Applying a Realist Evaluation approach to identify key considerations that successfully enables expansion of Project LEO
Date
2022-04
Authors
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Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Innovasie en tegnologie is die dryfkrag agter die sakewêreld, die samelewing en die manier waarop ons werk, en die wêreld bly al vinniger verander. Demokratiese beginsels, billikheid, gelykheid en volhoubaarheid is reeds globale kwessies wat in regerings, besighede en die burgerlike samelewing se beste belang is om die hoof te bied. Hierdie maatskaplike kwessies is gesetel in komplekse kontekste met sosio-ekonomiese, politieke, tegnologiese, omgewings- en kulturele faktore wat in berekening gebring en genavigeer moet word. Die regering is toenemend bereid om met die openbare sektor saam te werk om maatskaplike kwessies aan te pak, met behulp van ʼn netwerkbenadering tot bestuursbeheer om die koste van verandering en innovasie te deel, terwyl maatskaplike rolspelers bemagtig word om verandering aan te dryf.
Loodsstudies is fundamenteel tot die konseptualisering en toets van veranderingsmeganismes en innoverende intervensies, deurdat verandering in mikrosamelewings bestuur kan word, en indien suksesvol, teen ʼn groter of ander agtergrond herhaal kan word. Realistiese evaluasies gee toe dat nie alle programme dieselfde in verskillende kontekste werk nie en ondersoek eerder wat, vir wie en in watter omgewing werk. Hierdie navorsingsverslag hersien, met behulp van realistiese-evaluasieteorie, die hoofoorwegings vir innoverende loodsstudies wat herhaalbaar is en waar die suksesvolle projekte uitgebrei kan word. Die energiebedryf word gekonfronteer deur die uitdagings van ontkoling en die infrastruktuurveranderinge wat nodig is om die groen revolusie te ondersteun. Hierdie navorsing gee ʼn oorsig oor die kompleksiteit van hierdie oorgang, en ontleed die dryfkragte, rolspelers en beleide wat kompleksiteit in die omgewing veroorsaak. Die Local Energy Oxfordshire (LEO) projek word as ʼn gevallestudie in die navorsing gebruik. Die LEO is ʼn uitstekende voorbeeld van ʼn innoverende loodsprojek, wat verandering in die energiebedryf aandryf deur aanpasbare plaaslike energiestelsels te skep. Die LEO is in Oxfordshire in die Verenigde Koninkryk geloods en, as dit suksesvol is, sal dit dalk nasionaal en in ander lande geïmplementeer word. Die navorsing gebruik realistiese-evalueringsteorie om vroeë aanduiders van sukses te ontleed deur te probeer verstaan of die uitdagings en sukses wat geïdentifiseer word, intern of ekstern tot die omgewing is. Hierdie benadering beoordeel of die intervensie op makroskaal herhaalbaar sal wees, met die inkorporasie van kompleksiteitsteorie aan die kern daarvan.
Empiriese navorsing, ingewin deur realistiese onderhoude, bevind dat die LEO vroeë aanduiders van sukses toon, ná holistiese assessering van die maatskaplike kwessies binne die energiesektors wat met hernubare energieverbruik verband hou. Die LEO het verskeie kundige leweringsvennote met diverse netwerke wat maatskaplike hulpbronne kan mobiliseer. Die LEO het ook ʼn bloudruk vir hulle metodologieë, projekontwerpe en implementeringsmetodes ontwikkel, wat deur leweringsdryfkragte in alternatiewe omstandighede aangewend en toegepas kan word. Desondanks sal daar uitdagings met die vergroting van skaal wees, waaronder die toewyding van belanghebbendes aan die bereiking van uitkomste, politieke en gemeenskapsteun, netwerkkundigheid, en betrekkinge met belanghebbendes wat as die interne faktore van die bedryfsomgewing beskou word. Aanbevelings is gedoen om hierdie projekuitdagings die hoof te bied, en daar is ook aanbeveel dat ander loodsstudies gedoen word om innovasie en verandering in alternatiewe omgewings te toets.
