Primary education is essential for the economic development in any country. Most studies give more emphasis to the final output (such as literacy, enrolment etc.) rather than the delivery of the entire primary education system. In this paper, we study the school level data from an Indian district, collected under the official DISE statistics. We…

The government increased the funding for regional development agencies to 2.3 billion British Pounds in 2007/8, yet hard evidence on the effectiveness of the spending is difficult to find. Techniques for valuing benefits in difficult areas have existed for many years. They range from the hedonic methods and contingent valuation studies of…

This paper analyses and compares the measurement of indicators and variables in the construction of education index in Human Development Index (HDI) at the global, national and 18 sub-national human development reports in India since 1990. The results show non-comparability of measurement of the education indicators and variables. This implies…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to show a practical case of dialogic web-based learning that has provided a set of questions analysing two complex technological projects in "southern" countries with effects on multicultural equity. Design/methodology/approach: Structured online review processes in multicultural and systems science…

This article argues that given its structural conditions, development aid bears a particularly heavy burden of learning and accountability. Unfortunately, however, the organization of evaluation guarantees that evaluations will be inconsistent and it creates incentives for positive bias. This article presents evidence from organizational studies…

Numerous cross-cultural studies have focused on certain aspects of urban housing conditions and their social consequences. However, most data on housing satisfaction is restricted to Western countries. Relatively little comparison has been made between these findings and those in developing areas where rapid urbanization is occurring and where…

Economic development in Latin America has trailed most other world regions over the past four decades despite its relatively high initial development and school attainment levels. This puzzle can be resolved by considering the actual learning as expressed in tests of cognitive skills, on which Latin American countries consistently perform at the…

The relevance of the stakeholder approach to evaluations of development assistance programs is examined. Ways in which the methodology can be useful in fostering interest in evaluation outcomes and in increasing the probability that evaluative recommendations will be implemented are discussed. (SLD)

Beneficiary assessment (BAS) involves participant observation and intensive qualitative interviewing in the project communities by nationals trained to develop information specific to the needs of project management and World Bank staff. BAS provides information about community-based factors affecting social sector project success. BAS's use since…

Issues in evaluating appropriate technology for developing countries are discussed. Measures to help incorporate technology assessment in the policy and planning apparatus of development programs are suggested. Preimplementation and postimplementation of technology assessment and the institutionalization of technology assessment are considered.…

The use of qualitative evaluation methods is explored as a means of overcoming constraints and complexities of evaluation of development programs. A case study demonstrating the application of qualitative analysis to monitoring and evaluation of the Basic Minimum Needs program in Thailand is presented. (SLD)

This issue and its introductions, postscript, and 11 chapters deal with the special evaluation problems of programs in the developing world. Views of policymakers, practitioners, and evaluators on ways to evaluate development are presented. The collection offers a framework for debate and proposes new emphases for development evaluation. (SLD)

The Agency for International Development (AID) participant training program was examined to determine its impact on developing countries. One hundred and thirty-four senior officials in Ghana and Thailand provided 492 reports on: (1) indicators of participant achievements; (2) impact-producing characteristics; and (3) contributions attributed to…

The evaluation procedures and guidelines of the U.S. Agency for International Development that shape the involvement of managers and policymakers in developing countries that receive aid and the involvement of indigenous personnel are described, drawing on experiences of 177 evaluations in 50 countries. (SLD)