Selected ethical challenges in the EU project and program evaluation: differences between evaluators from public and private sectors, the view from the Czech Republic
Jan Holický, Petr Wawrosz, Lasha Naveriani, Miroslav Jurásek, Lucie SeverováPurpose
This study aims to examine the ethical challenges faced by evaluators of European Union (EU)-funded programs and projects in the Czech Republic, with a focus on misreporting, incompleteness or inaccuracies in reporting results.
Design/methodology/approach
The research uses methodological triangulation, integrating quantitative and qualitative sources. The quantitative survey analyzed patterns and trends in ethical dilemmas and challenges, while participatory methods such as the World Café and in-depth semi-structured interviews provided rich, contextual insights into evaluators’ experiences and offered a broader perspective on how evaluators navigate ethical tensions in their professional practice.
Findings
Cluster analysis identified three distinct evaluator groups, ranging from those who rarely encounter ethical dilemmas to those who are frequently exposed. This study revealed systemic differences between public- and private-sector evaluators: private evaluators, owing to the client-driven dynamics inherent in their jobs, face greater ethical pressures than their public counterparts.
Originality/value
The use of methodological triangulation, despite the sample being quite small, importantly contributes to defining the dilemma evaluators face. The results suggest that the nature of the subject, i.e. whether the organization is public or private, has a significant impact on whether evaluators face an ethical challenge. Ethical behavior, according to the data, is shaped more profoundly by institutional context and work environment than by individual demographic or professional characteristics. It can be argued that the results are specific to the group of evaluators under investigation. However, many of this study’s findings have been reported or confirmed by other researchers.