This article reviews recent efforts by the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation (MRI) to measure and evaluate the success of its policies. It argues that these efforts have been inhibited by changes in the ministry's political context and the inherent complexity of the issues that innovation policies seek to address. The innovation strategy pursued by the ministry incorporates an element of mediated causality in its program logic, which complicates efforts to determine policy outcomes. When compounded by a changing normative context for judging success, this inherent complexity makes it very difficult to accurately determine and learn from the MRI's policy outcomes. The article concludes by suggesting a preliminary process of inquiry that might address some of these difficulties.
A mixed methods case study of the Government of Canada provides a lens through which the skills development and training and development challenges confronting the public sector in an era of digitization and smart technologies can be examined. Findings related to four key inter-related themes emerged from the analysis of survey and interview data: i) current skills sufficiencies will be challenged by coming demands; ii) digital transformation is recognized as critical, but requires significant cultural and organizational change; iii) employees are uncertain about the use of smart technologies; and iv) there is a demand for expanded training opportunities to address these challenges. These findings reflect the broader context, in particular the increasing importance of hybrid skill sets that transcend traditional boundaries between technical and non-technical functions and skills, and the need for more open and integrative venues for discussion of and training regarding digital initiatives.
Context matters when understanding evaluation. This case study illustrates how the internal dynamics of the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario (FedNor) since 2008 were affected by evaluation priorities. Recent changes meant evaluation of FedNor programs focused on indicators of short‐term growth. This prompted a range of adaptive responses by actors within FedNor concerned with securing its developmental mandate, while meeting the requirements of evaluation.
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