Evaluation of Science and Technology Policies Essay

Evaluation of Science and Technology Policies - Essay Example A number of measures, called performance indicators are usually invented in order to simplify the evaluation process and make it more easily readable by non-expert groups (e.g. investors). "Simply put, performance indicators are measures that describe how well a programme is achieving its objectives Indicators are usually quantitative measures but may also be qualitative observations. They define how performance will be measured along a scale or dimension" (USAID Center for Development Information and Evaluation, 1996). The question that is raised in this essay can be formulated as follows: is it possible to rely on performance indicators without evaluation itself, and what will be the consequences To answer that question, the essay clarifies at first a concept of evaluation, its development in research policy, its relations with performance indicators (PI), limitations of PI, and finally demonstrates with the help of two examples that the substitution of evaluation with merely PI wi ll lead to the decline of investor-funded science itself. Let us at first get acquainted with the concept of evaluation answering a simple question: what is the evaluation and why do we need it in research Generally the evaluation can be defined as follows: Evaluation is the systematic acquisition and assessment of information to provide useful feedback about some object" (Trochim, 2002). So, in other words, evaluation provides the interested parties with the feedback, which will be useful, i.e. will help in the decision-making process. This leads us to the answer on the second part of the expressed question: evaluation is needed in research to make the funding policy more effective. If the evaluation processes provide the correct feedback about the usefulness of candidate scientific projects then the most 'useful' projects will receive funding, which will lead to the development of 'useful' science. The word 'useful' is placed in quotation marks advisedly, as it is also an important question: what science can be called useful However, thi s question leaves out of the scope of this essay. Initially, evaluation can be divided into two types: formative and summative. Whereas formative evaluation examine the delivery of the project or technology, the quality of its implementation, and the assessment of the organizational context, personnel, procedures, inputs, and so on, the summative evaluation analyses the effects of the project, determining its overall impact (Trochim, 2002). Each of these types benefits from the use of performance indicators, because to determine both the implementation and the impact a number o measures have to be devised. Development of evaluation It is evident that the evaluation process itself constantly endures changes. To put it differently, the accent of evaluation changes in accordance with the current research evaluation policy. "In most European countries an "evaluation culture" in science, technology and innovation policies has evolved since the 1980s, including the ex post evaluation of research programmes and other policy initiatives, the evaluation of R&D centres and universities, and the evaluation of R&D funding agencies. (Kuhlmann, 2000)" Rip characterises the changes of R&D evaluation through the use of triangular metric with accountability, strategic change,

Human Resources Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human Resources - Assignment Example ACAS encourages employees to appeal against unfair dismissals and employers can only lay off workers if there is an existing contractual agreement between he employer and the employer. Accordingly, the redundant temporary employees are entitled to statutory guaranteed payments that include up to five days pay in any three-month period (CIPD 2013). ACAS advocates for an ad-hoc approach, formal policies or formal agreements with trade unions as the possible approaches of implementing redundancies in the organization. The fixed term employment contracts than naturally end will be excluded from the obligations to engage in collective consultations (ACAS 2013). The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) require fair selection of employees to be put on redundancy and collective consultations before the redundancy (CIPD 2013). According to CIPD, redundancy rights and obligations are governed by the employment rights act 1996, the Trade union and labour relations (consolidat ion) Act 1992, protection of employment regulations 1995, collective redundancies and the transfer of undertaking (amendment) regulations 1999 and finally collective redundancies (amendment) regulations 2006. ... The concerned employees are eligible for certain rights such as redundancy pay, a reasonable notice period, discussions with the employer and some time off to seek alternative employment (Gilmore and Williams 2012). The redundancy must be fair and discriminatory practices such as age, disability or gender cannot be utilized as the criteria for redundancy (Gilmore and Williams 2012). The redundancy entails more than 20 employees thus Dan Findale must adhere to the redundancy procedure outlined in ACAS code of practice on redundancy consultation process. Accordingly, protection of employment Act 1977-2007 requires the employers to enter in to consultations with the employees at least 30 days before the first redundancy occurs. In addition, the employees (provision of information and consultation) Act 2006 requires the employers with at least 50 employees to enter in to consultations with employees before any changes in workplace including the proposals for collective redundancy (ACAS 2 013). According to the case study, Dan Findale intends to make the 23 employees redundant thus, redundancy is just a dismissal that is not related to the individual employee or the capability of the individual employee, but an overall reorganization of the staff without recruiting new staff. Dan will have to justify his intentions of cost reduction in order to ensure the survival of the charity operations. Dan Findale must follow fair criteria in determining the employees to be made redundant. Some common criteria include last in, first out method that aims at preserving knowledge, skills and experience, staff appraisal rankings and asking for volunteers (Gilmore and Williams 2012). Unfair selection methods such as previous participation in industrial activities,