Comparative study on the institutionalisation of evaluation in Europe and Latin America

Lázaro, Blanca

01/03/2016

Publicaciones EUROsociAL

Estudios

15

Estados de la Cuestión

Inglés

Finanzas Públicas

evaluación cuantitativa; evaluación; evaluación de impacto; políticas públicas

This report is intended to contribute to the description and analysis of the public policy
evaluation systems being developed in various European and Latin American countries,
and to the identification of factors that determine the proper implementation of these
systems. Beyond the significance of the description and analysis themselves, the
ultimate objective is to offer an approach to possible alternatives for the
institutionalisation of evaluation in four countries of Latin America: Costa Rica, Ecuador,
Peru and Paraguay.
The emergence, configuration and evolution of state-level evaluation systems has
been the subject of analysis for a relatively short period of time, which undoubtedly
represents a limitation for this study. This affects our understanding of what an
evaluation system is; what its components are; what is its role and mission in a
institutional public setting; its resources, activities, and the results to be expected from
this system; the factors that determine whether it is functioning correctly or incorrectly,
and whether its results are satisfactory or unsatisfactory.
Conversely, it is also important to observe the social and cultural setting in which
evaluation is carried out. Successful recipes for a specific context may not work in a
different one since they will need to be implemented by other people who may be
immersed in a different political, administrative and organisational culture; under
social and economic conditions that may vary substantially; and as part of personal,
professional and institutional networks that may also be different.
This report has been prepared based on a review of academic literature and documents
produced by international bodies and public sector agencies in the countries studied.
It does not include field work, particularly interviews with leaders or other stakeholders
of the studied evaluation systems, and it has therefore not been possible to confirm or
update the documentary information in some cases. With regard to Spain, the
documentary analysis is combined with the experience of the author in the
management of a leading body for policy evaluation in that country between 2008
and 2013.
Even with these limitations, the report provides the benefit of bringing together in a
single document a panoramic view of both the evolution and current situation of
evaluation systems in a good part of Europe and a selection of Latin American countries,
as well of analysing the main issues, obstacles and lessons learned with respect to the
creation and development of these systems.
The text is structured in four sections. The first section reviews and sets out the current
conceptual framework for evaluation systems and strategies for promoting them. The
second section focusses on evaluation systems in European countries. The third section
analyses the situation in certain Latin American countries. The final section sets out
conclusions and recommendations intended to serve as a basis for devising, in the
short term, specific roadmaps for the institutionalisation of evaluation in the
aforementioned four countries.