Message from Senior Partner | David South Consulting

DS Consulting has launched this website, www.davidsouthconsulting.com, and a WordPress blog, www.davidsouthconsulting.org, to explain developments and publish content relevant to health, human development and innovation. It is structured around key practice areas and features past case studies and successes. Over the last six years, the back catalogue of previous work has also been migrated online (http://www.scribd.com/DSConsulting). This includes work rescuing Mongolia’s economy from the biggest peacetime, post-WWII economic collapse and transformative work in child health with the UK’s National Health Service.

You can catch up on my archive of case studies as well at www.davidsouthconsulting.org, and keep abreast of the many changes coming for 2016 and beyond. The case studies are a mix of inspiring stories, insight, analysis and trends: A good snapshot of a fast-changing world.

A great deal of work has gone into laying the foundations for future growth at DS Consulting at its London, UK base. The fruits of this work will become more apparent as 2016 unfolds.

Please send an email if you would like to get in touch or share a thought: mailto: davidsouthconsulting@gmail.com.

David South 

Senior Partner 

DS Consulting

Senior Partner David South at the Sydney Opera House in 2013.

© David South Consulting 2017

Getting Read Matters: International Development Publications | 11 June 2016

 

As the Internet has grown, those working in development have responded in kind by broadening access to what they write: publishing online is now routine. There are many platforms out there encouraging transparent publishing - www.archive.org, www.scribd.com, www.slideshare.net, www.academia.edu, www.books.google.com, etc. - making it easy to share.

For decades, international development organizations have run vast publishing and research programmes. But prior to the Internet, it was just not possible to access this material and the knowledge and data within without a trip to the library or a UN HQ. The Internet has made it much easier to find out what is out there but there is still the thorny issue of "is anyone reading this stuff?". One survey unearthed a problem: many publications were being read by a very small audience, or nobody at all.

A survey in 2014 of the World Bank's publications, for example, produced a shocking result: it found a third of their publications are never downloaded, 40 per cent were downloaded just 100 times, and only 13 per cent were downloaded more than 250 times in their lifetime (The Washington Post). As The Washington Post pointed out, these are publicly funded publications with the intention of contributing to policy debates and providing solutions to the world's problems. So, if nobody is reading them, or just a handful are, that actually does matter if you care about positive change in the world.

We pride ourselves on creating publications that actually get read. It is risky: when you inspire people, they may just act on what you write. The gatekeepers of development knowledge have developed many ways to uninspire people: they bury documents in jargon and obfuscation, they don't bother telling anyone about a publication, they charge people who can least afford to pay for the publication first-world, dollar prices. Or, as has happened more and more these days, they contact Google to try and get publications obliterated from search engines, so nobody can find them in the first place.

We draw on experience gleaned from working with complex organizations staffed by highly educated people doing complicated things. This has included working on the UN's communications during a severe crisis in late 1990s Mongolia, transforming online access to child health resources for the UK's NHS, and championing innovation across the global South.

The Scribd platform is used by many public bodies to archive documents. It is as good a place as any to make a comparison. So, how do our various resources compare when it comes to communicating on the topics of innovation/innovators, human development and the global South?

How has Southern Innovator's first five issues faired on Scribd?:

And if we search using the words 'global South innovator', we can compare Southern Innovator with other publications and see how many views each has had:

In 1997 I worked as the Managing Editor for the first Mongolian Human Development Report while serving as Head of Communications for the UN in Mongolia. Read more about this project here: http://www.davidsouthconsulting.com/case-studies/human-development-report-mongolia-1997.html. It still attracts readers all these years later.

 

Southern Innovator has become one of the most viewed resources on Scribd for UNDP and innovators, human development and innovators, and global South and innovators.

Southern Innovator Impact Summary 1: http://www.slideshare.net/DavidSouth1/handout-flyer-finalaug14cropmarks

Southern Innovator Impact Summary 2: http://www.slideshare.net/DavidSouth1/si-impact-summaryjan2014final

Southern Innovator and the Growing Global Innovation Culture | 7 April 2016

A paper prepared for the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) in 2013.

