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Abstract. Design has been recognized for a long time both as art and as science. In the sixties of the previous century design-oriented research began to draw the attention of scientific researchers and methodologists, not only in technical engineering but also in the social sciences. However, a rather limited methodology for design-oriented research has been developed, especially as to the social sciences. In this article we introduce evaluation methodology and research methodology as a systematic input in the process of designing. A designing cycle is formulated with six stages, and for each of these stages operations, guidelines and criteria for evaluation are defined. All this may be used for a considerable improvement of the process and product of designing.

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In the past decades substantial work has been done on the assessment of influence of stakeholders in political decision-making. However, its use may be difficult when the process to be investigated is highly complex. The EAR instrument to be presented here is a method for valid ordinal measurement of political influence in complex decision-making at various levels. This assessment is based on triangulation: (1) political players’ own perception of their influence; (2) other players’ perceptions of the influence brought to bear; and (3) a process analysis by the researcher. The application of the instrument is illustrated by a case regarding the political influence of global NGOs on the Climate Convention. The advantages and limitations of the EAR instrument are also discussed.

Hakim’s Preference Theory on the heterogeneity of the work-life preferences of women, and in particular its implicit assumption that a woman’s preference to work or to stay at home is based on her personal choices, has frequently been criticized. Other researchers emphasize the constraining influence that a woman’s personal, financial and family situation can have on her preferences. Our article aims at contributing to this debate by analysing the work orientations of female returners, in themselves a particular job-seeking category which differs noticeably from other categories in regard to their central motivation when considering whether or not to re-enter a paid job. Our research indicates that older female returners are more job and people oriented than younger ones. Female returners with a lower level of education and female returners with financial problems are money oriented, whereas higher educated female returners and female returners who are financially well off show more of a job orientation. Surprisingly, the presence of young children in the household does not significantly influence the work orientations of female returners.