An evaluation of evaluation: problems with performance measurement in small business loan and grant schemes

Attitudes of food entrepreneurs towards two grant schemes under the first England Rural Development Programme, 2000–2006

“…While two economic evaluations of these schemes have been undertaken for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) (Elliott et al, 2003;Leat and Revell, 2005), more qualitative insights into producer attitudes towards the rules of the schemes, the application process and potential barriers to applying have not been provided. Such an analysis allows for the importance of contingent factors and the socio-economic contexts of food entrepreneurs to be considered (Jackson, 2001). The following section provides a policy and Marketing of quality agricultural products 3…”

Towards an Enhanced Evaluation of European Rural Development Policy Reflections on United Kingdom Experience

“…In some cases, local deliverers can see formal evaluation as a threat, or a cynical exercise which will deliver little of benefit to them. Where these situations arise, the quality and consistency of the formal evaluation can be significantly compromised (Jackson, 2001). Even for the external consultants commissioned to undertake evaluations, the incentives involved in such an exercise almost inevitably shift during the tendering and execution stages of an evaluation, as its instrumental nature and its practical and political limitations become gradually more apparent.…”

“…Does this system therefore discourage the use of modernisation funding for this purpose? The problems of target-chasing in response to overly crude performance indicators has been well documented in the evaluation literature (summarised in Jackson, 2001). If the European Commission wishes to avoid these problems it should perhaps ensure that when evaluation questions are set, they make explicit provision for programme authorities to apply a more integrated approach to assessing how different measures from across the axes might contribute to the full set of impact indicators, rather than encouraging too mechanistic a linkage between single indicators and axes.…”

Selection, valuation and performance assessment: Are these truly inter-linked within the M&A transactions?

“…Second, a development function that deals with the operation of a program by providing suggestions for an improvement. Third, a knowledge function that contributes to the generation of knowledge about social (or economic) phenomena (Jackson, 2001).…”

“…The evaluation process includes both ex ante and ex post components with the latter almost always looking explicitly at future applications of past experience (Jackson, 2001). Because of that element, one can expect useful information derived from the evaluation process for decisions relating to a policy and program development, monitoring and assessment (Chelimsky, 1994).…”