Improving Transport Project Appraisals
In the Islamic Countries
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conditions related to the institutional framework and the strategic approach to the use of project
appraisal can undermine the credibility of the appraisal itself.
1.2 Conceptual framework of appraisal of transport projects
Against this background, a review of current practices of transport project appraisal can be
carried out at two different levels of analysis: a first dimension is related to technical issues
(methodologies used, approaches to identify and measure impacts, outcome indicators, etc.),
while a second one points to the institutional setting (legal basis of project appraisal, role in
decision-making process, distinction of roles, transparency, etc.).
Aiming at an in-depth scrutiny of project appraisal systems, a detailed conceptual framework is
essential to guide the analysis. In order to allow for a consideration of both the technical and the
institutional dimension, the World Bank (WB) framework for assessing Public Investment
Management (Rajaram et al., 2010) has been chosen as the main theoretical reference to develop
an ad-hoc conceptual framework. Mostly based on experiences drawn from developing
countries across the world, this framework is conceived as a tool to identify weaknesses in
public investment management systems that lead to unsatisfying outcomes. In addition, it
suggests specific institutional and technical remedies, outlining "must-have" features of well-
functioning systems. As such, the model proves an excellent guide that can be applied across
sectors and expenditure programmes.
In order to enhance the specific analysis on the transport sector, adaptations to such models
were made. Elaborating on the original WB framework, a number of institutional and technical
aspects influencing project appraisal practices in the transport sector have been thus identified,
structured and detailed, based on insights from sector-specific literature (Bristow and
Nellthorp, 2000; Mackie and Nellthorp, 2003; Mackie at al. 2005; Litman, 2006, Haezendonck,
2007; DfT, 2014; Nicolaisen and Driscoll, 2016) and drawing from international good practices.
The conceptual framework thus represents the analytical lenses through which to observe and
describe project appraisal in different contexts, while providing at the same time a detailed
checklist to assess current practices. It will serve as a guide to carry out a survey and case studies
in OIC member states, as well as subsequent analysis and formulation of conclusions and
recommendations.
synthetically presents the conceptual framework developed ad-hoc for the purposes
of this study. It consists of seven aspects that can be investigated on a case-by-case basis. There
are seven aspects, five related to the institutional dimension and two for the technical one, all of
them further structured into main elements.