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Building forestry research management capacity: the case of Malaysia

M.N. Salleh and W.C. Wong

Salleh Mohammed Nor is Director-General of the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM), Kepong.

W.C. Wong is Head of the Research Planning and Evaluation Unit, FRIM.

An analysis of efforts to strengthen the capability of managers of national forest research organizations in developing countries, with a case-study of the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia.

A team-building workshop for senior managers at FRIM (author In foreground)

Forestry research human resources in developing countries

Most national forestry research organizations (NFROs) in the developing countries have a poor institutional framework and low research capacity because of shortages of human resources, facilities and funds. The rapid disappearance of tropical forests has created an urgency to strengthen the NFROs in the developing countries. These NFROs need to develop indigenous research and development capacities that can generate the knowledge and information needed to support appropriate forest management. Enhancement of the research capacity within these NFROs requires government commitment on a long-term basis. Support from international donor agencies should also be sought to supplement the national budgets for these purposes.

The institution of a comprehensive human resource development effort is crucial. The effectiveness of an NFRO is dependent on the availability of an in-house corps of trained researchers and managers to achieve scientific breakthroughs in the face of the complex forestry challenges of today.

A number of recent studies highlight the low level of staffing of NFROs in developing countries, both in the absolute sense and, particularly, in comparison with research institutions in industrialized countries (Bengston, Xu and Gregersen, 1988; Cheah and Wong, 1992; FAO, 1990a). There needs to be a considerable increase in forestry research human resources in developing countries if they are expected to develop the capability to manage their forest resources effectively and sustainably.

To work effectively, an NFRO requires capable leaders and managers as much as implementors. Salleh (1993) stressed the need to have leaders who harness the energy of researchers in the pursuit of effective research. Unfortunately, most research managers in NFROs are promoted to managerial responsibilities without being trained in research management methodologies. Such managers do not function as effectively as they should and often lack the leadership qualities to inspire their researchers. Unfortunately, the training needed to enhance the forestry researcher's management capability is not so readily available. Moreover, the need for managerial training is seldom recognized by policy-makers or sometimes even by the research managers themselves. In fact, initiatives to provide managerial training to forestry researchers have only been started in the past decade.

A key event which focused attention on the need for this type of training was the Asia-Pacific Workshop for Forest Research Directors, held at the Environment and Policy Institute of the East-West Center, University of Hawaii, in August 1982. At the meeting the participants expressed the need for training to enhance their capabilities to manage a research institute and called for donor agencies to provide the necessary financial and logistical support.

The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada was the first to respond, supporting an international training course for 29 managers of forestry-related research in 11 countries in the Asia and the Pacific region in 1984. The course was conducted by the Human Resource Management Unit of the School of Management at the National University of Singapore. In 1985, another 15 managers from four Association of Southeast Asian Nations followed a similar course at the University of Singapore, with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The research managers who participated in these training courses have argued strongly that the additional managerial skills acquired allow them to perform their duties and responsibilities more effectively and have recommended that their colleagues should likewise receive such training. A concerted effort has been made to rally support for forestry research management training, and a number of courses have since been held with support from various international agencies. Callaham (1989) gives a comprehensive account of the development of forestry research management for managers in NFROs in developing countries; important contributions from FAO and the Special Programme for Developing Countries (SPDC) of the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) are described briefly below.

FAO

Although FAO's mandate in forestry is not focused specifically on research, the efforts of the Organization in achieving improved forest research management in developing countries deserve acknowledgement. The publication Planning and managing forestry research: guidelines for managers (FAO, 1990a) is a major contribution towards the dissemination of knowledge that every practicing research manager should know, and it also embodies the various results of investigations on the status of forestry research in developing countries. This publication is very informative but slightly too theoretical for day-to-day use; therefore, an abridged version has been published as FAO Forestry Paper No. 102, Research management in forestry (FAO, 1992), to make the practical application of the recommended managerial practices easier for research managers.

A Meeting of Experts on Forestry Research was convened by FAO in Rome in October 1992 to discuss the strengthening of national forestry research, the training and development of scientists, research support networks and global overviews of forestry research (FAO, 1993a). The meeting recommended that national forestry systems and research capabilities be strengthened and identified research leadership and management as important elements [Ed. note: see review of the expert meeting proceedings, p. 62].

