Understanding Organization Capacity for Evaluation: Synthesis and Integration

Abstract

Abstract: The special issue is devoted to the examination of organizational capacity for evaluation and evaluation capacity building (ECB) through empirical inquiry. The compilation consists of two quantitative surveys of evaluators and seven single or multiple case studies across a broad array of organizations in a diverse contexts (e.g., east-central Ontario, California, Hawaii, Minnesota, and Israel). In this final article, the authors look across the collection of studies to identify emerging themes and trends with implications for ECB. The emergent themes are defining ECB; conceptualizing ECB outcomes; organizational context; ECB implementation issues; and enabling factors and barriers to organizational evaluation capacity development.