Process Tracing the Policy Impact of ‘Indicators’

D. J. H. Lintelo (), T. Munslow (), K. Pittore () and Rajith Lakshman ()
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D. J. H. Lintelo: University of Sussex
T. Munslow: Durham University
K. Pittore: Wageningen University and Research

The European Journal of Development Research, 2020, vol. 32, issue 4, No 21, 1312-1337

Abstract: Abstract In recent years, a range of new indices, benchmarking and scorecard tools—also known as ‘indicators’—have been developed to influence public policy and to promote accountability. While subjected to important technical and political critiques, the policy impact of ‘indicators’ is often assumed yet rarely demonstrated. Suitable evaluative methods are in their infancy. This article adopts an innovative process tracing analysis to assess the policy impact of the Hunger And Nutrition Commitment Index (HANCI) in Bangladesh, Malawi, Nepal, Zambia and globally. We present a rare and empirically rich application of this systematic qualitative evaluative method. We further contribute to the theorisation of ‘indicators’ by positing a central role for equitable producer–user relations in mediating policy impact, and demonstrate that such relations can overcome significant political critiques on ‘indicators’.

Keywords: Impact evaluation; Indicators; Policy; Food and nutrition security; Process tracing; Indices; Metrics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1057/s41287-019-00244-0

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