students. The major finding of this research is that the problem of employability is best understood in terms of the linkages between employability attributes, rather than the employability attributes per se. This is because the employability attributes are abstractions that function to describe a composite individual who can add value to an organisation. Skills are therefore not discrete and mutually exclusive categories and the employable graduate is more than the linear sum of employability attributes. The paper concluded that course design, pedagogy, the classroom environment, the reward system, the inclusiveness of the University environment, its regulation and its engagements with the wider social and political landscape, both local and global—and many more will all be important variables that will shape the agenda of enhancing graduate employability.
2004-01-01T00:00:00ZMicrofinance Engagements of the ‘Graduated’ TUP membersSulaiman, MunshiMatin, ImranSiddiquee, M Shahadat HossainBarua, ProloyAlarakhaia, SafeenaIyer, Vidyahttp://hdl.handle.net/10361/162202023-02-08T10:05:26Z2006-02-01T00:00:00ZMicrofinance Engagements of the ‘Graduated’ TUP members
Sulaiman, Munshi; Matin, Imran; Siddiquee, M Shahadat Hossain; Barua, Proloy; Alarakhaia, Safeena; Iyer, Vidya
Despite the slogan of ‘credit for the poorest of the poor’, the poorest have not fully benefited from the microfinance revolution of the late 90s in Bangladesh. To bring these ‘left out’ group into the mainstream microfinance, BRAC’s CFPR/TUP program assists them to build-up an asset base (physical, human and social) so that they can have meaningful participation in microfinance activities. After the ‘grant’ phase of the program which lasts for 18 months, as the first step towards the ‘graduation process’, the ultra-poor women form their own groups and are offered small amounts of credit. This study takes a look at the beneficiaries who were selected in the first round in 2002 to explain various dimensions of their engagement with microfinance. With a lower borrower-member ratio and relatively smaller sized credit, microfinance for the poorest may take longer to achieve sustainability. Even within the ultra-poor household group, the better-off ones are more likely to engage themselves with microfinance. Their engagement in semi-formal microfinance does not reduce involvement in the informal financial market. Along with credit, accumulating savings is of utmost importance for the ultra-poor households and their informal savings have increased. Given that almost a quarter of the TUP members may not be credit takers, the importance of appropriate savings products cannot be overemphasized. More innovations in this regard are thus critical.
2006-02-01T00:00:00ZTargeting effectiveness of CFPR/TUP in scale-Up environmentSulaiman, MunshiMatin, Imranhttp://hdl.handle.net/10361/162192022-02-09T21:01:48Z2006-02-01T00:00:00ZTargeting effectiveness of CFPR/TUP in scale-Up environment
Sulaiman, Munshi; Matin, Imran
Effective targeting is a hallmark of the BRAC’s CFPR/TUP program. Like many other targeted programs, CFPR/TUP combines a number of targeting methods. Launched in 2002, this program has scaled up in 2005. Despite this scaling up, success in targeting has been maintained. The principal objective of this paper is to investigate whether BRAC is reaching the poorest with its CFPR/TUP program. To measure the poverty status of the clients, the CGAP poverty assessment tool is used and it was observed that about three-quarters of the beneficiaries of this program belong to the poorest quartile. This is a commendable achievement when compared to other targeted programs. The success was achieved not only by adopting appropriate tools of targeting but also by implementing them rigorously. Community-based wealth ranking was found to be crucial in achieving a high level of aggregate accuracy. The paper concludes that there is a high level of convergence of community wealth ranking and objective measures of poverty. However, the little existing disparity may have been due to community ignorance of the status of some households and sympathy towards a few others.
2006-02-01T00:00:00ZPopular expectations of government: Findings from three areas in BangladeshAli, TariqHossain, Naomihttp://hdl.handle.net/10361/162182022-02-09T21:01:46Z2006-02-01T00:00:00ZPopular expectations of government: Findings from three areas in Bangladesh
Ali, Tariq; Hossain, Naomi
This paper presents findings from research into expectations from the government, based on focus group discussion sessions with over 100 poor and very poor people in rural and urban Bangladesh. The research was designed to help improve our understanding of the political constraints shaping public policy with respect to poverty. The main research findings include that government was widely perceived as positive for the poor, and there was an unexpectedly clear understanding of the structure and operations of government, and of the mechanisms of political process and change. Findings of sources of information about government and politics highlight the continuing significance of community ‘brokers’, while also confirming the overpowering role of the public television in shaping perceptions of government. There seems to be considerable faith in the capacity of the poor to influence the government, and of the government to respond to the needs of the poor. Despite a generally positive appraisal of the role of government, the poor public is attuned to and critical of the actions of government which affect them directly. In their role as chief guarantors of the welfare of the poor, then the government fails when it fails to control the prices of essential goods. Respondents tended to find it difficult to prioritize between different issues and supported more governmental action in most areas. There was a reasonably clear sense of what made government legitimate, as well of the conditions under which different types of political protest are acceptable. The paper concludes that there is a high degree of awareness and involvement among the poor with respect to political matters.
2006-02-01T00:00:00Z