Case study: evaluation of IKM Emergent from a complexity perspective

Abstract

This case study describes the evaluation of the IKM Emergent Research Programme which took place over the 2008–2011 period. The paper has been written by the co-directors of the programme and reflects on the process of the evaluation which was undertaken by two external consultants. The methodology of the evaluation comprised: drawing together other evaluations already being undertaken by programme projects; encouraging reflection and reflexivity among programme participants; and engaging a Southern evaluator. The case study first provides a brief overview of the IKM Emergent Research Programme. It then reviews the methodology followed in the evaluation and provides an overview of the main conclusions of the evaluation which were generally very positive. The many strengths of the evaluation are outlined as are some of the weaknesses in the opinion of the authors. In the final section, the case study argues that the evaluation fits within the tradition of adaptive pluralism.

Notes

1. The authors would like to acknowledge, with thanks, the contribution Chris Mowles and Anita Gurumurthy have made to this case study because it is their evaluation of IKM Emergent which we are reviewing here. We would also like to thank all the diverse participants of IKM Emergent for their contributions to the programme. Finally, we would also like to thank Anna van der Heijden and Chris Mowles for their useful comments on a previous draft which helped considerably in writing this case study.

2. See http://kdid.org/kmic/evaluation-ikm-emergent-research-programme-taking-complexity-perspective-evaluation

3. Throughout this article, as for this journal, KM4D is the acronym for the field, while KM4Dev is applied to the allied community at www.km4dev.org

4. Impact here refers to measures of socio-economic development.

5. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8u3xIfQNTU

6. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynefin