Program Evaluation in the Municipal Sector – Case Study Slovakia and Canada

Dana Švihlová, Robert Shipley

 

Abstract

In most developed countries, planning initiatives intended to improve people’s lives are implemented through programs planned and delivered locally. Those responsible for such programs ought to be concerned about whether or not a program is having the desired outcome. In some sectors such as public health and education it appears that program results are carefully evaluated. But what about the programs initiated and managed by regional and local authorities? To address this question, programs in Slovakia and Canada were studied. Examples of housing and waste management programs in eight municipal authorities in each country were surveyed regarding their practices. The study therefore comprised a total of thirty-two cases. It was discovered that while the performance of most programs was being monitored, not all programs were being evaluated and that most often the evaluation focused on performance rather than outcomes. Some conclusions are drawn and recommendations offered.

Dana Švihlová, College of European and Regional Studies, České Budějovice, Czech Republic, danka.svihlova@gmail.com; Robert Shipley, School of Planning, University of Waterloo, Canada,rshipley@uwaterloo.ca

ŠVIHLOVÁ, D., SHIPLEY, R. (2017) „Program Evaluation in the Municipal Sector – Case Study Slovakia and Canada“. Evaluační teorie a praxe 5(2): 27–48