The Evaluation Marketplace and Its Industry

Abstract

The present chapter provides the conceptual foundation on which the remainder of this special issue is grounded. First, the chapter considers the idea of an evaluation marketplace and reflects on the limited attention awarded to the commercial aspects of evaluation. Second, the scarce—yet significant—literature on the evaluation market and industry is considered, identifying three distinct strands of contributions: the evaluation market composition, market dynamics, and strategies for navigating these. In the third section, the chapter offers working definitions of the evaluation market and evaluation services as well as presents the evaluation market framework, an emerging framework for better understanding the central components of the evaluation marketplace, including its context, composition, and dynamics. A brief set of concluding notes brings the chapter to a close.

Opportunities and Challenges Ahead for University-Based Evaluator Education Programs, Faculty, and Students

“…Ongoing efforts at the University of Minnesota have documented over 1,000 job descriptions for evaluators, including solicitations for full-time and part-time evaluators, for evaluation faculty, and for practitioners with evaluation skills in addition to another area of expertise (e.g., health, policy, education) as well as requests for proposals and requests for qualifications. This project suggests a wide range of pay scales, consistent with the range of contexts in which evaluators work (Dewey et al, 2008;Nielsen et al, 2018). Job descriptions often call for evaluators with expertise in inquiry design and methodology and sometimes include an interest in a specific theoretical perspective, such as theory-driven, utilization-focused, empowerment, systems thinking, or culturally responsive evaluation.…”

Redesigning a University-Based Evaluator Education Program for Scholarship and Practice

“…We conclude by suggesting that evaluator education is a vibrant area of inquiry for scholars interested in the overlap between adult education and evaluation schol arship and practice. Indeed, there are many questions still to be explored, and it is exciting for us to imagine how the answers may change as evaluator education programs both drive and respond to the evaluation job market (Nielsen et al, 2018) and the academic job market. Examples of these thesis-and dissertationworthy topics might include the following:…”

Competency-Based Evaluation Education: Four Essential Things to Know and Do

“…Global demand exists for the practice of evaluation ( Nielsen et al, 2018 ), as well as for eff ective pedagogical approaches supporting the personalized and developmental progression of relevant knowledge and skills over a lifetime as a professional evaluator within a changing world ( Chappell et al, 2003 ). But while incorporating competencies into evaluation coursework can enhance learners' skills, knowledge, and abilities ( Stevahn et al, 2005 ), evaluation-specifi c instructional guidance is lacking.…”