Policy evaluation has two main functions: it should lead to policy oriented learning and facilitate accountability. Rendering account is considered an important democratic duty but is not very popular with politicians and, hence, public officials. Learning is popular, but in practice it is often difficult to organize or, indeed, witness. |
Bestuurskunde
Over dit tijdschriftMeld u zich hier aan voor de attendering op dit tijdschrift zodat u direct een mail ontvangt als er een nieuw digitaal nummer is verschenen en u de artikelen online kunt lezen.
Artikel |
Beleidsevaluatie, kennis en politiek: nieuw optimisme rond klassieke paradoxen |
Auteurs | Dr. Peter van der Knaap en Dr. Valérie Pattyn |
Artikel |
Systematisch leren van evaluerenWaarden, effectiviteit, onafhankelijkheid en kwaliteit als pijlers voor de brug tussen wetenschap en politiek |
Trefwoorden | Policy, Evaluation, Accountability, Learning, Values |
Auteurs | Prof. Dr. André Knottnerus, Dr. Peter de Goede en Dr. Peter van der Knaap |
Samenvatting |
Artikel |
Evaluatievermogen bij beleidsdepartementenLessen uit praktijken rond planning, uitvoering en gebruik van beleidsevaluaties |
Trefwoorden | evaluation capacity, policy evaluation, evaluation process, evaluation use |
Auteurs | Dr. Carolien M. Klein Haarhuis en Dr. Andreea Parapuf |
Samenvatting |
In this article, we explore how evaluations are managed by Dutch policy departments in terms of six aspects of evaluation capacity: institutions, programming, budgeting, evaluation process and content, and finally, evaluation use. We also sketch how international organisations and a number of larger countries deal with these issues of evaluation capacity. Internationally, a variety of norms, checklists and procedures demonstrate that the commissioning party is considered to play a key role in the realisation of evaluations as well as their use. Here, evaluation and evaluation knowledge are often viewed as part of the policy process rather than as a separate exercise. Our description of evaluation practices in Dutch policy departments reveals that several capacity-enhancing initiatives were developed in the past few years, such as new evaluation institutions or structures and programs to promote the commissioning of effectiveness evaluations. It also suggests, however, that accountability is an important driving force behind evaluation, perhaps more powerful than learning. |
Artikel |
Waarom evalueren beleidsmakers?Een longitudinale analyse van motieven voor beleidsevaluatie in Vlaamse ministeriële beleidsnota’s |
Trefwoorden | policy evaluation, evaluation purposes, Flanders, document analysis, evaluation discourse |
Auteurs | Drs. Bart De Peuter en Dr. Valérie Pattyn |
Samenvatting |
The evaluation purpose is decisive for how a policy evaluation is eventually used and deserves more attention in policy evaluation studies. In the present article, we investigated the motives underpinning concrete evaluations, as outlined in four series of Flemish ministerial policy notes that altogether span a 20-year policy period. The most important key finding is that the evaluation purposes are not sensitive to certain modes, neither are they strongly influenced by reforms and corresponding discourse. Despite the introduction of New Public Management oriented reforms in the Flemish public sector and the financial crisis, the relative share of attention that each of the evaluation purposes get has remained relatively unchanged across time. There seems to be a stable demand for ex ante and ex post evaluations and associated evaluation purposes. The common perception of a trend towards ever more evidence-based policy can hence not be confirmed. Remarkable as well is the low share of attention given to ‘accountability’, at least in discourse. |
Artikel |
Parliamentary oversight via evaluaties?De positie van het Vlaams parlement in een internationale context |
Trefwoorden | beleidsevaluatie / policy evaluation, Wetsevaluatie / law evaluation, Parlement / parliament, ex post / ex post, Vlaanderen / Flanders |
Auteurs | Peter Van Humbeeck en Prof. Dr. Tim Buyse |
Samenvatting |
Ex post evaluation is important for various reasons, in particular also from the perspective of parliaments. Evaluations feed and deepen the democratic debate by adding evidence on the results and real world impacts of laws. This strengthens each of the three institutional tasks of parliaments (initiating and approving laws, supervising government and approving the budget). Yet few parliaments in OECD countries have deployed ex post evaluation systematically. |
Artikel |
Oog voor succes: een pleidooi voor positieve beleidsevaluatie |
