Ex-Ante Evaluation and Implementation of Science, Technology and Innovation Projects

Abstract

Monitoring and Evaluation Process is a crucial component of any project, involving progress tracking, outcome assessment, and understanding the project's impact on the target population. Ex-ante evaluation, one of the widely studied and utilized evaluation types, plays a significant role in the success of Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) projects, which are fundamental for the socio-economic transformation of any country. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the implementation of STI projects and early assessment of the projects prior to execution. A systematic review of published literature was conducted, selecting five articles with geographical diversity covering various STI settings, such as emerging technologies in production industries, research and development, and ICT projects in universities. The articles, published in English and having thematic relevance on the relationship between ex-ante evaluation and STI projects, employed methodologically sound research approaches. The period of publication was widened to include an article from 2009. All five articles had similar objectives of assessing the role of ex-ante evaluation in the adoption and implementation of STI-related projects and converged in their findings regarding the positive impact of ex-ante evaluation on project outcomes. However, some studies diverged in research problems, data collection, analysis methods, and research gaps. In conclusion, this paper presents a multifaceted exploration of ex-ante evaluation as a contemporary concept in project monitoring and evaluation, outlining several steps for evaluating STI projects prior to implementation. Further research is needed on the operationalization and conceptualization of ex-ante evaluation as an approach to monitoring and evaluation in the context of implementing complex and diverse STI projects.

Key Words: Monitoring and Evaluation, Ex-ante evaluation, Science, Technology and Innovation, Emerging technologies