BDS market development guide.pdf - PACA

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• Donors may be interested in both of these perspectives but, given their immediate
exposure to more political pressures, may also want to prove that public funds are
generating employment gains in SMEs or having a wider positive impact on society.
A major problem associated with monitoring and evaluation in BDS (and in other spheres) is
a blurring of improve and prove agendas. Practical management decision-making,
accountability, and learning purposes are lumped uncomfortably together. Characteristically,
this can lead, on the one hand, to organizations not getting the information they need to make
rational decisions and, on the other, to half-hearted (and doomed) attempts to measure impact
that do not prove impact because there are so many caveats associated with the data.
Underpinning new approaches to monitoring and evaluation in BDS market development
(Figure 17) is a new and candid transparency over why we measure.
• Most monitoring and evaluation is concerned with improving performance; this should be
the immediate priority and be used on a regular basis. Common methods— marketresearch
tools, case studies, provider financial analysis, and surveys—are focused on this
goal.
• Monitoring and evaluation methods that can result in valid, generalizable findings—
proving impact—that take account of attribution are difficult and expensive. If one is
serious about proving impact there is no real alternative to these; for most organizations,
these kinds of studies will not be possible or justifiable.
Figure 17: Why We Measure in BDS: Emerging Trends
The Old
The purposes of monitoring and
evaluation often ill-defined and
ambiguous
In particular, the objectives of
improving performance and
proving impact often blurred
Result?—neither objective is
achieved
Recognition that:
The New
• Prove and improve objectives
are both valid but are different
• Reasons for monitoring and
evaluation (why) “drive” choice
of indicators (what) and
methods (how)
Consequently we need:
• Greater clarity in monitoring and
evaluation objectives
• Separation of improve and
prove approaches to monitoring
and evaluation
OUTSTANDING ISSUES
Although the general trends and overall direction in monitoring and evaluation in BDS are
clear, there are still many aspects where there is no consensus among agencies and where
Chapter Five—How do We Assess Our Performance?—
Monitoring and Evaluation BDS Interventions