Outcomes and Impacts of Development Interventions: Toward Conceptual Clarity. (December 2018)
- Record Type:
- Journal Article
- Title:
- Outcomes and Impacts of Development Interventions: Toward Conceptual Clarity. (December 2018)
- Main Title:
- Outcomes and Impacts of Development Interventions
- Authors:
- Belcher, Brian
Palenberg, Markus - Abstract:
- The terms "outcome" and "impact" are ubiquitous in evaluation discourse. However, there are many competing definitions that lack clarity and consistency and sometimes represent fundamentally different meanings. This leads to profound confusion, undermines efforts to improve learning and accountability, and represents a challenge for the evaluation profession. This article investigates how the terms are defined and understood by different institutions and communities. It systematically investigates representative sets of definitions, analyzing them to identify 16 distinct defining elements. This framework is then used to compare definitions and assess their usefulness and limitations. Based on this assessment, the article proposes a remedy in three parts: applying good definition practice in future definition updates, differentiating causal perspectives and using appropriate causal language, and employing meaningful qualifiers when using the terms outcome and impact. The article draws on definitions used in international development, but its findings also apply to domestic public sector policies and interventions.
- Is Part Of:
- American journal of evaluation. Volume 39:Number 4(2018:Dec.)
- Journal:
- American journal of evaluation
- Issue:
- Volume 39:Number 4(2018:Dec.)
- Issue Display:
- Volume 39, Issue 4 (2018)
- Year:
- 2018
- Volume:
- 39
- Issue:
- 4
- Issue Sort Value:
- 2018-0039-0004-0000
- Page Start:
- 478
- Page End:
- 495
- Publication Date:
- 2018-12
- Subjects:
- evaluation -- definitions -- development interventions -- outcomes -- impacts -- causality
Evaluation -- Periodicals
Public administration -- Evaluation -- Periodicals
Educational evaluation -- Periodicals
Social sciences -- Methodology -- Periodicals
300.72 - Journal URLs:
- http://aje.sagepub.com ↗
http://journals.sagepub.com/toc/ajec/current ↗
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/10982140 ↗
http://www.sagepublications.com/ ↗ - DOI:
- 10.1177/1098214018765698 ↗
- Languages:
- English
- ISSNs:
- 1098-2140
- Deposit Type:
- Legaldeposit
- View Content:
- Available online (eLD content is only available in our Reading Rooms) ↗
- Physical Locations:
- British Library DSC - BLDSS-3PM
British Library HMNTS - ELD Digital store - Ingest File:
- 8740.xml