L’utilisation des évaluations par l’analyse thématique

le cas d’Anciens Combattants Canada (ACC)

Authors

  • Jean-François Levesque École nationale d’administration publique, Québec, Québec

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3138/cjpe-2024-0045

Keywords:

evaluation methods, evaluative practice, neutral evaluation, public administration, strategic use

Abstract

The issue of the use of evaluation results has been around for at least 50 years. Several research studies indicate that evaluations in the Canadian government are not used strategically. Moreover, since 2016, neutral evaluation of the evaluation function has been a requirement of the Treasury Board Policy on Results. To promote this strategic use and support the evaluation function, thematic analysis was used to brush a portrait of intra- and inter-programme evaluations. The results of this analysis lead us to conclude that this analysis method is relevant. It highlights recurring or divergent aspects of the evaluations. It could, therefore, support senior management’s strategic decision-making regarding programmes’ relevance, effectiveness and efficiency. Similarly, it can support the recommendations of the 2023 BDO’s final report about the neutral evaluation of the evaluation function.

References

Anciens Combattants Canada. (2019). Mandat, mission, vision et valeurs. Repéré à https://www.veterans.gc.ca/fr/propos-dacc/nos-valeurs/mandat

BDO Canada s.r.l./S.E.N.C.R.L. (BDO). (2023, mai). Évaluation neutre de la fonction d’évaluation. https://www.canada.ca/fr/emploi-developpement-social/ministere/rapports/evaluations/evaluation-neutralite-fonction-evaluation-2023.html

Bourgeois, I. et Naré, C. (2015). The “Usability” of Evaluation Reports : A Precursor to Evaluation Use in Government Organizations. Journal of MultiDisciplinary Evaluation, 11(2), 60–67.

Bourgeois, I. et Whynot, J. (2017). Strategic Evaluation Utilization in the Canadian Federal Government. Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation, 32(3), 327–346.

Braun, V. et Clarke, V. (2006). Using Thematic Analysis in Psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101.

Cowton, C. J. (2019). Making a contemporary contribution using old data: Reflections on delayed doctorates. The International Journal of Management Education, 17(1), 77–84.

Creswell, J. W. et Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design : Choosing Among Five Approaches (4e édition). Sage Publications, Inc.

Ketchen, D. J., Roccapriore, A. Y. et Connelly, B. L. (2023). Using Old Data: When Is It Appropriate? Journal of Management, 49(8), 2541–2548.

King, J. A. et Alkin, M. C. (2018). The Centrality of Use: Theories of Evaluation Use and Influence and Thoughts on the First 50 Years of Use Research. American Journal of Evaluation, XX(X), 1–28.

LeCompte, M. D. (2000). Analyzing Qualitative Data. Theory into Practice, 39(3), 146–154. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1477546

Ledermann, S. (2012). Exploring the Necessary Conditions for Evaluation Use in Program Change. American Journal of Evaluation, 33(2), 159–178.

Mark, M. M. et Henry, G. T. (2004). The Mechanisms and Outcomes of Evaluation Influence. Evaluation, 10(1), 35–57.

Paillé, P. et Mucchielli, A. (2013). L’analyse qualitative en sciences humaines et sociales. L’analyse qualitative en sciences humaines et sociales (3e édition). Armand Colin.

Saunders, M. (2012). The Use and Usability of Evaluation Outputs: A Social Practice Approach. Evaluation, 18(4), 421–436.

Searle, M., Cooper, A., Worthington, P., Hughes, J., Gokiert, R. et Poth, C. (2024). Mapping Evaluation Use: A Scoping Review of Extant Literature (2005–2022). American Journal of Evaluation, 45(3), 341–360.

Vaismoradi, M., Turunen, H. et Bondas, T. (2013). Content Analysis and Thematic Analysis: Implications for Conducting a Qualitative Descriptive Study. Nursing & Health Sciences, 15(3), 398–405.

Cover of The Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation / La Revue canadienne d’évaluation de programme. Pale blue background with bilingual English–French title at the top. Central box lists Volume 39, Number 3, June 2025 and article titles and authors under section headings. Website and ISSN appear at the top; University of Toronto Press logo at bottom right.

Downloads

Published

2025-08-05

How to Cite

Levesque, J.-F. (2025). L’utilisation des évaluations par l’analyse thématique: le cas d’Anciens Combattants Canada (ACC). Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation, 39(3), 611–638. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjpe-2024-0045

Issue

Vol. 39 No. 3 (2025): June

Section

Research and Practice Notes

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Jean-François Levesque

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Authors contributing to The Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation agree to release their articles under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 (CC-BY-NC) license. This licence allows this work to be copied, distributed, remixed, transformed, and built upon for any purpose provided that appropriate attribution is given, a link is provided to the license, and changes made were indicated.

Authors retain copyright of their work and grant the journal right of first publication.

Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.