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# A Theory of Systems Evaluation

## Details

**Authors** Cabrera D

**Year** 2006

**Publisher** Systems Evaluation Series, Cornell University

**Kind of work** report

[Read it](https://hdl.handle.net/1813/3094)

## In authors' words

### Abstract

[Opening/introduction text retrieved from Theory06.pdf; the document has no formal abstract.] "Systems thinking (in addition to systems methods, systems science, and systems theories that are collectively called systems approaches) is an emerging "field of fields" that is gaining popularity in several arenas (e.g., public health, education, management and organizations, earth sciences, engineering, biology and ecology, complexity, sustainability, and science in general)." "Systems thinking is a conceptual framework in which a concept about a phenomena evolves by recursively applying rules to each construct." "The rules include: 1) Distinction making, which is differentiating between a concepts identity (what it is) and the other (what it is not); 2) InterRelating, which is inter-linking one concept to another by identifying reciprocal (i.e., 2 x 2) causes and effects; 3) Organizing, which is lumping or splitting concepts into larger wholes or smaller parts; 4) Perspective taking, which is reorienting a system of concepts by deciding the focal point from which observation occurs." "In evaluation the popularity of systems approaches is growing", yet "there is also much confusion and ambiguity as to what "systems evaluation" means". "One goal of the recent NSF EREC grant in building systems evaluation capacity is to develop both a theory of systems evaluation and a protocol"; "no theory of systems evaluation exists." "Development of a theory of systems evaluation (TSE) is an important next step and contribution to the evaluation communities."

## Commentary

**Patterns it shows** D, S, R, P

**How to cite this** Cabrera D (2006). A Theory of Systems Evaluation. Systems Evaluation Series, Cornell University.