Barbara Befani
Biographic Data
| ID | 3436083 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Barbara Befani |
| GIVEN NAMES | Barbara |
| FAMILY NAME | Befani |
| SIGNATURE | BEFANI B |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Surrey, UK; University of East Anglia, UK |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-8379-8905 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 14 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 156 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 14 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2005 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2023 |
| H-INDEX | 6 |
How to halt deforestation in the Amazon? A Bayesian process-tracing approach
In this paper, we employ for the first time a Bayesian process-tracing approach to assess the role of different interventions designed to halt deforestation. We applied the methodology to six initiatives implemented between 2006 and 2019 in the municipality of São Felix do Xingu, namely: (i) institution of protected areas, (ii) environmental monitoring and enforcement, (iii) credit restrictions, (iv) commodity agreements, (v) multi-stakeholder pr…
Diagnostic evaluation with simulated probabilities
As policy makers require more rigorous assessments for the strength of evidence in Theory-Based evaluations, Bayesian logic is attracting increasing interest; however, the estimation of probabilities that this logic (almost) inevitably requires presents challenges. Probabilities can be estimated on the basis of empirical frequencies, but such data are often unavailable for most mechanisms that are objects of evaluation. Subjective probability eli…
Diagnostic evaluation and Bayesian Updating
This article discusses several practical issues arising with the application of diagnostic principles to theory-based evaluation (e.g. with Process Tracing and Bayesian Updating). It is structured around three iterative application steps, focusing mostly on the third. While covering different ways evaluators fall victims to confirmation bias and conservatism, the article includes suggestions on which theories can be tested, what kind of empirical…
Quality of quality
This article discusses the integration of a diagnostic lens in qualitative or mixed methods evaluations, arguing that this will improve quality: in particular, it will improve transparency, credibility and reliability of evaluation findings.We start by unpacking the notion of evaluation quality and pointing out the typical weaknesses of qualitative methods. We then introduce the basic notions of diagnostic approaches and how they relate to theory…
Qualitative Comparative Analysis as an Evaluation Tool
Qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) is gaining ground in evaluation circles, but the number of applications is still limited. In this article, we consider the challenges that can emerge during a QCA evaluation by drawing on our experience of conducting one in the field of development cooperation. For each stage of the evaluation process, we systematically discuss the challenges we encountered and suggest solutions on how these can be addressed…
Process Tracing and Bayesian Updating for impact evaluation
Commissioners of impact evaluation often place great emphasis on assessing the contribution made by a particular intervention in achieving one or more outcomes, commonly referred to as a ‘contribution claim’. Current theory-based approaches fail to provide evaluators with guidance on how to collect data and assess how strongly or weakly such data support contribution claims. This article presents a rigorous quali-quantitative approach to establis…
Introduction - Towards Systemic Approaches to Evaluation and Impact
This IDS Bulletin is the second of two that follow an Institute of Development Studies event seeking to define an agenda for research and practice of development impact evaluation. It focuses on exploring the potential of systems ideas and complexity concepts to meet the increasingly complex challenges of an increasingly ambitious development agenda. In particular, the contributions seek to: (a) redefine ‘learning’ according to the number of ‘lea…
Introduction - Rethinking Impact Evaluation for Development
This IDS Bulletin is the first of two special issues presenting contributions from the event ‘Impact Innovation and Learning: Towards a Research and Practice Agenda for the Future’, organised by IDS in March 2013. The initiative, as well as these two issues, represent a ‘rallying cry’ for impact evaluation to rise to the challenges of a post-MDG/post-2015 development agenda. This introduction articulates first what these challenges are, and then …
Process Tracing and Contribution Analysis
This article proposes a combination of a popular evaluation approach, contribution analysis (CA), with an emerging method for causal inference, process tracing (PT). Both are grounded in generative causality and take a probabilistic approach to the interpretation of evidence. The combined approach is tested on the evaluation of the contribution of a teaching programme to the improvement of school performance of girls, and is shown to be preferabl…
Between complexity and generalization
This article argues that Qualitative Comparative Analysis can be a useful method in case-based evaluations for two reasons: a) it is aimed at causal inference and explanation, leading to theory development; b) it is strong on external validity and generalization, allowing for theory testing and refinement. After a brief introduction to QCA, the specific type of causality handled by QCA is discussed. QCA is shown to offer improvements over Mill’s …
Broadening the range of designs and methods for impact evaluations
Introducing the study'rigorous' experimental methodology) and a 'substantive definition' (the DAC's, that does not require a particular methodology
Criteria and Theory in the Evaluation of Organizations
This article argues that evaluation-specific logic, which involves the identification of relevant criteria and performance standards for the evaluand (considered as a whole or in its single dimensions), can benefit from research on the causal chains leading from programme inputs to the final outcomes; and on the contexts and mechanisms responsible, which are normally investigated when adopting a theory-based or realistic evaluation approach. The …