Trefwoorden | public policy, evaluation, success, accountability, learning |
Auteurs | Dr. Peter van der Knaap en Dr. Rudi Turksema |
Samenvatting |
One of the classic issues in literature on policy evaluation is that of utilization: how can we make sure the results of evaluative inquiry are used more and better? Traditionally, the answer to this question is often searched in improvement of evaluation quality (accuracy, reliability, independence of the researcher) or evaluation processes (more interaction and responsiveness). Although these are and remain crucial elements for any evaluation, the focus remains on the supply side of evaluation. The psychological insight that people tend to learn more from positive feedback and success is not taken into account. |
Artikel |
De parlementarisatie van Europees economisch beleid |
Trefwoorden | European Parliament, politicisation, economic policy, democratic deficit |
Auteurs | Dr. Adriaan Schout, Jan Marinus Wiersma, Mariana Gomes Neto e.a. |
Samenvatting |
Since the euro crisis the EU has seen a deepening of integration with a new framework for economic and budgetary coordination. With the new framework reforms in pension or housing market are coordinated at the European level. This comprehensive set of rules and monitoring mechanisms has revived the debate on Europe’s democratic deficit. This article describes how the European Parliament (EP) tries to fill the democratic void in economic governance. The EP’s formal role is limited, but by using mostly informal mechanisms the EP is setting in motion an incremental process towards further control. This development should be seen in light of a political battle on the interpretation of the new rules, which has accordingly become increasingly politicized. The Dutch have always wanted a European economic policy on the basis of technocracy and rules, but at the same time Europe’s political union draws ever closer. |
Artikel |
Bouwen aan de ideale bestuurskundeReflecties van tien jonge hoogleraren |
Trefwoorden | Public Administration, Policy Sciences, Academia vs. practice |
Auteurs | Dr. Philip Marcel Karré |
Samenvatting |
For this article, part of a series on the future of the discipline in the Netherlands, the author has talked to ten newly appointed professors in the field of public administration. We discussed their background, how they see their role and position within university and society and how they view recent developments in our field of study and our discipline. The young professors share their view on how our discipline could and should develop and what their role will be in this process. |
Diversen: Rubrieken |
Publiek-private samenwerking in Nederland en Vlaanderen: een review van veertien proefschriften |
Trefwoorden | Flanders, Netherlands, public-private partnerships (PPP), review |
Auteurs | Dr. Marlies Hueskes, Prof. dr. Joop Koppenjan en Prof. dr. Stefan Verweij |
Samenvatting |
Public-private partnerships (PPPs) have attracted considerable attention in the Netherlands and Flanders, as witnessed by the recent wave of doctoral theses on this topic. This article presents a review of fourteen Dutch and Flemish doctoral theses, published in the period 2012-2015. The main purpose of the review was to examine what the theses’ most important findings and conclusions are. We found that they mainly focus on themes related to effectiveness, transaction costs, and legitimacy. However, although PPPs are often part of a debate between opponents and proponents, none of the studies found convincing arguments for or against the use of PPPs. Instead, most studies stressed the importance of contextual factors for the success of PPPs. The doctoral theses provided various valuable recommendations for practitioners regarding, e.g., the optimization of PPP procurement and the importance of soft management aspects such as collaborative working and process management. We observed that most theses studied PPPs by applying traditional theories and methods and that the majority focused on the early project phases of planning, procurement, and contracting. More research is needed into the later project phases. Finally, since the generalizability of the theses is limited, more programmatic, quantitative, and (international) comparative research is required. |
Diversen: Rubrieken |
Juryrapport H.A. Brasz-scriptieprijs 2015 |
Diversen: Rubrieken |
Boundary-spanning in governance netwerkenEen studie naar de rol van boundary spanners en hun effecten op democratische legitimiteit en prestaties van governance netwerken |
Diversen: Rubrieken |
Bronnen van legitimiteitOver de zoektocht van de wetgever naar zeggenschap en gezag |