PROGRAM EVALUATION - SOCIAL RESEARCH VERSUS PUBLIC POLICY

• NCJ Number: 16679
• Journal: Public Administration Review Dated: (NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1972) Pages: 868-874
• Author(s): T A MOREHOUSE
• Date Published: 1972
• Length: 7 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Corporate Author: American Soc. for Public Admin
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

DISCUSSES BASIC POLITICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL FACTORS THAT HAVE PRECEDED AND STRUCTURED THE CONTEXT FOR CONFLICTS AMONG RESEARCHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS IN THE EVALUATION OF FEDERALLY FUNDED BROAD-AIM SOCIAL ACTION PROGRAMS.

Abstract

THE AUTHOR NOTES A SHIFT IN THE LATE 1960'S IN EMPHASIS IN FEDERAL DOMESTIC POLICY FROM PROGRAM INNOVATION TO PROGRAM EVALUATION. THIS SHIFT IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE CHANGE FROM A LIBERAL TO CONSERVATIVE ADMINISTRATION IN 1969. A PROBLEM WITH EVALUATION OF THESE TYPES OF PROGRAMS IS THAT IT EITHER FAILS TO IDENTIFY AND MEASURE THE ACTUAL EFFECTS OF PROGRAMS, OR IT FAILS TO PRODUCE ACCEPTABLE FINDINGS CONSISTENT WITH THE POLICY MAKERS' COMMITMENTS TO PROGRAM SUCCESS. A RELATED PROBLEM IS THAT EVALUATION RESEARCH IS GENERALLY APPLIED TO PROGRAMS WHICH THEMSELVES SEEM TO HAVE LITTLE IMPACT. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE ROLE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE MAY BE EVALUATION RATHER THAN INNOVATION AND THAT PROGRAM EVALUATION MAY NOT BE SUCCESSFULLY CARRIED OUT BY SOCIAL RESEARCHERS. COMMENTS ARE THEN MADE ON THE LIMITS OF THE EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN IN EVALUATING BROAD-AIM PROGRAMS. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT A MORE BROADLY CONCEIVED APPROACH TO EVALUATION OF OPPORTUNITY PROGRAMS BE ADOPTED.