Case study: evaluation of IKM Emergent from a complexity perspective

Authors

  • Sarah Cummings
  • Mike Powell

Keywords:

evaluation, research, evaluation methodologies

Abstract

This case study describes the evaluation of the IKM Emergent Research Programme which took place over the 2008?2011 period. The paper has been written by the co-directors of the programme and reflects on the process of the evaluation which was undertaken by two external consultants. The methodology of the evaluation comprised: drawing together other evaluations already being undertaken by programme projects; encouraging reflection and reflexivity among programme participants; and engaging a Southern evaluator. The case study first provides a brief overview of the IKM Emergent Research Programme. It then reviews the methodology followed in the evaluation and provides an overview of the main conclusions of the evaluation which were generally very positive. The many strengths of the evaluation are outlined as are some of the weaknesses in the opinion of the authors. In the final section, the case study argues that the evaluation fits within the tradition of adaptive pluralism.

References

Beardon, H. and Guijarro, D., 2012. IKM: working with change. Bonn: EADI, IKM Emergent.
Available from: http://wiki.ikmemergent.net/files/1201-pbc-v1.pdf [Accessed 29 January 2012].
Chambers, R., 2010. Paradigms, poverty and adaptive pluralism. IDS Working Paper No. 344.
Brighton, UK: Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, UK. Available from:
http://www.ids.ac.uk/files/dmfile/Wp344.pdf [Accessed 29 January 2012].
Ferguson, J.E., Mchombu, K., and Cummings, S., 2008. Meta-review and scoping study
of the management of knowledge for development. IKM Working Paper No. 1.
Available from: http://wiki.ikmemergent.net/files/80310_IKM_Working_Paper_No._1_Metareview_
and_scoping_study.pdf [Accessed 29 January 2012].
Foucault, M., 1977. Discipline and punish. London: Penguin.
Le Borgne, E., Brown, V.A., and Hearn, S., 2011. Monitoring and evaluating development as a
knowledge ecology: ideas for new collective practices. IKM Working Paper No. 13. Available
from: http://wiki.ikmemergent.net/files/IKM_Working_Paper_No_13_Aug_2011.pdf [Accessed
29 January 2012].
Lester, S., 1999. An introduction to phenomenological research. Taunton UK, Stan Lester
Developments. Available from: www.sld.demon.co.uk/resmethy.pdf [Accessed 29 January
2012].
Mowles, C., 2008. Introductory evaluation paper of the IKM Emergent Programme. Bonn: EADI,
IKM Emergent. Available from: http://wiki.ikmemergent.net/index.php/File:0807-review.doc
[Accessed 29 January 2012].
Mowles, C., 2009. Interim evaluation paper of the IKM Emergent Programme. Bonn: EADI,
IKM Emergent. Available from: http://wiki.ikmemergent.net/files/0910-Interim_report_from_
the_IKME_evaluator-1.pdf [Accessed 29 January 2012].
Mowles, C. and Gurumurthy, A., 2011a. IKME fourth evaluation paper. Bonn: EADI, IKM
Emergent. Available from: http://wiki.ikmemergent.net/files/1111-Fourth_IKME_Evaluation_
Report_V5.pdf [Accessed 29 January 2012].
Mowles, C. and Gurumurthy, A., 2011b. Summary and final IKME evaluation report. Available from:
http://wiki.ikmemergent.net/files/1112-Evaluation_Summary_with_outputs.pdf [Accessed 29
January 2012].
Powell, M. and Cummings, S., 2010. Progress to date of the IKMEmergent research programme: synthesis,
understandings and lessons learned. Knowledge Management for Development Journal,
6 (2), 132?150. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19474199.2010.533516 [Accessed 29
January 2012].
Quinn Patton, M., 2009. Developmental evaluation. Unpublished presentation. Available from:
http://www.evaluationcanada.ca/distribution/20090601_quinn_patton_michael_a.pdf [Accessed
29 January 2012].
Zweck, C. von, Paterson, M., and Pentland, W. 2008. The use of hermeneutics in a mixed methods
design. The Qualitative Report, 13 (1), 116?134. Available from: http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/
QR13-1/vonzweck.pdf [Accessed 29 January 2012

Published

2019-09-04

Most read articles by the same author(s)

<< < 1 2 3 4 5 > >>