Gap between perception of quality of governance when assessed externally by aggregate indicators or selfassessed internally from the view of public organisations is huge. For the latter the discrepancy is repeated as different selfassessment approaches for organisations produce different and even conflicting results. The problem is demonstrated on the case of selfassessment of organisation O from Slovenian public sector with the Common Assessment Framework (CAF).

We start with identification of logical inconsistency in CAF between its initial purpose and subsequently applied assessment methodology. To resolve the contradiction, a synthesis modul is added to the standard CAF, but this also institutes distinctive assessment rationale. It is not subject any more to the rationale of private sector from which CAF is derived (EFQM) but establishes complex rationale, which is distinct for assessing organisations in public sector. The experiment testifies that in the assessment of complex social issues analysis and synthesis are both needed and they are even sufficiently determined by each other. This gives ground for proposing the conclusion that huge gap in the assessment of quality of governance is partly caused with lack of multilevel approach to evaluation synthesis which is needed to overcome the intrinsic differences from which micro and macro judgment about social matters can only be produced.

 

Keywords: self-assessment; public administration; CAF – Common Assessment Framework, quality of governance.

Working papers of Slovenian Evaluation Society, vol 5, no. 1 (February 2012)

Bojan Radej*, Mirna Macur**

* Slovenian Evaluation Society, Ljubljana, bojan.radej@siol.net

** School of Advanced Social Studies in Nova Gorica, Nova Gorica, mirna.macur@gmail.com

 

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