EVALUATION AND SOCIAL SERVICE - AN ANALYSIS OF CONFLICT AND PROPOSALS FOR CHANGE (FROM EVALUATOR AND MANAGEMENT, 1979, BY HERBERT C SCHULBERG AND JEANETTE M JERRELL - SEE NCJ-63825)

• NCJ Number: 63827
• Author(s): J A MORELL
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 15 pages
• Corporate Author: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: ADAPTED FROM A PAPER PRESENTED AT THE SECOND ANNUAL MEETING OF THE EVALUATION RESEARCH SOCIETY, WASHINGTON, DC, NOVEMBER 2-4, 1978.

Annotation

APPLIED RESEARCH IN THE FORM OF OUTCOME EVALUATION IS HAMPERED BY CONFLICT BETWEEN RESEARCHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS. THIS ARTICLE PROPOSES A TECHNOLOGICAL EVALUATION BASIS TO REDUCE EVALUATOR-AGENCY FRICTION.

Abstract

SOCIAL RESEARCH AND SOCIAL AGENCIES ARE MUTUALLY DEPENDENT. THE AGENCIES SERVE AS LABORATORIES FOR THE RESEARCHERS AND ULTIMATELY REAP THE BENEFITS OF RESEARCH INSIGHTS. HOWEVER, THEIR INTERDEPENDENCE BREEDS A CONFLICT IN THE DAILY INTERACTION BETWEEN ADMINISTRATORS AND RESEARCHER THAT IS FURTHERED BY THEORETICAL GOAL DISCREPANCIES. THIS PAPER RECOMMENDS REORIENTATION OF EVALUATION TO EMPHASIZING PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS BY TECHNOLOGICAL METHODS. A TECHNOLOGICAL EVALUATION APPROACH WOULD PUT RESEARCHERS IN THE SAME PROBLEM-GENERATING CONTEXT AND CONSTRAINT SET WHICH SURROUND PRACTICAL DECISIONMAKERS. FOR TECHNOLOGISTS, THEORY IS JUDGED BY ITS PRACTICAL UTILITY, AND QUESTIONS FOR STUDY ARE AIMED AT ISSUES WHICH MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE REAL WORLD. THUS, TECHNOLOGICAL MODELS WILL GIVE EVALUATORS AND DECISIONMAKERS A COMMON FRAME OF REFERENCE FOR DETERMINING NEEDS, PRIORITIES, AND ACCEPTABLE SOLUTIONS. IN ADDITION, AGENCY COOPERATION COULD BE TRADED FOR SPECIALIZED INFORMATION AND EVALUATORS COULD ASSUME THE ROLES OF 'DEVELOPMENT ENGINEERS,' WHOSE JOB IS EXPLORING LINKS BETWEEN DEVELOPMENTS IN SOCIAL RESEARCH AND SERVICE AGENCY NEEDS. EVALUATORS ALSO SHOULD USE MULTIPLE MEASURES OF SUCCESS, AND THUS HELP PROGRAMS SHOW GOOD RESULTS, WHILE MAINTAINING SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY OF THE EVALUATION PROCESS. THE MEASURE OF EVALUATION RELEVANCE IN THE LONG-RUN SHOULD BE EMPHASIZED. A RELIABLE KNOWLEDGE BASE WITH APPLICABILITY TO A VARIETY OF SETTINGS IN THE SOCIAL SERVICES FIELD WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT ADVANTAGE. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (MRK)