IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/epplan/v97y2023ics014971892300040x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

From projects to systems: Being explicit about assumptions in systems-level theories of change

Author

Listed:
  • Das, Shyamashree
  • Singh, Kultar

Abstract

Projects and programs have long been the primary instrument for achieving development goals in low- and middle-income countries. One criticism of the project-focused approach is its failure to focus on broader system-level changes. This paper explores how Mayne's COM-B Theory of Change model can enhance the evaluation of how projects and system-level investments can lead to system-level changes, especially in a development context. Using a real-world example, we offer several evaluation questions to initiate thinking about what might be needed to extend the ideas in the COM-B theory of change to facilitate better interrogation of systems-level change efforts.

Suggested Citation

  • Das, Shyamashree & Singh, Kultar, 2023. "From projects to systems: Being explicit about assumptions in systems-level theories of change," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:epplan:v:97:y:2023:i:c:s014971892300040x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2023.102263
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014971892300040X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2023.102263?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Maria Paola Bertone & Jean-Benoît Falisse & Giuliano Russo & Sophie Witter, 2018. "Context matters (but how and why?) A hypothesis-led literature review of performance based financing in fragile and conflict-affected health systems," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(4), pages 1-27, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Eelco Jacobs & Maria Paola Bertone & Jurrien Toonen & Ngozi Akwataghibe & Sophie Witter, 2020. "Performance-Based Financing, Basic Packages of Health Services and User-Fee Exemption Mechanisms: An Analysis of Health-Financing Policy Integration in Three Fragile and Conflict-Affected Settings," Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, Springer, vol. 18(6), pages 801-810, December.
    2. Bertone, Maria Paola & Jowett, Matthew & Dale, Elina & Witter, Sophie, 2019. "Health financing in fragile and conflict-affected settings: What do we know, seven years on?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 232(C), pages 209-219.
    3. Manassé Nimpagaritse & Catherine Korachais & Bruno Meessen, 2020. "Effects in spite of tough constraints - A theory of change based investigation of contextual and implementation factors affecting the results of a performance based financing scheme extended to malnut," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(1), pages 1-25, January.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:epplan:v:97:y:2023:i:c:s014971892300040x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/evalprogplan .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.