Realistic Evaluation and QCA
This article presents an innovative evaluation design which was used to evaluate the Swiss Environmental Impact Assessment. The design is new in that it amalgamates the realistic approach to evaluation with the method of Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), the two of which are conspicuously similar. They share a complex view of causality, a generative perspective, a theory-driven approach to empirical observation and a limited claim to genera…
The Mechanisms of Suicide
This article pursues two aims, a major and a minor one. The major one is to read some important results in the sociological literature on suicide, namely those obtained by Durkheim in 1897, Giddens in 1966 and Pope and Danigelis in 1981, as Context–Mechanism–Outcome configurations. The realist interpretation of the theories of suicide is deemed to be fundamental for the explanation of this social phenomenon, if one wishes not to be misled by the …
Broadening the range of designs and methods for impact evaluations
Introducing the study'rigorous' experimental methodology) and a 'substantive definition' (the DAC's, that does not require a particular methodology
Process Tracing and Bayesian Updating for impact evaluation
Commissioners of impact evaluation often place great emphasis on assessing the contribution made by a particular intervention in achieving one or more outcomes, commonly referred to as a ‘contribution claim’. Current theory-based approaches fail to provide evaluators with guidance on how to collect data and assess how strongly or weakly such data support contribution claims. This article presents a rigorous quali-quantitative approach to establis…
Realistic Evaluation and QCA
This article presents an innovative evaluation design which was used to evaluate the Swiss Environmental Impact Assessment. The design is new in that it amalgamates the realistic approach to evaluation with the method of Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), the two of which are conspicuously similar. They share a complex view of causality, a generative perspective, a theory-driven approach to empirical observation and a limited claim to genera…
Between complexity and generalization
This article argues that Qualitative Comparative Analysis can be a useful method in case-based evaluations for two reasons: a) it is aimed at causal inference and explanation, leading to theory development; b) it is strong on external validity and generalization, allowing for theory testing and refinement. After a brief introduction to QCA, the specific type of causality handled by QCA is discussed. QCA is shown to offer improvements over Mill’s …
Process Tracing and Contribution Analysis
This article proposes a combination of a popular evaluation approach, contribution analysis (CA), with an emerging method for causal inference, process tracing (PT). Both are grounded in generative causality and take a probabilistic approach to the interpretation of evidence. The combined approach is tested on the evaluation of the contribution of a teaching programme to the improvement of school performance of girls, and is shown to be preferabl…
Qualitative Comparative Analysis as an Evaluation Tool
Qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) is gaining ground in evaluation circles, but the number of applications is still limited. In this article, we consider the challenges that can emerge during a QCA evaluation by drawing on our experience of conducting one in the field of development cooperation. For each stage of the evaluation process, we systematically discuss the challenges we encountered and suggest solutions on how these can be addressed…
Quality of quality
This article discusses the integration of a diagnostic lens in qualitative or mixed methods evaluations, arguing that this will improve quality: in particular, it will improve transparency, credibility and reliability of evaluation findings.We start by unpacking the notion of evaluation quality and pointing out the typical weaknesses of qualitative methods. We then introduce the basic notions of diagnostic approaches and how they relate to theory…
Diagnostic evaluation and Bayesian Updating
This article discusses several practical issues arising with the application of diagnostic principles to theory-based evaluation (e.g. with Process Tracing and Bayesian Updating). It is structured around three iterative application steps, focusing mostly on the third. While covering different ways evaluators fall victims to confirmation bias and conservatism, the article includes suggestions on which theories can be tested, what kind of empirical…
Introduction - Rethinking Impact Evaluation for Development
This IDS Bulletin is the first of two special issues presenting contributions from the event ‘Impact Innovation and Learning: Towards a Research and Practice Agenda for the Future’, organised by IDS in March 2013. The initiative, as well as these two issues, represent a ‘rallying cry’ for impact evaluation to rise to the challenges of a post-MDG/post-2015 development agenda. This introduction articulates first what these challenges are, and then …
The Mechanisms of Suicide
This article pursues two aims, a major and a minor one. The major one is to read some important results in the sociological literature on suicide, namely those obtained by Durkheim in 1897, Giddens in 1966 and Pope and Danigelis in 1981, as Context–Mechanism–Outcome configurations. The realist interpretation of the theories of suicide is deemed to be fundamental for the explanation of this social phenomenon, if one wishes not to be misled by the …
Realistic Evaluation and QCA
This article presents an innovative evaluation design which was used to evaluate the Swiss Environmental Impact Assessment. The design is new in that it amalgamates the realistic approach to evaluation with the method of Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), the two of which are conspicuously similar. They share a complex view of causality, a generative perspective, a theory-driven approach to empirical observation and a limited claim to genera…
