The last half century, there has been a global pressure on increased measuring and presenting of results in the public sector. One of the sectors where the pressure and calls for Results-based management (RBM) has been, and currently is, strong both in Sweden and internationally is within international development cooperation. But, to prove the effectiveness of development cooperation is not a simple task, and hence, the steering signals regarding the management model has been met with some criticism. However, although scholars argue that there have been several waves of pressure for RBM since the early 1970s, the massive amount of criticism seems to have been mainly aimed towards the latest push, in the 2000s. Why is that? This thesis take that question as an analytical starting point, but will not make any causal claims. Instead, it will take on a descriptive design, with an aim to identify any differences between RBM in Swedish development cooperation during the first and the latest push for increased focus on results. The main research question for the thesis is; In what way has the introduction of RBM in Swedish development cooperation been visible over time? The question will be analysed through text analyses to describe both the vision of RBM, as well as the evaluations of Swedish development cooperation during the two pushes for RBM. The study identifies differences on both levels, mostly regarding the aim of the model regarding whom the information is for, as well as significant differences in the ways evaluations have been conducted.

Existing scholarship in public sector results-based management (RBM) mostly conceptualizes implementation as an isomorphic process. Researchers frequently look at implementation from a top-down driven approach which conjures images of public servants as automatons who merely sustain RBM practices due to institutional pressures on behaviour. To that effect, little is known around how agency dynamically intersects with institutions not only to maintain, but also to create and disrupt RBM institutions through implementation. Combining institutional pressures and institutional work as theoretical frameworks, this study deploys qualitative content analysis on institutional instruments such as archival materials, as well as semi-structured interviews with Chief Results and Delivery Officers (CRDOs), to identify the various institutional pressures acting on public servants, the different types of institutional work activities performed during implementation of the Results Agenda, and how such actions contribute to the creation, maintenance, and disruption of institutional RBM regime within Canadian public sector. The agency of public servants bears heavily on how CRDOs perceive, understand, and respond to implementation pressures from institutional Results Agenda. The study finds that Results Agenda implementation is not a straightforward, linear, and exclusively top-down political and administrative centre driven activity. CRDOs overwhelmingly perform nuanced and overt actions that at times support, build on, and confront institutional Results Agenda imposed by the centres. This unique and evolving dynamic between institutions and agency intentionally and unintentionally reproduces, maintains, and alters institutional Results Agenda features within Canadian federal public sector. Given the importance of RBM systems in Canada’s federal public organisations, the insights from this study can shed light on how public servants implement institutional RBM and create, maintain, and disrupt centre driven institutional RBM through agency. Finally, this dissertation advances the methodological utility of integrating institutional work for combined empirical and interpretive social action research on institutional RBM implementation.

Cette thèse sur la nouvelle gouvernance financière publique dans le système des Nations Unies se présente en deux parties : première partie - La mise en œuvre de la nouvelle gouvernance financière publique dans les organisations du système des Nations Unies ; et deuxième partie - Le renforcement de la nouvelle gouvernance financière publique dans les organisations du système des Nations Unies. Pour notre étude, nous avons appliqué aux organisations du système des Nations Unies les éléments pertinents du cadre de référence établi par certains organes subsidiaires pour la nouvelle gouvernance financière publique, en particulier ceux qui se rapportent au cycle allant de la planification à l'établissement des rapports, dont il est question plus en détail dans les deux parties de la thèse. Ce cadre de référence vaut pour la nouvelle gouvernance financière publique dans son ensemble. Or. pour certaines activités spéciales, seule la budgétisation axée sur les résultats est pratiquée. Certains éléments du cadre de référence ne s'appliquent donc pas dans le contexte de la présente thèse, cependant d'autres aspects jugés importants pour toute démarche de la nouvelle gouvernance financière publique sont pris en compte. / This thesis on the new public financial governance in the United Nations system has two parts : first part - the implementation of the new public financial governance in organizations of the United Nations system ; and second part - the strengthening of the new public financial governance in organizations of the United Nations system. For our study, we applied the relevant elements of the terms of reference established by certain subsidiary bodies for new public financial governance in organizations of the United Nations system, in particular those that relate to the cycle from planning to establish reports being discussed more in detail in the two parts of the thesis. This framework applies to the new public financial governance as a whole. However, for some special activities, only the results-based budgeting is practiced. Some elements of the terms of reference do not therefore apply in the context of the present thesis, however, other aspects considered important for any new public financial governance process are taken into account.