© David South Consulting 2017

Finding Southern Innovator Magazine | 16 March 2016

An ad promoting the magazine's fourth issue is below:

 

Southern Innovator can be read online here:

Scribd

Issue 1: http://www.scribd.com/doc/57980406/Southern-Innovator-Issue-1

Issue 2: http://www.scribd.com/doc/86451057/Southern-Innovator-Magazine-Issue-2

Issue 3: http://www.scribd.com/doc/106055665/Southern-Innovator-Magazine-Issue-3-Agribusiness-and-Food-Security

Issue 4: http://www.scribd.com/doc/128283953/Southern-Innovator-Magazine-Issue-4

Issue 5:  http://www.scribd.com/doc/207579744/Southern-Innovator-Magazine-Issue-5-Waste-and-Recycling

Google Books

Issue 1: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Q1O54YSE2BgC&dq=southern+innovator&source=gbs_navlinks_s

Issue 2: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Ty0N969dcssC&dq=southern+innovator&source=gbs_navlinks_s

Issue 3: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=AQNt4YmhZagC&dq=southern+innovator&source=gbs_navlinks_s

Issue 4: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=9T_n2tA7l4EC&dq=southern+innovator&source=gbs_navlinks_s

Issue 5: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=6ILdAgAAQBAJ&dq=southern+innovator&source=gbs_navlinks_s

And on Canada's PressReader news platform:

Issue 5: http://www.pressreader.com/usa/southern-innovator

Issue 4: http://www.pressreader.com/usa/southern-innovator/20130919

Issue 3: http://www.pressreader.com/usa/southern-innovator/20120912

Issue 2: http://www.pressreader.com/usa/southern-innovator/20120505

Southern Innovator is held in the following library collections:

Biblioteca Nationala a Republicii Moldova: http://cc.sibimol.bnrm.md/opac/bibliographic_view/399949;jsessionid=C516885A73E277718AE64598E869BC70

British Library: http://tinyurl.com/kgxo6hj

Centre multimédia sur l'environnement et le développement Dakar, Senegal: http://www.enda-sigie.org/bases/sigie/format_liste.php?lang=fr&onglet=1&link=O&format=court&sort=Date%20DESC&Chp4=CONCEPTION+DE+BATIMENT

Library of Congress: http://catalog.loc.gov/vwebv/holdingsInfo?searchId=15784&recCount=25&recPointer=0&bibId=17462965

Malaysian Academic Library Union: http://malcat.uum.edu.my/kip/Record/ukm.vtls003513851

Toronto Public Library: http://vc4kb8yf3q.search.serialssolutions.com/?V=1.0&N=100&L=VC4KB8YF3Q&S=AC_T_B&C=southern+innovator

Uganda Martyrs University: http://library.umu.ac.ug:81/cgi-bin/koha/opac-MARCdetail.pl?biblionumber=33335

United Nations Library Geneva: Issues 2, 4, 5: Click 'Get It': http://pmt-eu.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?SFGlobal=southern+innovator&submitGlobal=Go&fn=search&ct=search&initialSearch=true&mode=Basic&tab=default_tab&indx=1&dum=true&srt=rank&vid=41UNOG_V1&frbg=&vl%28freeText0%29=southern+innovator

Issue 1: http://pmt-eu.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo_library/libweb/action/display.do?tabs=detailsTab&ct=display&fn=search&doc=41UNOG_Alma21105606680002391&indx=1&recIds=41UNOG_Alma21105606680002391&recIdxs=0&elementId=0&renderMode=poppedOut&displayMode=full&frbrVersion=&dscnt=0&frbg=&tab=default_tab&dstmp=1424959330694&srt=rank&mode=Basic&&dum=true&SFGlobal=southern+innovator&vl%28freeText0%29=southern%20innovator&vid=41UNOG_V1&submitGlobal=Go

Universitat de Valencia: http://xv9lx6cm3j.search.serialssolutions.com/?V=1.0&L=XV9LX6CM3J&S=JCs&C=JC_018470248&T=marc