FAO also provided technical input for a forestry research management workshop, held in early 1993 in Malaysia for middle-level research managers from NFROs in developing Commonwealth countries.

One of the Organization's most recent activities has been to contract research managers in the Asia and the Pacific region to prepare up-to-date booklets on their institutions for distribution at the Forestry Research Support Programme for Asia and the Pacific (FORSPA) seminar on forestry research management, held from 2-6 March 1993 in Dehra Dun, India. Participants discussed management topics such as leadership in research, the allocation of research priorities and research evaluation.

1993 FRIM Workshop on Competitiveness through Technology sad Quality Management

Without a core of trained and motivated staff and managers, forestry research cannot live up to its potential

IUFRO and SPDC

Since its establishment, the SPDC has been involved in many activities to improve the management capabilities of forestry research managers as well as to enhance the research capability of the staff in these organizations. For example, a series of IUFRO/SPDC research planning workshops were held in collaboration with FAO in 1984 in Kandy, Sri Lanka, in 1986 and 1987 in Nairobi, and in 1987 in Huarez. Peru. In 1989, a ten-day IUFRO workshop on forestry research management in Africa, funded by the World Bank, was held in Nairobi to train 22 research directors and senior research officers from 21 developing countries.

Since each training course can accommodate only 20 to 30 participants, it would take many years before all the current research managers, plus those senior researchers who are likely to be assigned managerial responsibilities, could be trained.

Accordingly, the SPDC has adopted a new approach to speed up the transfer of managerial skills to research mangers. A set of 12 self-teaching modules on forestry research management are being prepared, based on FAO (1990a). These modules, currently being developed and tested, will allow research managers to learn at their own pace, at a reduced cost and without having to leave their institutions. The modules will be available in English, French and Spanish.

A IUFRO conference on forestry research management initiatives for the 1990s was held in October 1991 at the Forest Research Institute in Rotorua, New Zealand. Research managers and senior researchers from 11 countries attended this meeting to discuss the status of forestry research in various countries; the funding mechanisms geared towards self-financing; research policy and planning: industrial involvement in research; management of research information; internationalization of forestry research; strengthening of national research systems; intellectual property; and commercialization of research. The conference proceedings (currently in preparation) will be an extremely useful and informative document with which practicing research managers nay learn about the current thinking and trends in managing forestry research.

IUFRO also provided technical input for the above-mentioned forestry research management workshop held in early 1993 in Malaysia. [Ed. note: see article by Riley on the SPDC, p. 21.]

Human resources development programme of the forest research institute of Malaysia

A case-study

The remainder of this article traces the human resources development programme of the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM). Special attention is dedicated to the development of research management capability.

When FRIM became an autonomous institute with an expanded mandate in October 1985, an ambitious human resources development programme was put in place. The programme has three main aims:

· increase the management skills of managing and senior researchers;
· encourage and assist all researchers to undergo postgraduate training;
· provide in-service training in professional and practical skills to all levels of staff.

Prior to October 1985, such a human resources development programme could not be implemented because the institute was part of the Forestry Department and staff were transferable between the institute and the other departmental divisions. The Forestry Department's management did not recognize the fact that scientists are expensive to train and that they are most useful only after years of experience. The transfer system continually disrupted the research programme, particularly in silviculture. As a result, silvicultural research, which should have been the institute's lead activity, was never able to rise above an elementary level. Moreover, senior foresters from the field could he transferred into senior positions in the institute to manage research. The approach taken by these "managers" was bureaucratic, aimed at keeping the staff under control; true leadership in research was Impossible.

The staff of the institute was divided into two opposing camps: forestry graduates who were transferable and promotable, and permanent scientists who were not transferable and, generally, not promotable. This system was deeply resented by the scientists and caused serious morale problems. The granting of autonomy put an end to the transfer system and FRIM immediately merged all research officers, both forestry officers and research scientists, into one unified scheme. Those few who did not accept the new terms were allowed the option to return to other positions within the Forestry Department. The institute was then able to concentrate on the development of its staff.