Bakalauro baigiamajame darbe tiriamas į rezultatus orientuoto valdymo (IROV) principų įgyvendinimas Joniškio rajono savivaldybės švietimo ir sporto skyriuje. Bakalauro darbo tiriamą problemą galima apibūdinti klausimu: kokie į rezultatus orientuoto valdymo elementai taikomi Joniškio rajono savivaldybėje administruojant kūno kultūros ir sporto sritį? Teorinėje darbo dalyje pateikiama mokslinės literatūros šaltinių analizė, kuri padeda atskleisti IROV sampratą ir reikšmę, pagrindinius principus ir savybes. Ypatingai didelis dėmesys skiriamas IROV etapams: planavimui, stebėsenai, vertinimui, rezultatų panaudojimui priimant sprendimus. Empirinėje dalyje pristatomas IROV principų įgyvendinimas Joniškio rajono savivaldybės švietimo ir sporto skyriuje. Tyrimo metu nustatyta, kad Joniškio rajono savivaldybės švietimo ir sporto skyriaus darbuotojai ir kiti specialistai įgyvendindami veiklą remiasi IROV principais, tačiau yra stokojama žinių ir informacijos apie IROV sampratą ir reikšmę, bei tikslingą visų etapų įgyvendinimą. Pateikiamos rekomendacijos įgyvendinant IROV principus Joniškio rajono savivaldybės švietimo ir sporto skyriuje. / Bachelor's final paper analyses the implementation of results – based management (RBM) fundamentals in the education and sports division of Joniskis municipality. Undergraduate study investigates the problem can be described by the question: What elements of RBM are applicable managing the range of physical education and sport of Joniskis municipality? The theoretical part of the bachelor’s paper gives analysis of scientific literature, which helps highlight the conception, importance, the main principles and characteristics of RBM. Particularly strong attention is given to the RBM stages: planning, monitoring, evaluating and using results for decision making. The empirical part presents the implementation of RBM fundamentals in the education and sports division of Joniskis municipality based on the documents analyses and interviews survey. It was found that personnel and other specialists of education and sports division of Joniskis municipality implement activities based on RBM fundamentals, but there is a lack of knowledge about RBM concept, importance and implementation of RBM stages. Either presented the suggestions to improve the implementation of RBM fundamentals in the education and sports division of Joniskis municipality.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / This thesis investigates the situated knowing-in-practice of locally-based community organisations, and studies how this practice knowledge is translated and contested in inter-organisational relations in the community services field of practices. Despite participation in government-led consultation processes, community organisations express frustration that the resulting policies and plans inadequately take account of the contributions from their practice knowledge. The funding of locally-based community organisations is gradually diminishing in real terms and in the competitive tendering environment, large nationally-based organisations often attract the new funding sources. The concern of locally-based community organisations is that the apparent lack of understanding of their distinctive practice knowing is threatening their capacity to improve the well-being of local people and their communities. In this study, I work with practitioners, service participants and management committee members to present an account of their knowing-in-practice, its character and conditions of efficacy; and then investigate what happens when this local practice knowledge is translated into results-based accountability (RBA) planning with diverse organisations and institutions. This thesis analyses three points of observation: knowing in a community of practitioners; knowing in a community organisation and knowing in the community services field of practices. In choosing these points of observation, the inquiry explores some of the relations and intra-actions from the single organisation to the institutional at a time when state government bureaucracy has mandated that community organisations implement RBA to articulate outcomes that can be measured by performance indicators. A feminist, performative, relational practice-based approach employs participatory action research to achieve an enabling research experience for the participants. It aims to intervene strategically to enhance recognition of the distinctive contributions of community organisations’ practice knowledge. This thesis reconfigures understandings of the roles, contributions and accountabilities of locally-based community organisations. Observations of situated practices together with the accounts of workers and service participants demonstrate how community organisations facilitate service participants’ struggles over social justice. A new topology for rethinking social justice as processual and practice-based is developed. It demonstrates how these struggles are a dynamic complex of iteratively-enfolded practices of respect and recognition, redistribution and distributive justice, representation and participation, belonging and inclusion. The focus on the practising of social justice in this thesis offers an alternative to the neo-liberal discourse that positions community organisations as sub-contractors accountable to government for delivering measurable outputs, outcomes and efficiencies in specified service provision contracts. The study shows how knowing-in-practice in locally-based community organisations contests the representational conception of knowledge inextricably entangled with accountability and performance measurement apparatus such as RBA. Further, it suggests that practitioner and service participant contributions are marginalised and diminished in RBA through the privileging of knowledge that takes an ‘expert’, quantifiable and calculative form. Thus crucially, harnessing local practice knowing requires re-imagining and enacting knowledge spaces that assemble and take seriously all relevant stakeholder perspectives, diverse knowledges and methods.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / This thesis investigates the situated knowing-in-practice of locally-based community organisations, and studies how this practice knowledge is translated and contested in inter-organisational relations in the community services field of practices. Despite participation in government-led consultation processes, community organisations express frustration that the resulting policies and plans inadequately take account of the contributions from their practice knowledge. The funding of locally-based community organisations is gradually diminishing in real terms and in the competitive tendering environment, large nationally-based organisations often attract the new funding sources. The concern of locally-based community organisations is that the apparent lack of understanding of their distinctive practice knowing is threatening their capacity to improve the well-being of local people and their communities. In this study, I work with practitioners, service participants and management committee members to present an account of their knowing-in-practice, its character and conditions of efficacy; and then investigate what happens when this local practice knowledge is translated into results-based accountability (RBA) planning with diverse organisations and institutions. This thesis analyses three points of observation: knowing in a community of practitioners; knowing in a community organisation and knowing in the community services field of practices. In choosing these points of observation, the inquiry explores some of the relations and intra-actions from the single organisation to the institutional at a time when state government bureaucracy has mandated that community organisations implement RBA to articulate outcomes that can be measured by performance indicators. A feminist, performative, relational practice-based approach employs participatory action research to achieve an enabling research experience for the participants. It aims to intervene strategically to enhance recognition of the distinctive contributions of community organisations’ practice knowledge. This thesis reconfigures understandings of the roles, contributions and accountabilities of locally-based community organisations. Observations of situated practices together with the accounts of workers and service participants demonstrate how community organisations facilitate service participants’ struggles over social justice. A new topology for rethinking social justice as processual and practice-based is developed. It demonstrates how these struggles are a dynamic complex of iteratively-enfolded practices of respect and recognition, redistribution and distributive justice, representation and participation, belonging and inclusion. The focus on the practising of social justice in this thesis offers an alternative to the neo-liberal discourse that positions community organisations as sub-contractors accountable to government for delivering measurable outputs, outcomes and efficiencies in specified service provision contracts. The study shows how knowing-in-practice in locally-based community organisations contests the representational conception of knowledge inextricably entangled with accountability and performance measurement apparatus such as RBA. Further, it suggests that practitioner and service participant contributions are marginalised and diminished in RBA through the privileging of knowledge that takes an ‘expert’, quantifiable and calculative form. Thus crucially, harnessing local practice knowing requires re-imagining and enacting knowledge spaces that assemble and take seriously all relevant stakeholder perspectives, diverse knowledges and methods.

