Date of Award

12-2012

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Evaluation

First Advisor

Dr. Chris L. S. Coryn

Second Advisor

Dr. Michael Bamberger

Third Advisor

James Rugh

Keywords

Evaluation capacity development, VOPE, national evaluation associations, ECB, eco, African evaluation

Abstract

Building on both the current thinking among international development practitioners and the on-going scholarly debate on evaluation capacity development (ECD), this study aims to identify strategies that might help to strengthen national evaluation capacity in a variety of countries in a more inclusive and sustainable fashion in the future. Based on a case study design featuring an extensive literature review of specialized literature (both within and outside the evaluation field), a series of semi-structured interviews and three rounds of online validation sessions held with ECD researchers, funders and implementers; this study aims at three main objectives. First, in an attempt to enhance a more proper use of the term ECD as opposed to that of evaluation capacity building (ECB), several ECD central attributes are identified. Second, based on data collection carried out in Niger, Democratic Republic of Congo and South Africa, the capabilities (and corresponding weaknesses) of national evaluation associations as well as the magnitude of their contribution to national ECD programming, are assessed. Third, based on the analysis of the shortcomings associated with some of the existing ECD evaluative frameworks, some essential criteria for measuring ECD results more effectively in the future are presented. Results show that, for the sake of promoting a national evaluative culture in international development contexts more successfully in the future, two main strategies ought to be pursued. First, to make ECD programming more participatory, a plurality of governmental and non-governmental actors need to be involved in both the design and implementation of ECD programs. Second, in order to enhance info-sharing and evaluation knowledge-building among a variety of ECD stakeholders both in the public and private sector, the feasibility of implementing sphere-crossing initiatives within the scope of national ECD program needs to be explored more systematically. Such is the case of activities and programs supporting the creation and/or strengthening of formal and informal national evaluation associations, increasingly referred to by development agencies as Voluntary Organization of Professionals in Evaluations (VOPE).

Access Setting

Dissertation-Open Access

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