A THEORETICAL INTERPRETATION OF POLICY EVALUATION IN THE CONTEXT OF LITHUANIAN PUBLIC SECTOR REFORM

Abstract

Why do some policy evaluations have national and worldwide recognition? Those evaluations make an impact on states’ modernization; they change the paradigms, values, stereotypes, programming transformation and reforms. Other evaluations do not have any significant influence and are likely put on the e-shelves of the governments and universities computers. Evaluation researches are defined as reformistic, which aim to develop an alternatives for the social improvement. One of the functions of evaluation is an improvement by assessing policy output and outcome. Most outcomes are jointly determined and controlled by plurality of the actors. Evaluation helps to change a policy agenda, policy formulation and implementation strategies. Modern scientific and technological achievements provide governments with real and noticeable military, economic, political, diplomatic power. Under such circumstances, a critical question emerge: is the influence of policy evaluations determined by the qualifications of the evaluators, the political-economic situation or the efforts of the international donors community to export values, knowledge, ideas which have either direct or indirect interest to the development efforts