Criteria and Theory in the Evaluation of Organizations
This article argues that evaluation-specific logic, which involves the identification of relevant criteria and performance standards for the evaluand (considered as a whole or in its single dimensions), can benefit from research on the causal chains leading from programme inputs to the final outcomes; and on the contexts and mechanisms responsible, which are normally investigated when adopting a theory-based or realistic evaluation approach. The …
Broadening the range of designs and methods for impact evaluations
Introducing the study'rigorous' experimental methodology) and a 'substantive definition' (the DAC's, that does not require a particular methodology
Between complexity and generalization
This article argues that Qualitative Comparative Analysis can be a useful method in case-based evaluations for two reasons: a) it is aimed at causal inference and explanation, leading to theory development; b) it is strong on external validity and generalization, allowing for theory testing and refinement. After a brief introduction to QCA, the specific type of causality handled by QCA is discussed. QCA is shown to offer improvements over Mill’s …
Introduction - Rethinking Impact Evaluation for Development
This IDS Bulletin is the first of two special issues presenting contributions from the event ‘Impact Innovation and Learning: Towards a Research and Practice Agenda for the Future’, organised by IDS in March 2013. The initiative, as well as these two issues, represent a ‘rallying cry’ for impact evaluation to rise to the challenges of a post-MDG/post-2015 development agenda. This introduction articulates first what these challenges are, and then …
Process Tracing and Contribution Analysis
This article proposes a combination of a popular evaluation approach, contribution analysis (CA), with an emerging method for causal inference, process tracing (PT). Both are grounded in generative causality and take a probabilistic approach to the interpretation of evidence. The combined approach is tested on the evaluation of the contribution of a teaching programme to the improvement of school performance of girls, and is shown to be preferabl…
Introduction - Towards Systemic Approaches to Evaluation and Impact
This IDS Bulletin is the second of two that follow an Institute of Development Studies event seeking to define an agenda for research and practice of development impact evaluation. It focuses on exploring the potential of systems ideas and complexity concepts to meet the increasingly complex challenges of an increasingly ambitious development agenda. In particular, the contributions seek to: (a) redefine ‘learning’ according to the number of ‘lea…
Process Tracing and Bayesian Updating for impact evaluation
Commissioners of impact evaluation often place great emphasis on assessing the contribution made by a particular intervention in achieving one or more outcomes, commonly referred to as a ‘contribution claim’. Current theory-based approaches fail to provide evaluators with guidance on how to collect data and assess how strongly or weakly such data support contribution claims. This article presents a rigorous quali-quantitative approach to establis…
Qualitative Comparative Analysis as an Evaluation Tool
Qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) is gaining ground in evaluation circles, but the number of applications is still limited. In this article, we consider the challenges that can emerge during a QCA evaluation by drawing on our experience of conducting one in the field of development cooperation. For each stage of the evaluation process, we systematically discuss the challenges we encountered and suggest solutions on how these can be addressed…
Diagnostic evaluation and Bayesian Updating
This article discusses several practical issues arising with the application of diagnostic principles to theory-based evaluation (e.g. with Process Tracing and Bayesian Updating). It is structured around three iterative application steps, focusing mostly on the third. While covering different ways evaluators fall victims to confirmation bias and conservatism, the article includes suggestions on which theories can be tested, what kind of empirical…
Quality of quality
This article discusses the integration of a diagnostic lens in qualitative or mixed methods evaluations, arguing that this will improve quality: in particular, it will improve transparency, credibility and reliability of evaluation findings.We start by unpacking the notion of evaluation quality and pointing out the typical weaknesses of qualitative methods. We then introduce the basic notions of diagnostic approaches and how they relate to theory…
Diagnostic evaluation with simulated probabilities
As policy makers require more rigorous assessments for the strength of evidence in Theory-Based evaluations, Bayesian logic is attracting increasing interest; however, the estimation of probabilities that this logic (almost) inevitably requires presents challenges. Probabilities can be estimated on the basis of empirical frequencies, but such data are often unavailable for most mechanisms that are objects of evaluation. Subjective probability eli…
How to halt deforestation in the Amazon? A Bayesian process-tracing approach
In this paper, we employ for the first time a Bayesian process-tracing approach to assess the role of different interventions designed to halt deforestation. We applied the methodology to six initiatives implemented between 2006 and 2019 in the municipality of São Felix do Xingu, namely: (i) institution of protected areas, (ii) environmental monitoring and enforcement, (iii) credit restrictions, (iv) commodity agreements, (v) multi-stakeholder pr…
Computer Science (11 works) · Evaluation and Performance Assessment (11 works) · Artificial Intelligence (7 works) · Engineering (7 works) · Management science (7 works) · Qualitative Comparative Analysis Research (6 works) · Econometrics (5 works) · Economics (5 works) · Machine learning (5 works) · Mathematics (5 works)