The Centre for Social Innovation (ZSI) conducts evaluation projects in several of its thematic priorities and in several policy fields to help customers to check if their instruments, programmes, or institutional arrangements achieve the intended impact. One particular focus is the evaluation of science and innovation policies and programmes. ZSI applies tailor-made evaluation concepts and method-mixes, including different qualitative and quantitative methods. Further methodological approaches applied by ZSI include, among others, scientometric analysis including bibliometrics, SNA, control-group procedures, expert and stakeholder interviews, case studies and grounded theory, different focus group formats, (participatory) observation, qualitative interaction analysis, discourse analysis, participatory procedures, artefact analysis, and other formats of visual sociology based approaches. |
The Centre for Social Innovation conducts evaluation projects in several of its thematic priorities, i.e. "work and equal opportunities", "technology and knowledge," and "research policy and development," and in several policy fields, for example STI policy, development cooperation, labour market policy,or sustainable policies. We help our customers to understand if their interventions like instruments, programmes, institutional arrangements, and regulations are well designed and targeted, achieve the intended impact, and provide value for money. One of our particular focus is the evaluation of science and innovation policies and programmes. Drawing on this expertise and through the key involvement of our staff, we are also active in fteval, the Austrian Platform for Research and Technology Policy Evaluation, whose office is hosted by ZSI, and aims to create a sustainable platform for RTI evaluation in Southeastern Europe, which also supports designing and procurement of evaluation studies by providing standards. In several projects, we are also responsible for monitoring the project implementation for progress and impact assessments, for example in several INCO-NET projects.
Tailor-made evaluation concepts
To meet the different requirements of evaluation and monitoring assignments, ZSI applies tailor-made evaluation concepts and method-mixes, including different qualitative and quantitative designs and methods These include the measures of dispersion such as mean value, median, variance, standard deviation, or bivariate descriptive analysis approaches such as contingency tables or correlation coefficient; analysis of variance and different methods of regression analysis, time series analyses, structural equation models, etc. Further methodological approaches applied by ZSI include, among others, scientometric analysis (incl. bibliometrics), SNA, control-group procedures, expert and stakeholder interviews, case studies and grounded theory, different focus group formats, (participatory) observation, qualitative interaction analysis, discourse analysis, participatory procedures, artefact analysis and other formats of visual sociology based approaches, etc.
Wide range of accompanying measures
Usually summative presentation of results will be supplemented by formative-descriptive information in order to accommodate the complexity of the underlying policy processes. In contrast to using only a single method or a single methodological approach, ZSI combines different data collection and evaluation methods (quantitative and/or qualitative methods) – a so-called triangulating research strategy – which enables us to achieve more comprehensive and at the same time more precise results. Moreover, ZSI experts come from different professional backgrounds, are trained in evaluation ethics and are experienced to accompany and support complex policy processes.
Key References based on contracting authorities:
- Horizon 2020 Policy Support Facility
- EVAL-INNO: Evaluation in RTDI in SEE, supported by the South East Europe Programme
- Platform Research and Technology Policy Evaluation (fteval)
- Evaluation of bilateral Science & Technology Agreements, commissioned by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science and Research
- Evaluation of CIVISTI - Citizen visions on science, technology and innovation, for the Danish Board of Technology on behalf of CIVISTI (FP7-SSH project)
- Output oriented evaluation of publicly funded RTDI programmes (in German only), BMVIT, Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Forschung
If you are interested in our competences on evaluation or impact analysis, please feel free to get in touch with us.
Contact person: Mag. Dr. Klaus Schuch
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Projects
- Mission Service Facility
- Local Accessible Urban Digital and Sustainable Factories: New European Bauhaus Approach to Open and Decentralised Urban Manufacturing
- Austrian Research and Technology Reports 2023-2026
- InChildHealth
- Evaluation of the European Framework Programmes for Research and Innovation: Global Challenges and Industrial Competitiveness related to the Green Transition
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Publications
- EIT Urban Mobility (EIT-UM) : Horizon Europe and the Green Transition : interim evaluation support study
- Austrian Research and Technology Report 2024
- Forschungsvielfalt: Bessere Rahmenbedingungen gewünscht!
- Evaluation der Richtlinie zur „Förderung von Forschung und Lehre im Bereich der Sozialpolitik“
- Policy Brief: Citizen Social Science: a promising approach for more participation in knowledge production and decision making
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Events
- Klimarechnungshof Jetzt! Die Eingabe
- Environmental and Energy Economics: Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, Green Transition, Circular Economy
- 2 conferences on evaluation organised by COST PROFEEDBACK in 2023
- Evaluation of Policies on Social Inclusion, Migration (in particular interventions related to integration)
- Conference: Evaluation of Public Policy Responses to 'black swans'
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