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Evaluation of Strategic Plans: The Performance Principle

Author

Listed:
  • H Mastop

    (Sshool for Environment and Planning, Faculty of Policy Sciences, University of Nijmegen, P O Box 9108, 6500 HK Nijmegen, The Netherlands)

  • A Faludi

    (Department of Physical Planning and Demography, Faculty of Spatial Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Prinsengracht 130, 1018 VZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

Abstract

Evaluation and implementation studies have a well-established tradition. For evaluation in general, this tradition seems to offer a clear-cut research design. This is not true for evaluation of strategic plans. First, most evaluation and implementation research deals with specific and well-defined operational policy and not with broad and sometimes vague indicative strategic planning. Second, the means – ends scheme underlying mainstream evaluation, in which conformance between a plan and final outcomes is the ultimate test of effectiveness, does not apply. In trying to establish conformance, we not only ask the wrong question but also use the wrong unit of analysis. Building on ideas from the planning and evaluation literature, we develop an alternative approach based on the notion that strategic plans serve the function of signposts for those involved in subsequent decisions. Our approach entails a test of the effectiveness of strategic plans which reflects their character; we suggest testing their performance. Empirical research on the role and purpose of strategic plans shows that ‘performance’ offers a promising way of understanding how strategic plans relate to intervention and of judging their usefulness.

Suggested Citation

  • H Mastop & A Faludi, 1997. "Evaluation of Strategic Plans: The Performance Principle," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 24(6), pages 815-832, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envirb:v:24:y:1997:i:6:p:815-832
    DOI: 10.1068/b240815
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    Cited by:

    1. Krekeler, Martin & Zimmermann, Thomas, 2014. "Politikwissenschaftliche Forschungsheuristiken als Hilfsmittel bei der Evaluation von raumbedeutsamen Instrumenten," Arbeitsberichte der ARL: Aufsätze, in: Küpper, Patrick & Levin-Keitel, Meike & Maus, Friederike & Müller, Peter & Reimann, Sara & Sonderman (ed.), Raumentwicklung 3.0 - Gemeinsam die Zukunft der räumlichen Planung gestalten, volume 8, pages 74-90, ARL – Akademie für Raumentwicklung in der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft.
    2. Guan Li & Zhongguo Xu & Cifang Wu & Yuefei Zhuo & Xinhua Tong & Yanfei Wei & Xiaoqiang Shen, 2019. "Inside or Outside? The Impact Factors of Zoning–Land Use Mismatch," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-25, December.
    3. van Doren, Didi & Driessen, Peter P.J. & Runhaar, Hens A.C. & Giezen, Mendel, 2020. "Learning within local government to promote the scaling-up of low-carbon initiatives: A case study in the City of Copenhagen," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).

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