ENGLISH SUMMARY: Innovation and technology drive business, society and the way in which we work, with the world constantly changing at an increasing rate. Democratic principles, fairness, equality and sustainability have become global issues that governments, businesses and civil society have become invested in addressing. However, these societal issues operate in complex contexts with socio-economic, political, technological, environmental and cultural factors to take into account and navigate. Government has increasingly shown a willingness to work with the public sector to address societal issues, using a network governance approach to share the cost of change and innovation, while empowering social actors to be drivers of change. Pilot studies are fundamental in conceptualising and testing change mechanisms and innovative interventions whereby change is managed in microsocieties and, upon their success, replicated in larger or different settings. Realist evaluations recognise that not all programmes work the same in different contexts and instead investigate what works, for whom and in what environment. Using realist evaluation theory, this research paper reviews the key considerations for innovative pilot studies in realising their aims to achieve replicability and to scale up successful projects. The energy industry faces the challenges of decarbonisation and infrastructural changes required to support the green revolution. This research reviews the complexity of this transition, analysing the driving factors, role players and policies that go towards creating complexity in the environment. Project Local Energy Oxfordshire (LEO) is used as a case study in the research. LEO is a stellar example of an innovative pilot project, driving change in the energy industry by creating flexible local energy systems. LEO is piloted in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom, and if successful, looks to be implemented nationally and in other countries. The research uses realist evaluative theory to analyse early indicators of success by seeking to understand whether challenges and success identified are internal or external to the environment. This approach assesses if the intervention would be replicable at a macro scale, incorporating complexity theory at the core of its operation. The empirical research seen in the format of realist interviews, found that LEO provides early indicators for success, having holistically assessed the societal issues within the energy sectors relating to renewable energy consumption. LEO has a range of committed expert delivery partners, with diverse sets of networks used to mobilise societal resources. Furthermore, LEO has created a blueprint for their piloted methodologies, project designs and implementation methods, which can be utilised and applied by delivery drivers in alternative settings. Despite this, challenges would be faced in scaling up, with stakeholder commitment to achieve outcomes; political and community support; network expertise and stakeholder relationships seen as internal factors of the operating environment. Recommendations have been made to address such project challenges, as well as recommendations for other pilot studies to test innovation and change in alternative environments.
ENGLISH SUMMARY: Innovation and technology drive business, society and the way in which we work, with the world constantly changing at an increasing rate. Democratic principles, fairness, equality and sustainability have become global issues that governments, businesses and civil society have become invested in addressing. However, these societal issues operate in complex contexts with socio-economic, political, technological, environmental and cultural factors to take into account and navigate. Government has increasingly shown a willingness to work with the public sector to address societal issues, using a network governance approach to share the cost of change and innovation, while empowering social actors to be drivers of change. Pilot studies are fundamental in conceptualising and testing change mechanisms and innovative interventions whereby change is managed in microsocieties and, upon their success, replicated in larger or different settings. Realist evaluations recognise that not all programmes work the same in different contexts and instead investigate what works, for whom and in what environment. Using realist evaluation theory, this research paper reviews the key considerations for innovative pilot studies in realising their aims to achieve replicability and to scale up successful projects. The energy industry faces the challenges of decarbonisation and infrastructural changes required to support the green revolution. This research reviews the complexity of this transition, analysing the driving factors, role players and policies that go towards creating complexity in the environment. Project Local Energy Oxfordshire (LEO) is used as a case study in the research. LEO is a stellar example of an innovative pilot project, driving change in the energy industry by creating flexible local energy systems. LEO is piloted in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom, and if successful, looks to be implemented nationally and in other countries. The research uses realist evaluative theory to analyse early indicators of success by seeking to understand whether challenges and success identified are internal or external to the environment. This approach assesses if the intervention would be replicable at a macro scale, incorporating complexity theory at the core of its operation. The empirical research seen in the format of realist interviews, found that LEO provides early indicators for success, having holistically assessed the societal issues within the energy sectors relating to renewable energy consumption. LEO has a range of committed expert delivery partners, with diverse sets of networks used to mobilise societal resources. Furthermore, LEO has created a blueprint for their piloted methodologies, project designs and implementation methods, which can be utilised and applied by delivery drivers in alternative settings. Despite this, challenges would be faced in scaling up, with stakeholder commitment to achieve outcomes; political and community support; network expertise and stakeholder relationships seen as internal factors of the operating environment. Recommendations have been made to address such project challenges, as well as recommendations for other pilot studies to test innovation and change in alternative environments.
Description
Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.
Keywords
Renewable energy sources -- Research, Evaluation research (Social action programs), Renewable energy sources -- Public services, Power resources -- Research, Project Local Energy Oxfordshire (LEO), UCTD