Crafting Evaluation Research in the Public Sector: Reconciling Rigour and Relevance
探讨了评估研究中的复杂性，聚焦于评估区域经济举措时面临的方法论问题，包括政治背景、利益相关者、项目成功评估及如何影响学术和政策界。
SUMMARY This paper examines some of the complexities involved in crafting evaluation research. In particular, it focuses upon the major methodological issues which confront researchers seeking to evaluate area‐based economic initiatives. It starts by examining the implications for the design of evaluation research of the political context within which it takes place and the multiplicity of stakeholders who have an interest in its findings. It then examines a number of key methodological issues which need to be addressed by evaluators in order to derive reliable assessments of the success of programmes and discusses the ways in which evaluators can communicate findings in order to secure greater influence both upon the academic and the policy‐making communities. We conclude that the need to reconcile applied policy research with the development of theories and concepts has important implications for the conduct and resourcing of evaluations undertaken by management researchers.