Systemic evaluation governance

New logics in the development of organisational fields

Abstract

Systemic evaluation governance, defined as governance systems anchored in evaluation and focused on developing performance through comparing actors in organisational fields, is increasingly institutionalised at international as well as national levels in recent years. Systemic evaluation governance takes several forms, e.g., the forms of indicator systems, benchmarking, accreditation, certification and initiatives of evidence-based professional practice. On the basis on a discussion of the concept of systemic evaluation governance, the article develops a typology of different forms of this specific governance type and analyses and discusses the logics and premises these are anchored in. The analysis is illustrated by empirical examples.