PROGRAM EVALUATION MODELS AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF RESEARCH FINDINGS (FROM READINGS IN EVALUATION RESEARCH, 2ND ED., 1977, BY FRANCIS G CARO - SEE NCJ-50468)

• NCJ Number: 50471
• Author(s): H C SCHULBERG; F BAKER
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 10 pages
• Corporate Author: Russell Sage Foundation
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REPRINTED FROM AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, V 58, N 7 (JULY 1968), P 1248-1255

Annotation

THIS PAPER DESCRIBES ISSUES RELEVANT TO PROGRAM EVALUATION AND MODIFICATION AND DESCRIBES IMPLICATIONS OF VARIOUS RESEARCH MODELS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF RESEARCH FINDINGS.

Abstract

MANY ASPECTS OF THE EVALUATION PROCEDURE ITSELF, AND CERTAINLY ITS LATER UTILITY, HINGE UPON THE ADMINISTRATOR'S OR ORGANIZATION'S MOTIVATION IN CALLING FOR AN EVALUATION. CONTROVERSY FREQUENTLY ARISES BETWEEN THOSE SUBSCRIBING TO A 'COST ANALYSIS' CRITERION AS AN EVALUATION PURPOSE AND THOSE ADVOCATING A CRITERION THAT MEASURES 'HUMAN SUFFERING ALLEVIATED.' IN CONCEPTUALIZING APPROACHES TO PROGRAM EVALUATION TWO PROMINENT RESEARCH MODELS ARE CONSIDERED: THE GOAL-ATTAINMENT MODEL AND THE SYSTEM MODEL. THE CHARACTERISTICS AND LIMITATIONS OF EACH OF THESE MODELS ARE DESCRIBED AS THEY AFFECT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF RESEARCH FINDINGS. IT IS CONTENDED THAT THE SYSTEM MODEL, BY FOCUSING ON THE VARIOUS FACTORS DETERMINING RESEARCH DESIGN AND INTERPRETATION OF THE DATA, OFFERS MORE PROMISE FOR PROGRAMMATIC UTILIZATION OF THE EVALUATION FINDINGS THAN DOES THE GOAL-ATTAINMENT MODEL. THE SYSTEM MODEL ALSO HAS UTILITY FOR DETERMINING THE FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH EFFECTIVE INTEGRATION OF THE EVALUATION FINDINGS. BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEMS OF BLOCKED FEEDBACK OF EVALUATION INFORMATION TO THE ORGANIZATION REGARDING ITS PERFORMANCE, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT ANY ORGANIZATION CONSIDERING EVALUATION ESTABLISH A PLANNING DIVISION TO ENHANCE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF EVALUATION FINDINGS. (RCB)