DEd (Educational Management) / Department of Educational Management / There has been greater demand for more accountability, results-based culture and enhanced effectiveness of programmes and services globally. The education sector has not been spared by this wave either and hence teacher effectiveness and instructional quality have risen to the top of the educational policy agenda. It is important therefore that effective teaching must be assured and teacher evaluation is a key means of providing that assurance. To date, most studies on the teacher appraisal system in Zimbabwe have focused on the perceptions and attitudes of the teachers towards the evaluation process, and at the same time the implementation challenges. Little has so far been done to determine the effectiveness of the teacher performance evaluation system in Zimbabwe. This study consequently sought to evaluate the effectiveness of the teacher performance evaluation system in Kwekwe district of Zimbabwe. The study was premised on the pragmatic philosophical worldview and hence the mixed method approach was adopted. The convergent parallel mixed method design was used. Data was collected using individual face to face semi structured interviews and a 5 point Likert scale questionnaire. Documentary review was done prior to the development of the research instruments as a way of ensuring relevance of the data collection instruments. The study was underpinned by the self-developed RADPS conceptual framework on performance evaluation system effectiveness. Stratified purposive sampling technique was used to select ten secondary schools for the quantitative strand and four for the qualitative strand. The quantitative sample was composed of 292 teachers and the qualitative sample was composed of 12 participants constituting of 4 teachers, 4 heads of departments and 4 schools heads. Quantitative data was analysed using the SPSS version 25 while the qualitative data was analysed using ATLAS ti. 8. The key findings of the study were that: the performance evaluation system was imposed and accordingly there was no buy in; there was inadequate budgetary support thereby rendering the introduction of the system mistimed; teachers as key stakeholders were excluded from the design process and hence there was no ownership; and ultimately, relevance of the system was questioned. It was also revealed that the evaluation process is merely a compliance exercise with erratic and discontinuous monitoring and supervision through the evaluation cycle. The findings from the study imply the following: policy formulation should be participatory and inclusive; readiness assessment should be conducted before introducing a new programme; a programme should be pilot tested; evaluation process should be monitored by external officials; the process should be consequential and the system should be continuously monitored and reviewed for relevance and validity. / NRF

Responding to and preventing violent conflict continue to be a major concern on the international agenda. However, the results of peacebuilding projects are often mixed and some interventions have even proven harmful in the past. In the debates on aid effectiveness, evaluations have been advocated as being an effective instrument to better understand the results of development and peacebuilding projects and thereby ultimately to improve the practice. However, despite a long tradition of evaluation utilisation research dating back to the 1970s, the effects of peacebuilding evaluations are far from being understood. The concept of evaluation use is too narrow and does not take the diversity of potential positive and negative evaluation effects into account. There is little evidence concerning the organisational factors that influence the use and effects of evaluations. Using a comparative case study analysis in three organisations implementing peacebuilding activities (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, Saferworld and the World Bank), this study examines the roles and effects of peacebuilding evaluations within international organisations. The results show a wide range of positive and negative evaluation effects that are promoted or hindered by different attitudes and the process of the evaluation, in addition to organisational and other contextual factors. To improve our understanding of the interlinkages in this context, evaluation pathways causally linking different effects and factors are proposed.

