Mixed-method approaches to strengthen economic evaluations in implementation research

Economic evaluation is the systematic procedure; it is measurement and estimation of the contribution and yield of the two complementary activities. Many economic evaluations are based on the cost and effective manner. However, present professionals and specialists need mixed methodologies to strengthen economic evaluation. In mixed methodology research is conducted on both quantitative and qualitative accepts by  data collection, data analysis, interpreting and inferences. The key concepts in this mixed methodology research is simultaneously study about the quantitative and qualitative variables. By using the mixed methodology we can draw a valid conclusions based on the quantitative and qualitative data. Therefore the study or research becomes more strengthening. The research data can be get inn four ways 1. Collection 2. Observational 3. Experimental 4. Simulation. Most of the researchers thinking that qualitative methodology and quantitative methodology are argued in different manner. While implementing mixed methodology in economic evaluation a detailed review and thorough knowledge should be acquire through literature.

By incorporating this mixed methodology technique in economic evaluations, researcher should able to know the complete idea about the cost and impact of implementation. Ancient economic evaluation methods are dissimilarity in cost and outcomes. By this existing method conveys more informative and effective. When the research is extended from cost to other qualitative components then it will be difficult to analyze the data and therefore results may not be accurate and exact. Moreover a few of qualitative analysis techniques are executed in economic evaluations these are descriptive manner and required high quality of study in their research areas. When comes to quantitative data analysis it is restricted to the particular study.  Quantitative type research are more evaluate the effect of development and also created strong response from the other sectors. So, randomization is hardly possible which leads to complexity in developing projects. Many economic analyses are failed to examine the procedure of project implementation. Therefore mixed method approach is most suitable for implementing economic evaluations. Another reason for using mixed methods is that most curriculum assessments have focused on assessing the concrete changes that can be measured over the 3-5 year life of most projects and programs funded by international (and national) development agencies. It is required that present researchers should build impact evaluation in their inception. Mixed method are most appropriate for this type of contributions(Dopp et al., 2019).

Earlier research data are gathered through field work. In this process only project beneficiaries, consultants and agencies are directly involved by interviewing them so, they are act as implementers for project development therefore the information is favorable to the project (as they are the people who have benefited directly). As such, many project evaluations not pay much attention to interview the persons who are not benefitted through the projects utilizing a mixed methods design can assist to more exactly recognize equivalent ‘non-participant’

Any research work is effective with their evaluation and monitoring work. Monitoring the baseline data are used to conduct pre and post test of a research. While evaluations are now largely apparent as central to development practice and have received a lot of intellectual attention, scholars and practitioners. It is said that economic evaluations are used mixed methods based on the five key issues. First one is its questions being create should determine the research methods. Secondly present economic researchers are more concentrated on potential and policy type question in this type it is required to implement different methodologies. Thirdly many case studies reveals that quantitative and qualitative accepts are involved in the research like households, communities play key role in different types of data collection and analysis, so it is needed to implement the mixed methods. Fourthly in some cases analysis may not find any significant changes between the venture and comparison group, so it is difficult to judge whether it is due to method failure or to implementation failure. In this situation a mixed methods move toward the process analysis of qualitative techniques such as participant examination, key informer interviews and focus groups to assess the process of project implementation and how this affected program outcomes and impacts. Fifthly, present researches are more focused on multidimensional work, therefore mixed methodologies are necessary to implement in economic evaluations.

For developing and implementing mixed methods in real world the researcher should faced the following constraints.

First, many economic evaluations are conducted on a rigid financial support which leads poor data collection instruments and test so researcher may not use sufficient sample size calculation that would be required to detect statistically significant impacts.

Second, many evaluations are conducted with a very limited time which effect the data collection and most of time that the consultants can work in the field. Another time constraint is that the evaluator often  check the results and impact of the project in the early stage itself

Third, there is limited approach to get the information for constructing baseline and comparison groups. This is due to no baseline data was collected for the project and no effort was made reasonable comparison group.

Finally, political and organizational influences the affect formulated, designed, implemented, analyzed and disseminated.

Mixed method move toward to join quantitative and qualitative approaches that allow estimates of magnitude and distribution of effects, simplification and tests of statistical differences with qualitative approaches that permit in detail description, analysis of processes and patterns of social communication. By introducing these integrated approaches researchers may have the flexibility to fill in gaps in the available information, to use triangulation to build up the power of estimates, and to provide different perspectives on complex, multi-dimensional phenomena. A well planed mixed methods can use the available time and resources to maximize the accuracy and authenticity.

Finally these mixed methodologies can be strengthen economic evaluations in the research by following some of the key issues like reconstructing the baselines, find the missing variables from the secondary data, recognize the range of impact evaluations plan options, rapid and economic Primary data collection methods. While reducing the cost, time and week evaluation designs increases possible severity of risk to validity. Therefore care should be taken while designing the mixed methods to strengthen economic evaluations in research.

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