FRIM autonomy leads to broadened client base

Before autonomy, the owner and virtually exclusive client of FRIM was the Forestry Department of Peninsular Malaysia. This was based on the erroneous conclusion of the Forestry Department that it alone had a significant and legitimate interest in forestry and forest management. The achievement of autonomous status allowed the institute to broaden significantly its list of "clients".

The various wood-based industries were, of course, recognized from the very beginning as major clients of FRIM's research, and representatives of such industries, including the sawmilling, wood processing, plywood and furniture industries, were appointed to FRIM's board of management together with representatives of the State Forestry Departments.

However, other clients soon established links with the institute. They included the powerful plantation sector, which enlisted FRIM in the development of commercial products for rubberwood and oil-palm stems; the rural development agencies which needed FRIM's help in the growing and processing of non-wood forest products such as rattan and bamboo: the urban development authorities for help in urban forestry; and the forest concessionaires who had forests of their own to manage. The many analytical

and testing facilities at FRIM, originally set up to support the forest-based industries, were soon discovered by other industries. For example, the furniture-testing facilities could be used to test all kinds of furniture, not only furniture made of wood, and the fire-door testing facilities could be used to test all kinds of material for fire resistance. In this way, the client list grew far beyond original expectations, thus giving FRIM an important role in the industrialization of Malaysia, but further increasing the need for effective management.

With autonomy, the institute was also able to expand its strategic role in the analysis of forestry, environment, development, science and technology issues and thereby provide the country and government with independent advice.

General training in research management

Already in 1984, in anticipation of autonomy, the institute had participated in the first international course for managers of forestry-related research institutions in Singapore (see p. 8). After this, FRIM actively sought funding to organize an in-house management course so as to extend the benefits of such training to a larger group of research managers.

In 1987, with financial support from the Malaysian-German Forestry Project managed by the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ), FRIM joined with the National Public Administration Institute of Malaysia (INTAN) to organize a research management training course, attended by 24 senior FRIM officers, including its deputy director-general, division directors and senior researchers. The success of this course led to the organization of a regional forestry research management training course in Kuala Lumpur in 1988. Financial support for the human resources staff and for the non-Malaysian participants came from the Winrock International Institute for Agricultural Development's Forestry/Fuelwood Research and Development (F/FRED) Project and the IDRC.

FRIM's most recent involvement in upgrading forestry research management skills was the organization of a research management course for Commonwealth countries, in February 1993, in Malaysia. This initiative was undertaken in collaboration with the Commonwealth Consultative Group on Technology Management (CCGTM) and IUFRO, with further technical assistance from FAO and GTZ.

In addition to general courses in research management, FRIM has organized team-building workshops and courses in motivation, lateral thinking, time management, goal-oriented project planning, intercultural management, public speaking and technical writing. These courses are intended to prepare senior researchers for managerial positions and to upgrade their capabilities for dealing with the public.

Postgraduate training

It is the policy of FRIM to require all researchers to undergo postgraduate study up to the Ph.D. level. The institute finances postgraduate training by soliciting funds from internal and external sources. It has benefited from a US$ 400 000 UNDP/FAO project which supports the training of 12 Ph.D. candidates. Under a collaborative project with the [United Kingdom's] Overseas Development Administration, a number of researchers involved in the project also have been enabled to pursue postgraduate training.

In pursuit of its training goals, FRIM incorporates a specific component, either for short-term technical training or postgraduate training, in most of its collaborative projects with international agencies.

In order to ensure that disruption of ongoing research programmes is minimized, FRIM has negotiated agreements with local and overseas universities which allow its researchers to do their post graduate degrees through split programmes. Under this special arrangement, FRIM researchers are away from Malaysia for a maximum of one year to fulfil residential requirements and benefit from overseas exposure, but the bulk of thesis research is done at the institute itself. The thesis supervisor is funded to visit FRIM once a year for two weeks to monitor progress and give guidance, an arrangement which works well. Sometimes a senior scientist in FRIM is appointed as co-supervisor.

Training for non-scientific staff

The provision of training opportunities is not restricted to scientific staff. The institute also makes use of courses for librarians, technicians, secretaries and drivers while, for the junior staff, it has organized in-house training on motivation, group dynamics, personal health care, etc.

