Managing evaluation studies, evaluators and other workers, and evaluation units is an omnipresent but almost invisible practice little studied and written about. The authors ask whether this should change and how. It is necessary to illuminate this practice before deciding, making distinctions among management, manager, and managing, the first a…

On the basis of a multistage exploration of evaluation texts, electronic searches, and nominations from the field and from managing social science, the author concludes there is little research literature on managing evaluation studies, evaluators and other workers, and evaluation units. The discussion explores what this limited literature tells…

Donald W. Compton, the first director of evaluation services at the National Home Office (Atlanta) of the American Cancer Society, tells the story of building the unit in conditions of high demand and a limited budget. Along the way, evaluation was brought to regional divisions and to local offices in part as a response to United Way and to his…

The authors tell about their heterogeneous 91 person research and evaluation unit at an operating foundation in St. Paul, Minnesota. They focus on evaluation for program improvement, one of several purposes of studies they work on. The three authors write from their different manager positions within the unit. Included are the context of the…

The guidelines presented are intended to stimulate institutional self-assessment, evaluation, and possible policy actions by college and university presidents, chief academic officers, and other academic officers not responsible for day-to-day administration of sponsored research programs. Officers of nonprofit research organizations may also find…

A 4-phase study was conducted to provide an objective third-party assessment of the effectiveness of research and development (R. & D.) projects supported by the Research and Development Unit (RDU) of the Illinois Division of Vocational and Technical Education. Activities during the four phases consisted of: (1) a preliminary review to obtain…