Results-Based Management in Development Cooperation : A descriptive study of vision and evaluations through a historical perspective

Sammanfattning: The last half century, there has been a global pressure on increased measuring and presenting of results in the public sector. One of the sectors where the pressure and calls for Results-based management (RBM) has been, and currently is, strong both in Sweden and internationally is within international development cooperation. But, to prove the effectiveness of development cooperation is not a simple task, and hence, the steering signals regarding the management model has been met with some criticism. However, although scholars argue that there have been several waves of pressure for RBM since the early 1970s, the massive amount of criticism seems to have been mainly aimed towards the latest push, in the 2000s. Why is that? This thesis take that question as an analytical starting point, but will not make any causal claims. Instead, it will take on a descriptive design, with an aim to identify any differences between RBM in Swedish development cooperation during the first and the latest push for increased focus on results. The main research question for the thesis is; In what way has the introduction of RBM in Swedish development cooperation been visible over time? The question will be analysed through text analyses to describe both the vision of RBM, as well as the evaluations of Swedish development cooperation during the two pushes for RBM. The study identifies differences on both levels, mostly regarding the aim of the model regarding whom the information is for, as well as significant differences in the ways evaluations have been conducted.