FRIM Fellowship Award and Research Collaboration Grant

In a move that is unique for a developing country, the institute has obtained the support of its board to utilize its own funds to establish the FRIM Fellowship Award and the FRIM Research Collaboration Grant. The FRIM Fellowship Award allows the institute to fund established scientists from elsewhere, including from overseas, to work at FRIM in specific areas of research. This move was made in recognition of the fact that it could be more beneficial to bring an expert to work in the institute than to send a trainee away to work with the expert. FRIM's Research Collaboration Grant allows the institute to finance collaborative research between its own scientists and those of other agencies.

FRIM is also planning a programme of research assistantship whereby appropriately qualified graduates will be financed to undergo postgraduate training up to the Ph.D. level. Such graduate assistants would be registered at a local university but would be based at the institute and supervised by one of its senior scientists. FRIM would pay the registration fees for the graduate assistant plus a monthly allowance. Through this programme, the institute will be able to groom young scientists to become permanent researchers.

Scientific meetings and conferences

The rules for participation of FRIM staff at scientific meetings and conferences have been liberalized. Whereas attendance was at one time a reward jealously rationed out to a few, it is now considered normal for every scientist to attend relevant scientific meetings at regular intervals. The institute regards such meetings as a necessary tool for keeping scientists up-to-date and for boosting research morale. Attendance at international meetings also provides scientists with powerful incentives to upgrade their ability to use English in scientific information-processing and communication. This is very important in a country in which English is not the mother tongue, nor the primary language of education. The funding for attendance comes from various sources: FRIM has established linkages with nearly every international development agency from which it has been able to obtain support for attendance at international scientific meetings. In addition, it has been able to draw on its own financial resources.

Pro-active management

FRIM had to overcome several serious bureaucratic barriers at the start of its human resources development programme. The most serious of these was the rule that officers could not be sent for training or to overseas meetings until they had passed their probationary periods, which normally meant that training could not commence until three years after appointment. This carried various negative messages: that research could be postponed; that training was unimportant; that a delay of three years was unimportant; and that the country and the institute could afford to mark time. FRIM was successful in having this rule set aside, but it took a lot of lobbying to get this concession from the government.

The institute also had to devote a lot of energy to fund raising. With a degree of ingenuity, a lot of sincerity and a consistent approach, FRIM has found it not extraordinarily difficult to solicit funds for training and collaborative research. The key to success is to demonstrate that the institution and its leadership have the commitment and capacity to deliver the expected results.

Reward system

The institute has established an annual system of cash awards to acknowledge good research performance. The FRIM Scientist Award is given for a significant contribution to the advance of tropical forestry science and processing technology. The FRIM Publication Awards, designed to encourage the timely dissemination of research results and to improve the quality of writing and publications, recognize the best technical book and the best technical as well as semi-technical publication. The FRIM Innovator Award acknowledges the efforts of research scientists behind new processes and equipment and it is awarded during the annual Innovation Day ceremonies.

Conclusion

Nearly all tropical forests are located in developing countries which are still weak in research capacity. No amount of research on tropical forestry carried out in universities or research institutions in the developed countries, which are mostly in the temperate zone, would be effective in helping the developing countries solve the varied and complex management and utilization problems related to tropical forests. It is imperative that support be given by national governments and international agencies to enable NFROs in the developing nations to build up their capacity to undertake effective, original research and to conduct the meaningful transfer of technologies from the developed to the developing nations, and vice versa.

Research managers in the developing countries require training to develop the necessary skills and leadership ability to spearhead research on tropical forestry, while the researchers need opportunities for both short-term technical training and long-term postgraduate training. It is essential that investment in research capacity-building in the developing countries' national forestry organizations be substantially increased if tropical forests are to continue to provide food, shelter, income and recreation as well as environmental benefits to the coming generations.

Bibliography

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Callaham, R.Z. 1989. Training and education for management of RD &: A. In A.L. Lundgren, ed. The management of large-scale forestry research programs and projects. USDA General Technical Report NE- 1 30. Broomall, PA, USDA Forest Science Northwestern Forest Experiment Station.

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FAO, 1987. Forestry research in developing countries. Secretariat note prepared for the eighth session of the Commission on Forest Development in the Tropics. FO:FDT/87/4. Rome.

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