There is limited research on the use of results-based management (RBM) in schools, therefore this study focussed on developing a sustainable and effective RBM model. The objectives of the study were to identify the obstacles encountered in implementing RBM in primary and secondary schools in the Goromonzi District, identify and describe the steps taken in developing and sustaining an effective RBM model, and to develop a sustainable and effective RBM model suitable for both Zimbabwean primary and secondary schools. A qualitative research method was used since the researcher’s interest was to gain insight into and understanding of school heads’ and teachers’ perceptions, concerns and experiences in their real world conditions when implementing RBM. The study covered ten purposely selected schools in the Goromonzi District. Semi-structured individual and focus group interviews were conducted with the school heads and teachers. To enhance the validity of the findings, this study adhered to ethical principles and techniques. The following salient findings that emerged from the study were that the school heads and teachers had a negative perception of IRBM because a top-down approach was used when it was introduced and the system was not customised since it was merely “imported” from a developed country whose context was different from the Zimbabwean socio-political and economic environment. There was also a serious dearth of financial resources to support the system and this affected the quality of RBM training negatively. The lack of funding also led to the non-payment of incentives for the staff with regard to implementing RBM. It was also indicated that the senior Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education officials showed a lack of commitment and support for RBM. To address the implementation challenges it was indicated that resources had to be mobilised to ensure the capacitation of school heads and teachers and also for incentivising them. Incentivising staff is critical for the successful implementation of RBM. It was also noted that there was a need to develop a results culture in schools and train school heads in change management. It was concluded that a home grown RBM model that was context sensitive to the Zimbabwean situation was required. As envisaged, the study resulted in the development of the three phased Zimbabwe results-based management practical model (ZRBMPM). The first phase addresses RBM implementing challenges and the second phase focusses on incentivising staff to promote the effective implementation of results management. The last phase entails the production of the results. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

Resultatstyrning är idag den centrala styrningsformen inom svenskt bistånd. På senare år har ett ökade fokus på resultatstyrning, kallat resultatagendan, kritiserats för hur frågor om långsiktighet och hållbarhet hamnar i skymundan med fokus på kvantitativa och kortsiktiga prestationsmått i utvärderingar. Syftet med denna studie är således att undersöka vad svenska civilsamhällesorganisationer upplever som dagens utmaningar med att utvärdera hållbarhet i biståndsprojekt. Datainsamling har skett genom en litteraturstudie från officiella dokument och tidigare forskning samt fyra intervjuer med medarbetare hos svenska civilsamhällesorganisationer. Uppsatsen har utmynnat i tre övergripande slutsatser: För det första upplever civilsamhällesorganisationer att de lever i en s.k. post-resultatagenda där resultatagendans eftermälen inte är anpassat för mer långsiktigt fokus. Vidare önskas ett processorienterat tillvägagångssätt för hållbarhetsperspektivet där biståndsaktörer arbetar tillsammans för att låta hållbarhetsperspektivet genomsyra svenskt bistånd på en strategisk och aggregerad nivå. Slutligen upplevs det även finnas konkreta hinder för god hållbarhetsutvärdering kopplat till projektens finansiering där ett exempel är timingen på utvärderingar. / Results-Based Management (RBM) is the central form of management in Swedish aid today. In recent years, the focus on RBM, commonly called the Results Agenda, has been criticised for how questions concerning long-term goals and sustainability has become neglected with the focus of quantitative and short-term results in foreign aid evaluations. The purpose of this thesis is to examine what Swedish Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) consider challenging when evaluating sustainability criteria in foreign aid projects. The data collection consists of a literature study of official documents and previous research as well as four interviews with coworkers at Swedish CSOs. The thesis has resulted in three overarching conclusions: Firstly, Swedish CSOs today experience living in a time of so-called Post-Results Agenda were the aftermath of the Results Agenda is not considered suited for more flexible and long-term focus. Furthermore, a process oriented approach for the sustainability perspective is desired, where foreign aid actors work together for a comprehensive sustainability approach on a strategic and aggregated level. Lastly, a couple of concrete obstacles for better evaluation of sustainability criteria are found to originate from the projects’ funding, such as the timing of evaluations.