SOCIETY AS EMERGENT AND MORE THAN RATIONAL: AN ESSAY ON THE INAPPROPRIATENESS OF PROGRAM EVALUATION

In: Policy sciences: integrating knowledge and practice to advance human dignity ; the journal of the Society of Policy Scientists, Band 12, Heft 2, S. 113-129

Abstract

THE ARTICLE OFFERS A CRITIQUE OF PROGRAM EVALUATION AS A RESEARCH PARADIGM. THE AUTHOR ARGUES THAT PROGRAM EVALUATION RESEARCHERS FAIL TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT INFORMATION GAINED FROM APPLIED RESEARCH IS PARTLY DETERMINED BY SITUATIONAL FACTORS, THAT LANGUAGE IS SELECTIVE AND GOAL-ORIENTED, JUSTIFYING ACTION AS OFTEN AS IT DESCRIBES IT. THREE ALTERNATIVES TO EVALUATION QUANTIFICATION ARE PRESENTED.