Book Review: Performance Evaluation: Proven Approaches for Improving Program and Organizational Performance
| Author | Fay Kohn |
| Published date | 01 March 2009 |
| Date | 01 March 2009 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/1035719X0900900112 |
| Subject Matter | Book Review |
BOOK REVIEWS
Book reviews 63
beyond “what works”?’,
paper presented at the annual
conference of the Australian
Association for Research in
Education (AARE), Melbourne,
28 November – 2 December,
viewed 16 September 2009,
<http://www.aare.edu.au/04pap/
sur04790.pdf>.
Suri, H & Clarke, DJ 2009,
‘Advancements in research
synthesis methods: from a
methodologically inclusive
perspective’, Review of
Educational Research, vol. 79,
no. 1, pp. 395–430.
Reviewed by:
Harsh Suri
Centre for the Advancement of Learning and
Teaching
Monash University
Melbourne
Email: <harsh.suri@calt.monash.edu.au>
Title: Performance Evaluation: Proven Approaches for Improving Program and
Organizational Performance
Author: Ingrid J Guerra-López
Publisher/year: Jossey-Bass (an imprint of Wiley), San Francisco, 2008
Extent/type: 304 pages, paperback
Price: A$59.95/NZ$67.99 from Wiley Australia which offers a 15% discount to AES members, phone 1800 777 474
(within Australia), 0800 448 200 (from NZ only), +61 7 3354 8444 (from overseas),
email <custservice@johnwiley.com.au>, website <http://www.johnwiley.com.au>
ISBN: 978-0-7879-8883-8
The book is divided into four
parts. Part One provides an
introduction to evaluation,
Part Two is on models of
evaluation, Part Three focuses
on tools and techniques of
evaluation, and Part Four is
about continual improvement.
There are 18 chapters in the
book. Each chapter summarises
the key points of the chapter
as well as presenting reflection
questions. Both the key points
and reflection questions are
invaluable aspects of this book.
Each chapter is preceded with
a precise summary, of great
benefit to the reader.
The book is written in a
user-friendly style, providing
some theoretical background
as well as practical advice. This
book is recommended as a most
useful resource to the student
of evaluation and the novice
practitioner.
Part One
Chapter 1
The book, Performance
Evaluation, starts with a brief
historical overview of evaluation.
Evaluation is defined as a simple
concept that:
compares results with ■
expectations,
finds barriers to expected ■
performance,
and produces action plans for ■
improving the programs and
solutions being evaluated so that
expected performance is achieved
or maintained and organizational
objectives and contributions can
be realized. (Guerra-López 2007)
The author adopts the
approach that performance
improvement is an underlying
intention of organisations. The
worth or merit of programs is
based on the delivery of desired
results, the results’ worth and
whether the benefits of the
results outweigh the costs.
Appreciative inquiry
is discussed to improve
performance improvement
focusing on evaluators being
unbiased in the questions they
present. Reasons for conducting
evaluations are presented
and what the stakeholders’
intentions are with regard to
using the results.
Performance improvement
is defined by the International
Society for Performance
Improvement as a ‘systematic
approach to improving
productivity and competence
using a set of methods and
procedures—and a strategy
for solving problems—for
realising opportunities related
to the performance of people’
(p. 9). According to Ingrid
Guerra-López, the steps that
comprise the ADDIE model
refer to a process of selection,
analysis, design, development,
EJA_9_1.indb 63 18/10/09 10:34:25 PM
To continue reading
Request your trial