The Power and Paradoxes of Evaluation Systems – Increasing Use but Impeding Change

Authors

  • Niklas A. Andersen Department of Politics and Society, Aalborg University, Denmark

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58235/sjpa.v25i3-4.7063

Keywords:

evaluation systems, power, paradoxes, evidence-based policy and practice, employment services

Abstract

In recent years, evaluation systems have become increasingly embedded within public sector organisations. This trend of systematising and institutionalising evaluation activities has generally been perceived as a way to increase the use – and thus the power - of evaluations. However, this article argues that the power of evaluation systems is of a more complicated nature than merely increasing the uptake of evaluative knowledge. By applying the concept of “contestability differential” to a concrete example of an evaluation system within the Danish employment services, it is shown how the institutionalisation of an asymmetric power relation between evaluation system and evaluand creates inherent paradoxes.

The analysis shows how the strong contestability differential between evaluation system and evaluand – necessary for securing the influence of evaluation systems - hinges on the permanence, organisational embeddedness and epistemological fixation of such systems. However, these same elements simultaneously also limit the usefulness of the evaluative knowledge and the capability of the evaluation system to invoke radical change and development in the evaluand.

The article thus highlights an inherent paradox of evaluation systems in that they are simultaneously increasing and decreasing the power of evaluations.

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Author Biography

Niklas A. Andersen, Department of Politics and Society, Aalborg University, Denmark

Niklas Andreas Andersen (PhD) is a Postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Politics and Society, Aalborg University. His area of research is situated at the intersection between Social- and Employment Policies, where he studies how techniques for evaluating, calculating and steering Public Policies are contributing to policy-change. He furthermore focuses on the institutionalization of Evidence-based Knowledge in the process of designing and implementing new welfare policies. He holds a cand.scient.adm. in Politics and Administration and a PhD in political science – both from Aalborg University.

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Published

2021-12-15

How to Cite

Andersen, N. A. (2021). The Power and Paradoxes of Evaluation Systems – Increasing Use but Impeding Change. Scandinavian Journal of Public Administration, 25(3/4), 39–59. https://doi.org/10.58235/sjpa.v25i3-4.7063

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