Journal Articles

Are social mechanisms usable and useful in evaluation research?

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This article reflects on the potential contribution of a social mechanism approach to evaluation
research, based on the empirical analysis of three evaluations of European policies. A
methodological framework for carrying out evaluation based on this approach is put forward
that help identify questions to be answered and steps in a working method to be followed.
More specifically, the approach focuses on particular types of mechanism: those that stimulate
enduring changes in actors’ behaviour. Hence the label ‘social mechanism’. The underlying
hypothesis is that some institutional settings can orientate actors’ reasoning in a way conducive
to the attainment of policy goals. Moreover, it is assumed that a closer exploration of the
workings of mechanisms as part of an evaluation process is useful for both learning and policy
design. The article provides examples of evaluations where the proposed approach has been
applied.

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Detail Information

Series Title

Evaluation

Call Number

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Publisher

Thousand Oaks, CA : Sage Publications., 2016

Collation

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Language

English

ISBN/ISSN

13563890

Classification

NONE

Content Type

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Media Type

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Carrier Type

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Edition

Volume 22, Issue 2, April 2016; pp. 209–227

Subject(s)

Theory of change
Institutional capacity
extrapolative case studies
social mechanism theory

Specific Detail Info

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Statement of Responsibility

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