The Complementarity of Programme Logic and Critical Systems Heuristics
Critical Systems Practice for the Evaluation of Emergency Relief in Australia
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 7169299 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Patrick Mckenna (0000-0003-1257-7758, Faculty of Business, Justice and Behavioural Studies Charles Sturt University Barton Australian Capital Territory Australia, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 42 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 111-122 |
| Publication date | 2025-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Systems Research and Behavioral Science (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1092-7026 • E-ISSN: 1099-1743 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1002/sres.3114 |
| OpenAlex | W4405008493 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 34 |
The research aim was to improve the outcomes of Australia's Emergency Relief programme by applying the multiperspective multimethodological critical systems thinking and practice. Emergency Relief was designed as a short‐term intervention to assist people facing a financial crisis; however, it was evident and considered problematic that many beneficiaries had an ongoing reliance on the programme. The application of programme logic, the prevailing best practice approach to social services design and evaluation in Australia, demonstrated its strength by revealing opportunities to improve service delivery models through staff training, referral systems, colocation and case management. The application of critical systems heuristics revealed that unintended adverse consequences could result from ‘payment by outcomes’ commissioning and welfare conditionality. The research makes a methodological contribution to systems and evaluation literature by demonstrating the complementarity of programme logic and critical systems heuristics, and the strength in the multiperspective multimethodological approach of critical systems thinking and practice
Business · Conditionality · Economics · Heuristics · Logic model · Management science · Political science · Process management · Systems thinking · Unintended consequences · Community Development and Social Impact · Computer Science · Evaluation and Performance Assessment · Healthcare innovation and challenges · Public Administration
A Broken Social Elevator? How to Promote Social Mobility
Critical systems practice 1
Critical systems practice 2
Critical systems practice 4
The Actor-Based Change Framework
Motivating the Unemployed? Attitudes at the Front Line
Australian Workers’ Narratives about Emergency Relief and Employment Service Clients
Financial Hardship and Emergency Relief in Victoria
Sweet and Sour Charity
Cream-Skimming, Parking and Other Intended and Unintended Effects of High-Powered, Performance-Based Contracts
Welfare Conditionality and Blaming the Unemployed
The three worlds of welfare capitalism
Managing the Inclusion Process in Collaborative Governance
Dilemmas in a general theory of planning
Collaborative Governance in Theory and Practice
| Unique citing works | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 2 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2025 (1) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 2 |