World Bank Operations Evaluation Department : The First 30 Years

by Grasso, Patrick; Wasty, Sulaiman S.; Weaving, Rachel; World Bank Operations Evaluation Dept; Grasso, Patrick; Wasty, Sulaiman S.; Weaving, Rachel

• ISBN13: 9780821355497
• ISBN10: 082135549X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-07-01
• Publisher: World Bank

Summary

This publication reviews the 30 year history of the Operations Evaluation Department (OED), an independent unit within the World Bank. This department assesses the organisation's programmes and work with developing countries in order to evaluate its effectiveness, provide accountability in the achievement of its objectives, and disseminate lessons drawn from evaluation findings.

Table of Contents

Foreword	vii
President James D. Wolfensohn
Message from Former President Robert S. McNamara	ix
Introduction	xi
Acknowledgments	xiii
Part I. Perspectives on the Evolution of OED
First Experiments in Operations Evaluation: Roots, Hopes, and Gaps	3	(14)
Christopher Willoughby
First Initiatives	4	(2)
A Second Round of Experimentation	6	(1)
Firmer Attachment to the Bank's Board of Directors	7	(1)
At Length, an Emerging System	8	(2)
Hopes	10	(2)
Gaps	12	(1)
Conclusions	13	(1)
Notes	14	(3)
Institutionalizing the Evaluation Function at the World Bank, 1975--84	17	(14)
Mervyn L. Weiner
The Changing Context for Evaluation	17	(1)
Origins of Evaluation in the Bank	18	(1)
Forging the Relationship Between Evaluation and Operations	18	(1)
Evolution of Completion Reporting	19	(2)
Strong Presidential Support	21	(1)
Consistent Board Interest	21	(1)
Reporting Relationships	22	(1)
Staffing	22	(1)
Efforts to Extend Evaluation Beyond Bank Operations	23	(1)
Evaluation Criteria	24	(1)
Audience for Evaluation	24	(1)
Outreach	25	(1)
Questions and Answers	26	(5)
Building up the Capacity and Influence of Evaluation in the Bank and Outside, 1986--92	31	(14)
Yves Rovani
The Bank's Evaluation System	32	(1)
People, Culture, Management	32	(1)
Output	33	(3)
Dissemination and Feedback	36	(2)
Evaluation Capacity Development	38	(2)
Conclusions	40	(1)
Questions and Answers	41	(4)
From Working Methods to Business Plan, 1984--94	45	(10)
Graham Donaldson
OED in 1984	45	(1)
New Operating Procedures	46	(3)
Drivers of Change	49	(3)
Questions and Answers	52	(2)
Notes	54	(1)
Promoting Professional and Personal Trust in OED	55	(6)
H. Eberhard Kopp
The Logic of Renewal: Evaluation at the World Bank, 1992--2002	61	(12)
Robert Picciotto
OED Renewal: Participation, Partnership, and Results	73	(14)
Elizabeth McAllister
Structure	78	(1)
Products and Processes	79	(1)
Culture	80	(3)
Questions and Answers	83	(4)
Part II. Relations with Board and Management
Promoting a Culture of Accountability and Learning	87	(4)
Pieter Stek
Reflections on the 30th Anniversary of OED	91	(4)
Shengman Zhang
Panel Discussion: Perspectives on Evaluation in the Bank Today	95	(10)
Prem Garg
Joanne Salop
Jan Piercy
Part III. Relations with Clients and Partners
Evaluation Capacity Development	105	(10)
Keith Mackay
OED Strengthens Its Focus on ECD	106	(1)
Bank Adopts a Support Strategy for ECD	107	(2)
OED's Continuing Role in ECD	109	(1)
Bank M&E Improvement Program	110	(1)
New Pressure to Show Development Results	110	(1)
OED's Role in ECD Today	111	(2)
Conclusions	113	(1)
Notes	114	(1)
Evolution of OED's Evaluation Partnerships	115	(10)
Osvaldo Feinstein
Rema N. Balasundaram
Informal Partnerships and Experience-Sharing	115	(1)
Participation in International Evaluation Groups	116	(1)
OED Conferences and Seminars on Evaluation	116	(1)
Enhancement of OED's Evaluation Partnerships	117	(2)
Joint Evaluations	119	(1)
Are Evaluation Partnerships Working?	120	(1)
Notes	121	(4)
Part IV. Challenges of Development Evaluation
The Global Challenge of Development Evaluation	125	(8)
Robert Picciotto
The Development Environment	125	(1)
Aid Is Not Enough	126	(1)
New Methods, Structures, and Processes	127	(1)
Learning from the Competition	128	(1)
Reaching Out	129	(4)
Broadening the Constituency for Evaluation	133	(4)
Sulley Gariba
Politics, Aid, and Development Evaluation	137	(8)
Eduardo Wiesner
Questions and Answers	143	(2)
The Challenges of Development Evaluation: Some Conclusions	145	(20)
Gregory K. Ingram
Annexes
Annex A. Reflections from Former and Current OED Staff	149	(6)
Annex B. OED: The First 30 Years	155	(10)
Annex C. Institutional Changes for Independent Evaluation at the World Bank: A Chronology (1970--2002)	165