Outcome Trajectory Evaluation (OTE): An Approach to Tackle Research-for-Development’s Long-Causal-Chain Problem
This paper develops a novel approach called Outcome Trajectory Evaluation (OTE) in response to the long-causal-chain problem confronting the evaluation of research for development (R4D) projects. OTE strives to tackle four issues resulting from the common practice of evaluating R4D projects based on...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | Inglés |
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SAGE Publications
2023
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/134736 |
| _version_ | 1855514615135338496 |
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| author | Douthwaite, Boru Proietti, Claudio Polar, Vivian Thiele, Graham |
| author_browse | Douthwaite, Boru Polar, Vivian Proietti, Claudio Thiele, Graham |
| author_facet | Douthwaite, Boru Proietti, Claudio Polar, Vivian Thiele, Graham |
| author_sort | Douthwaite, Boru |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | This paper develops a novel approach called Outcome Trajectory Evaluation (OTE) in response to the long-causal-chain problem confronting the evaluation of research for development (R4D) projects. OTE strives to tackle four issues resulting from the common practice of evaluating R4D projects based on theory of change developed at the start. The approach was developed iteratively while conducting four evaluations of policy-related outcomes claimed by the CGIAR, a global R4D organization. The first step is to use a middle-range theory (MRT), based on “grand” social science theory, to help delineate and understand the trajectory that generated the set of outcomes being evaluated. The second step is to then identify project contribution to that trajectory. Other types of theory-driven evaluation are single step: they model how projects achieve outcomes without first considering the overarching causal mechanism—the outcome trajectory—from which the outcomes emerged. The use of an MRT allowed us to accrue learning from one evaluation to the next. |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | CGSpace134736 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publishDateRange | 2023 |
| publishDateSort | 2023 |
| publisher | SAGE Publications |
| publisherStr | SAGE Publications |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1347362025-10-26T12:54:54Z Outcome Trajectory Evaluation (OTE): An Approach to Tackle Research-for-Development’s Long-Causal-Chain Problem Douthwaite, Boru Proietti, Claudio Polar, Vivian Thiele, Graham theory of change value chains This paper develops a novel approach called Outcome Trajectory Evaluation (OTE) in response to the long-causal-chain problem confronting the evaluation of research for development (R4D) projects. OTE strives to tackle four issues resulting from the common practice of evaluating R4D projects based on theory of change developed at the start. The approach was developed iteratively while conducting four evaluations of policy-related outcomes claimed by the CGIAR, a global R4D organization. The first step is to use a middle-range theory (MRT), based on “grand” social science theory, to help delineate and understand the trajectory that generated the set of outcomes being evaluated. The second step is to then identify project contribution to that trajectory. Other types of theory-driven evaluation are single step: they model how projects achieve outcomes without first considering the overarching causal mechanism—the outcome trajectory—from which the outcomes emerged. The use of an MRT allowed us to accrue learning from one evaluation to the next. 2023-09 2023-11-27T16:09:26Z 2023-11-27T16:09:26Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/134736 en Open Access SAGE Publications Douthwaite, B.; Proietti, C.; Polar, V.; Thiele, G. 2023. Outcome Trajectory Evaluation (OTE): an approach to tackle Research-for-Development’s Long-Causal-Chain problem. American Journal of Evaluation, 44(3), 335–352. ISSN 1557-0878. https://doi.org/10.1177/10982140221122771 |
| spellingShingle | theory of change value chains Douthwaite, Boru Proietti, Claudio Polar, Vivian Thiele, Graham Outcome Trajectory Evaluation (OTE): An Approach to Tackle Research-for-Development’s Long-Causal-Chain Problem |
| title | Outcome Trajectory Evaluation (OTE): An Approach to Tackle Research-for-Development’s Long-Causal-Chain Problem |
| title_full | Outcome Trajectory Evaluation (OTE): An Approach to Tackle Research-for-Development’s Long-Causal-Chain Problem |
| title_fullStr | Outcome Trajectory Evaluation (OTE): An Approach to Tackle Research-for-Development’s Long-Causal-Chain Problem |
| title_full_unstemmed | Outcome Trajectory Evaluation (OTE): An Approach to Tackle Research-for-Development’s Long-Causal-Chain Problem |
| title_short | Outcome Trajectory Evaluation (OTE): An Approach to Tackle Research-for-Development’s Long-Causal-Chain Problem |
| title_sort | outcome trajectory evaluation ote an approach to tackle research for development s long causal chain problem |
| topic | theory of change value chains |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/134736 |
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