Intro

Question 1

What is policy evaluation?

Answer 1

scientific analysis of a policy area, assessing policies based on specific criteria and formulating recommendations

Question 2

What forms of knowledge does policy evaluation include?

Answer 2

analytical knowledge (describing and explaining), evaluative knowledge (assessing), and prescriptive knowledge (recommending alternatives)

Question 3

What are different types of policy effects about: policy output performance, policy outcome or social change and environmental impact or change.

Answer 3

• Policy output or performance: The quantity and quality of products and services delivered.
• Policy outcome or social change: Behavioral changes among target groups.
• Environmental impact or change: Changes in environmental quality, such as reductions in pollution

Question 4

Explain the differences between ex ante, ex post, and ex nunc evaluations

Answer 4

• Ex Ante Evaluation: Evaluating policy before implementation.
• Ex Post Evaluation: Evaluating policy after implementation.
• Ex Nunc Evaluation: An ongoing evaluation process, not strictly before or after implementation

Question 5

What does the policy cycle consist of and why is it not realistic?

Answer 5

• Agenda-setting: Identifying and prioritizing problems.
• Policy-making: Generating, comparing, and selecting policy options.
• Policy implementation: Concretizing decisions into specific measures and mobilizing resources.
• Policy effects: Evaluating the outcomes, including behavioral changes and environmental impacts.
• Evaluation: Assessing the policy’s impact and effectiveness

Because things happening in time, happen in a non-linear way. There are always unforeseen things happening that get in the way and that influence specific stages from the policy cycle.

Question 6

What are key components of evaluation? (Change this)

Answer 6

Problem that needs solving
goal of evaluation: inform choices

• sets of alternatives
• Criteria of suitability
• Valuation of alternatives

Question 7

Wh would we evaluate ex ante or ex post?

Answer 7

ex ante: checking and picking alternatives

ex post: measure effectiveness, identifiying problems

Question 8

Why do we evaluate?

Answer 8

• Tool for communication
• Grounds the discussion
• Legitimises planning
• you can assess different steps
• Continuous learning

Question 9

What steps does the policy cyle consist of? According to Crabbe and Leroy

Answer 9

Agenda setting: Political setting of goals because of problems and societal focal points

Policy making: Forming of solution options. Generation and selection of policy options

FOrming of opinions: political decisions based on opinions

Policy implementation: Forming concrete measures. It’s about a mobilization of instruments and organizational planning.

Effects: policy effects will manifest

Question 10

Crabb and Leroy describe policy as three views: policy as a control loop, policy as political interaction and policy as an institutional phenomenon. Explain each of these.

Answer 10

Control loop: Policy is created in an environment of continuous social and political interaction. Goals, criteria, may be more fluid than fixed. A control loop rationale does not allow for the flexibility of updating goals and criteria.

Policy as a political interaction: inspired by paradigms from
political sciences, in which policy is mainly the product of power relations between various social and political actors, groups, convictions and interests. Policy is an unfolding struggle between conflicting interests and power bases here. It is more complex though. There is lengthy interaction and goals do not get attained as fast as possible.

Policy as an institutional phenomenon: the institutionalized manner of policy-making is certainly
related to the dominant view of one’s own policy field and the central tasks. Different departments have their own view on things. It’s more complex.