Beleidsevaluatie in theorie en praktijk (Policy evaluation in theory and practice)
‘A clear overview of the basis of policy research… absolutely recommended’, wrote “Beleidsonderzoek Online”. ‘A necessary and useable book that will certainly find its way as a textbook or reference book’, said “Binnenlands Bestuur”. ‘A beautiful, complete and attractive book about policy evaluation. Its system is clear and the authors obviously enjoy their work,’ according to “Bestuurskunde”.
As authors, we were of course very happy with these reviews. Even better is that the book has indeed found its way to universities and colleges and to researchers and knowledge workers in practice. We hope that the book succeeds in its aim and helps to set up and carry out good evaluation reserch. And to have a positive impact on policy and implementation (because that’s what it’s all about).
It is a book in which all the important themes in the field of policy evaluation and court of audit research are reviewed. It can be read as a practical guide for researchers and clients, but we also focus on students, evaluators, and scientists. In addition to established methods, responsive and innovative approaches are described. In addition, we discuss the place of evaluation research in the current information age. With many examples from practice and with experiences and tips from renowned experts.
Our publisher, Boom Bestuurskunde in The Hague, has made a beautifully designed book of it which can be viewed and ordered via bol.com, managementboek.nl and, of course, with the publishing house itself.
This book broadens the toolbox of evaluators. This makes task-focussed evaluation possible: finding a form of evaluation appropriate to the issue and the policy approach.”
(Prof.dr. M.A. van der Steen, Erasmus University Rotterdam)
Success in Evaluation – Focusing on the positives
A book about the advantages and possibilities of the deliberate search for success using policy evaluation. Written together with Rudi Turksema and Steffen Bohni Nielsen in the series Comparative Policy Evaluation (Vol. 22).
The positive approach to evaluation in relation to achieving success is a breath of fresh air. Indeed, it is time for evaluators to help and encourage users more to learn from (policy) experiences. And: that evaluated to open up to it from the beginning.”
(From the review of Beleidsonderzoek Online, February 2017)
From the back cover: ‘Success in Evaluation takes a fundamentally different approach to the mainstream supply side discussion of evaluation quality, utilization, and learning. The contributors believe that a systematic focus on success will lead to increased awareness of evaluation and its findings, a more positive attitude, and a greater chance of actual evaluation use. This book offers many different lessons on how to improve evaluation design, research processes, and reporting. It is a realistic look at performance management, the evidence movement, and the demand barriers that so often block the role evaluators can play in organizational learning and decision-making. International case studies and lessons are included that both explain success-oriented methods and share insightful lessons from the real world. Together, they present a convincing case that evaluation for success allows for increased constructive interaction amongst both stakeholders and evaluators and, as a result, learning processes and outcomes will improve.’
Resultaat gericht sturen en evalueren (Results-oriented governance and evaluation) (with Ard Schilder).
From the description of managementboek.nl: “This book contains a targeted exploration of policy instrumentation and policy evaluation. From the perspective of the result-oriented management model, insights from theory and practice are linked in a systematic manner. In addition to an overview of result-oriented policy instruments, the reader is familiarised with the new frameworks for policy evaluation. The book is intended for anyone who is professionally involved in policy instrumentation and policy evaluation. Due to the chosen design, it is an excellent textbook for practical training in the field of financial and economic policy, public controlling, policy research and, more generally, public finance and public administration.”
Trajectmanagement: beschouwingen over beleidsdynamiek en organisatieverandering (Traject management: reflections on policy dynamics and organisational change)
Once policy was to achieve certain objectives in a certain time sequence with the use of certain instruments. Organisational changes could be designed and implemented in turn. That time is far behind us. In today’s fragmented network society, the struggle for objectives, discussion about limited effectiveness of instruments, complexity and uncertainty prevail. The law of diminishing policy effectiveness is manifesting itself like never before.
In the liber amicorum for Roel in ’t Veld – the concept of trajectory management was introduced by him as a ‘verse in thinking about policy and management’ – we aim to do justice to the diversity and continuous change that are central to his work. Theoretical backgrounds, the methods and design principles of trajectory management are all being discussed.
Lerende overheid, intelligent beleid (Learning government, intelligent policy”. For my thesis I would like to refer to Dissertation.