NCJ Number
56275
Journal
EVALUATION QUARTERLY Volume: 1 Issue: 3 Dated: (AUGUST 1977) Pages: 499-508
Date Published
1977
Length
10 pages
Annotation
THIS ARTICLE DRAWS ON RESEARCH IN ORDER TO CHARACTERIZE MANAGERIAL BEHAVIOR GENERALLY AND SPECIFICALLY WITH REGARD TO USE OF PROGRAM EVALUATION DATA. WAYS OF INCREASING THEIR USE OF THIS DATA ARE EXAMINED.
Abstract
PROBLEMS RELATED TO MANAGERIAL USE OF PROGRAM EVALUATION INFORMATION FOR PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT ARE: MISMATCH BETWEEN ROLES AND STYLES OF AGENCY PERSONNEL AND EVALUATORS; INSUFFICIENTLY RIGOROUS PROGRAM EVALUATION STUDIES; TOO MUCH ATTENTION GIVEN TO METHODOLOGICAL TECHNIQUES RATHER THAN FOCUSING ON PROGRAM ASSESSMENT; EVALUATION STUDY OUTCOMES THAT ARE NOT HELPFUL IN SUGGESTING DESIRABLE PROGRAM REVISIONS; RESULTS THAT ARE NOT AVAILABLE ON A TIMELY BASIS; IRRELEVANT RESULTS; EVALUATION DATA THAT ARE NOT AS IMPORTANT AS OTHER FACTORS, E.G., POLITICAL OR FUNDING ISSUES; AND INADEQUATE COMMUNICATION OF EVALUATION RESULTS TO AGENCY PERSONNEL. MANAGERS ARE REQUIRED TO WORK AT A FAST PACE, AND THEIR WORK ACTIVITIES ARE CHARACTERIZED BY BREVITY, VARIETY, AND FRAGMENTATION. MANAGERS PREFER ACTION AND VERBAL COMMUNICATION AND ARE ACTIVE AS COMMUNICATION LINKS WITH PERSONS THEY SUPERVISE AND WITH PERSONS WHO SUPERVISE THEM. MANAGERIAL WORK INVOLVES A BLEND OF RIGHTS AND DUTIES, AND MANAGERIAL BEHAVIOR IS RELATED TO THE EVALUATION OF HUMAN SERVICE PROGRAMS, PARTICULARLY WITH REGARD TO THE UTILIZATION OF EVALUATION DATA. IF EVALUATION RESULTS ARE TO BE EFFECTIVELY UTILIZED, EVALUATORS MUST PRESENT ORAL AS WELL AS WRITTEN REPORTS OF RESULTS, ORIENT THE EVALUATION RESULTS TOWARD SPECIFIC QUESTIONS WHICH ARE OF INTEREST TO THE MANAGER WHO WILL USE THE RESULTS ACCORDING TO THE NEED AND CONTEXT (I.E., USE WILL BE POLITICAL), AND, IN SHORT, DO MORE ADAPTING THAN THE MANAGERS OF PROGRAMS OR ORGANIZATIONS BEING EVALUATED. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)