La propension des gestionnaires envers les évaluations participatives

Increasing importance is being given to the evaluation of international projects implemented in developing countries. Some approaches to evaluation seek to include non-evaluators in some steps of the evaluation process. It is believed to result in decision-making that is better supported by the evidence. One such approach is practical participatory evaluation, or PPE. PPE faces a number of challenges, including negative individual attitudes or resistance to change on the part of non-evaluator participants. This thesis studies the positive individual attitudes or propensity of managers toward PPE. It examines the factors that affect individual propensity toward PPE and individual variation in propensity toward PPE. I first defined propensity toward PPE based on a literature review. In general, propensity toward PPE is a favourable attitude, both affectively and cognitively, toward the practice of PPE at all steps of the evaluation process. More specifically, it comprises four dimensions: learning, working in groups, use of systematic methods and use of judgment. I used these dimensions to analyse data I collected in a multiple case study of managers working at a health institution in Haïti. The data came from semi-structured interviews and documentary sources. I found that learning mainly occurred though doing and observing. Working in groups was entrenched in the daily practice of both administrative and clinical health managers. The use of systematic methods took the form of managers consulting multiple actors who had a stake in the immediate problem being addressed, rather than using methodological tools. The use of systematic methods involved either seeking a broader array of opinions in order to solve a situation or attempting to validate information received. Health managers used judgment in situations where their individual, professional, corporative or organizational image was affected, or when others had constructive suggestions to make. In addition to explaining the contexts in which they have exhibited, or would exhibit, each of the four behaviours of propensity toward PPE, the health managers also ranked themselves vis-à-vis their colleagues in terms of frequency of occurrence and degree of integration into daily practice. Hence, this empirical study of propensity yielded data on two aspects of propensity: “formalization” and “reactivity”. The formalization aspect contextualized the four dimensions, showing the forms that learning, working in groups, using systematic methods and using judgment actually take for these particular managers. The reactivity aspect revealed the degree of energy exhibited for each of the four dimensions, from reactive to more proactive. I also developed a schema for classifying individuals based on their level of propensity toward PPE. I identified the factors that favour versus impede levels of propensity toward PPE. The originality of this thesis lies in the insights it brings to current reflection and debate on individual resistance to change and the evaluation process. And in the approach that I have chosen: adopting a positive stance that focuses on propensity rather than resistance toward PPE, and deriving a theory-based, multi-dimensional definition of PPE and applying it empirically. Individual profiles of propensity toward PPE and knowledge of the factors that favour/impede PPE may be helpful in determining the best type of evaluation to use in a given situation. They could be used to develop quantitative tools, and to fine-tune plans and adjust the implementation of evaluations.

Keyphrases: obstacle, openness, participatory evaluation, resistance, propensity, working in groups, learning, systematic methods, judgment, incentive