Translating Evaluation Policy Into Practice in Government Organizations

Area of Science:

• Public Administration
• Policy Implementation Studies
• Organizational Behavior

Background:

• Organizational evaluation policies guide evaluation practices, reflecting institutional priorities.
• The translation of evaluation policies into actual practices remains under-explored.
• Understanding the policy-practice link is crucial for effective governance and program improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the implementation of two Canadian federal government evaluation policies over a decade.
• To investigate the factors influencing the translation of evaluation policies into concrete practices.
• To analyze the variability in policy implementation across different governmental organizations.

Main Methods:

• Secondary analysis of governmental evaluation function reports over a 10-year period.
• Focus on two specific Canadian federal government evaluation policies.
• Qualitative assessment of implementation patterns and influencing factors.

Main Results:

• Certain elements of the evaluation policies have been fully implemented.
• Significant variation exists in how these policy elements are implemented across organizations.
• Organizational control and time were identified as key factors influencing policy implementation.

Conclusions:

• The link between evaluation policy and practice is complex and context-dependent.
• Variability in implementation highlights the need for tailored approaches.
• Further research is recommended to deepen the understanding of the policy-practice nexus in evaluation.