This book provides advanced theoretical and applied tools for the implementation of modern micro-econometric techniques in evidence-based program evaluation for the social sciences. The author presents a comprehensive toolbox for designing rigorous and effective ex-post program evaluation using the statistical software package Stata. For each method, a statistical presentation is developed, followed by a practical estimation of the treatment effects. By using both real and simulated data, readers will become familiar with evaluation techniques, such as regression-adjustment, matching, difference-in-differences, instrumental-variables and regression-discontinuity-design and are given practical guidelines for selecting and applying suitable methods for specific policy contexts.

Program evaluation methods are widely applied in economics to assess the effects of policy interventions and other treatments of interest. In this article, we describe the main methodological frameworks of the econometrics of program evaluation. In the process, we delineate some of the directions along which this literature is expanding, discuss recent developments, and highlight specific areas where new research may be particularly fruitful.

'The economic crisis has simultaneously placed a strong emphasis on the role of R&D as an engine of economic growth and a demand that limited public resources are demonstrated to have had the maximum possible impact. Rigorous evaluation is the key to meeting these needs. This Handbook brings together highly experienced leaders in the field to provide a comprehensive and well-organised state-of-the-art overview of the range of methods available. It will prove invaluable to experienced practitioners, students in the field and more widely to those who want to increase their understanding of the complex and pervasive ways in which technological advance contributes to economic and social progress.' – Luke Georghiou, University of Manchester, UK 'Theoretical and empirical research on program evaluation has advanced rapidly in scope and quality. A concomitant trend is increasing pressure on policymakers to show that programs are "effective". Now is the time for a comprehensive status report on state-of-the-art research and methods by leading scholars in a variety of disciplines on program evaluation. This outstanding collection of contributions will serve as a valuable reference tool for academics, policymakers, and practitioners for many years to come.' – Donald S. Siegel, University at Albany, SUNY, US There has been a dramatic increase in expenditures on public goods over the past thirty years, particularly in the area of research and development. As governments explore the many opportunities for growth in this area, they – and the general public – are becoming increasingly concerned with the transparency, accountability and performance of public programs. This pioneering Handbook offers a collection of critical essays on the theory and practice of program evaluation, written by some of the most well-known experts in the field. As this volume demonstrates, a wide variety of methodologies exist to evaluate particularly the objectives and outcomes of research and development programs. These include surveys, statistical and econometric estimations, patent analyses, bibliometrics, scientometrics, network analyses, case studies, and historical tracings. Contributors divide these and other methods and applications into four categories – economic, non-economic, hybrid and data-driven – in order to discuss the many factors that affect the utility of each technique and how that impacts the technological, economic and societal forecasts of the programs in question. Scholars, practitioners and students with an interest in economics and innovation will all find this Handbook an invaluable resource.

This book provides advanced theoretical and applied tools for the implementation of modern micro-econometric techniques in evidence-based program evaluation for the social sciences. The author presents a comprehensive toolbox for designing rigorous and effective ex-post program evaluation using the statistical software package Stata. For each method, a statistical presentation is developed, followed by a practical estimation of the treatment effects. By using both real and simulated data, readers will become familiar with evaluation techniques, such as regression-adjustment, matching, difference-in-differences, instrumental-variables, regression-discontinuity-design, and synthetic control method, and are given practical guidelines for selecting and applying suitable methods for specific policy contexts. The second revised and extended edition features two new chapters on some recent development of difference-in-differences. Specifically, chapter 5 introduces advanced difference-in-differences methods when many times are available and treatment can be either time-varying or fixed at a specific time. Chapter 6 introduces the synthetic control method, a treatment effect estimation approach suitable when only one unit is treated. Both chapters present applications using the software Stata.

This book provides a self-contained presentation of the statistical tools required for evaluating public programs, as advocated by many governments, the World Bank, the European Union, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. After introducing the methodological framework of program evaluation, the first chapters are devoted to the collection, elementary description and multivariate analysis of data as well as the estimation of welfare changes. The book then successively presents the tools of ex-ante methods (financial analysis, budget planning, cost-benefit, cost-effectiveness and multi-criteria evaluation) and ex-post methods (benchmarking, experimental and quasi-experimental evaluation). The step-by-step approach and the systematic use of numerical illustrations equip readers to handle the statistics of program evaluation. It not only offers practitioners from public administrations, consultancy firms and nongovernmental organizations the basic tools and advanced techniques used in program assessment, it is also suitable for executive management training, upper undergraduate and graduate courses, as well as for self-study.

Mixed Methods for Policy Research and Program Evaluation by Patricia Burch and Carolyn J. Heinrich equips students, researchers, and policymakers in the social sciences with the tools they need for applying mixed methods in policy research and program evaluation, from design, through data collection, and dissemination. Emphasizing the “how-to”—the set of conceptual and active tasks carried out by mixed methods researchers—the book is illustrated with rich case studies from the authors’ own research projects in education and public policy. These examples help readers identify and explain policy and program impacts and better understand the “why” and “how” of observed effects. Throughout the book, the authors describe challenges that both beginners and advanced scholars are likely to encounter when doing mixed methods research and recommend practical tools available to address them.