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Libraries: http://ent.library.utm.my/client/en_AU/main/search/detailnonmodal/ent:$002f$002fSD_ILS$002f820$002fSD_ILS:820407/ada?qu=Youth&rw=1200&ic=true&ps=300

University of Cape Town Libraries: http://aleph20.calico.ac.za/F/?local_base=uct01pub&func=find-b&find_code=OCLC&request=%28ocolc%29870179464

University of Saskatchewan: http://sundog.usask.ca/search/t?SEARCH=southern+innovator&sortdropdown=-&searchscope=8

If you would like hard copies of the magazine for distribution, then please contact the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation: Website: http://ssc.undp.org/content/ssc.html. If you would like to either sponsor an issue of Southern Innovator or place an advertisement in the magazine, then please contact southerninnovator@yahoo.co.uk. This is a great opportunity to reach millions around the world and to connect with the pioneers and innovators shaping this new world. With Issue 5 tackling the timely theme of Waste and Recycling, this is the moment to get on board and help support SI. With global urbanization levels continuing to rise, fresh thinking of the kind found in Southern Innovator's fifth issue is urgently required.

Follow @DSChallenges

www.davidsouthconsulting.com

© David South Consulting 2017

Southern Innovator and Development Challenges 2014 | 9 March 2016

 

July 2014 issue of Development Challenges, South-South Solutions: The last issue is available online for download. Support the e-newsletter for 2016: we are seeking additional funding so we can improve the reader experience and frequency of the e-newsletter. Since first launching in 2006, we often heard from readers how they valued the stories in the e-newsletter and how it has helped in raising the profile of innovators across the global South (“Congratulations on another great newsletter that’s packed with fascinating information! I really enjoy getting it each month.”). Additional resources would enable us to improve the way readers can access and receive the e-newsletter, enable the e-newsletter's contributors to travel and report on developments, and allow us to offer daily and weekly updates and a wider range of resources online and on mobile platforms. Additional funds help in maintaining the quality of the e-newsletter, something that has been appreciated by readers ("Great economic and business reporting! Very helpful for us.” Africa Renewal). It will also allow the e-newsletter to spin-off quality resources for innovators, such as the influential magazine Southern Innovator. Contact the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation if you wish to support the e-newsletter for 2016.

Southern Innovator Magazine Issue 4: Cities and Urbanization (ISBN 978-0-9920217-0-2) (ISSN 2222-9280) features solutions from across the global South. One reader commented on Issue 4: "The magazine looks fantastic, great content and a beautiful design!" 

Some comments that have come in so far about SI's first issue:

"What a tremendous magazine your team has produced! It's a terrific tour de force of what is interesting, cutting edge and relevant in the global mobile/ICT space... Really looking forward to what you produce in issues #2 and #3. This is great, engaging, relevant and topical stuff.", to "Looks great. Congratulations. It’s Brill’s Content for the 21st century!"

What they are saying about SI on Twitter: From @CapacityPlus Nice job RT @ActevisCGroup: RT @UNDP: Great looking informative @SouthSouth1 mag on South-South Innovation; @UNDP Great looking informative @SouthSouth1 mag on South-South Innovation; @JeannineLemaire Graphically beautiful & informative @UNDP Southern Innovator mag on South-South Innov. 

And on Pinterest:

Peggy Lee • 1 year ago

"Beautiful, inspiring magazine from UNDP on South-South innovation. Heart is pumping adrenaline and admiration just reading it."

MJ Wood • 1 year ago

"The first issue’s Great info to know!"

Some comments that have come in so far about SI's second issue:

"Thank you David - Your insight into the issues facing us a[s] [a] "global Village" is made real in the detail of your article - 10 out of 10 from the moladi team."

Some comments that have come in so far about SI's fourth issue:

"The magazine looks fantastic, great content and a beautiful design!"

"I liked your latest Southern innovator! Always inspiring."

Some comments that have come in so far about SI's fifth issue:

"Btw, I really enjoyed reading them, impressive work & a great resource. Looking forward to Issue 6. My best wishes to you & your team at SI."

"... great magazine, nice design."

Southern Innovator knowledge centre website story archive.