CHAPTER 6
Technology in the World Bank’s Portfolio of Human Capital Projects in South Asia
Introduction This chapter presents an analysis of components of the World Bank’s projects in South Asia related to human capital. The analysis relies on the human capital framework and technology classifications outlined in chapter 2. Because these projects were not prepared using the human capital framework or the technology classification systems developed for this report, this is an ex post analysis. Nonetheless, analyzing the portfolio through this lens enables identification of the gaps and issues that must be addressed going forward to meet the human capital objectives in the South Asia region. Box 6.1 summarizes the scope of the portfolio analysis. The next section decomposes the technology components of these projects along the three dimensions of the study’s human capital framework—that is, those that primarily serve to build and protect, deploy and utilize, or empower human capital. They were further subdivided according to the technology classification schema in figure 2.3 in chapter 2. The components related to the build and protect dimension include individual technology products and services that support service delivery and digital platforms that, in turn, support ecosystem building for delivering services. Technology components related to the deploy and utilize human capital dimension are further broken down into those that help to develop skills (such as employability skills and entrepreneurship and firm capabilities) and specialized knowledge capital. Finally, technology components related to the empower dimension of the human capital framework include policies and institutions (such as data and technology governance to minimize risks to
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