Organizational Capacity to Do and Use Evaluation

Gain a greater understanding of organizational capacity to do and use evaluation and implications for evaluation capacity building (ECB). This volume is unique in that it represents a multiple case study of eight organizations that were committed to ECB. It: Situates the study in terms of ECB theory and research Delineates a conceptual framework Presents case profile reports and the results of a cross-case analysis. Discusses findings in terms of implications for research, theory, and practice. This is the 141st issue in the New Directions for Evaluation series from Jossey-Bass. It is an official publication of the American Evaluation Association.

Gain a greater understanding of organizational capacity to doand use evaluation and implications for evaluation capacitybuilding (ECB). This volume is unique in that it represents amultiple case study of eight organizations that were committed toECB. It:* Situates the study in terms of ECB theory andresearch* Delineates a conceptual framework* Presents case profile reports and the results ofa cross-case analysis.* Discusses findings in terms of implications forresearch, theory, and practice.This is the 141st issue in the New Directions forEvaluation series from Jossey-Bass. It is an officialpublication of the American Evaluation Association.

Editors' Notes 1J. Bradley Cousins, Isabelle Bourgeois1. Framing the Capacity to Do and Use Evaluation 7J. Bradley Cousins, Swee C. Goh, Catherine J. Elliott, Isabelle BourgeoisThis introductory chapter focuses on evolving conceptions of evaluation capacity building through an in-depth discussion of evaluation use and organizational evaluation capacity. We present the guiding framework for our multiple case study and also identify implications for research and practice stemming from the framework.2. Multiple Case Study Methods and Findings 25J. Bradley Cousins, Isabelle Bourgeois, and AssociatesThis chapter presents the eight cases within which we studied organizational evaluation capacity. We first begin by presenting the purpose and rationale of our work, followed by the methods we used to collect and analyze case data. We then shift our attention to each of the individual cases:Case 1. Dawson CollegeCatherine J. Elliott, J. Bradley Cousins, Swee C. GohCase 2. Canadian Mental Health AssociationSarah Birnie, Tim AubryCase 3. International Development Research CentreCourtney Amo, J. Bradley CousinsCase 4. Canadian Cancer SocietySteve Montague, Anne Vezina, Sharon Campbell, Anna EngmanCase 5. Canada Revenue AgencySwee C. Goh, Catherine J. ElliottCase 6. Human Resources and Skills Development CanadaIsabelle Bourgeois, Robert E. LaheyCase 7. United Way of Greater Toronto (UWGT)Jill Anne Chouinard, J. Bradley Cousins, Swee C. GohCase 8. Ontario Trillium FoundationKeiko Kuji-Shikatani, Catherine J. Elliott3. Cross-Case Analysis and Implications for Research, Theory, and Practice 101J. Bradley Cousins, Isabelle BourgeoisThis chapter focuses on the cross-case analysis and presents the themes that have emerged from the multiple case study. More specifically, we include details on the characteristics of the organizations that took part in the study, and we then turn to a thematic analysis and discussion of key findings. In the spirit of continuing this work, we offer implications for research, theory, and practice to close the chapter.4. Postscript: That Was Then, This Is Now 121J. Bradley Cousins, Isabelle BourgeoisWe provide some concluding reflections about the sustainability of organizational capacity for evaluation arising from informal communications with some of our case organizations.Index 125