Integrating Culturally Responsive and Systems Thinking Lens in Organizational Evaluation Capacity: Findings from a Scoping Review

Abstract Information: This paper explores how organizational evaluation capacity efforts integrate culturally responsive and systems theory frameworks. The review focuses on peer reviewed articles published from 2018 till date in SCOPUS database and nine major evaluation journals. The study reviewed articles that present real-life cases of evaluation capacity building infused with systems theory and cultural responsive orientations. The study adopts a scoping review methodology and identifies major themes, patterns, and knowledge gaps in the literature. The preliminary findings of the review suggest that culturally responsive and systems theory frameworks are both powerful approaches currently gaining popularity in evaluation capacity building (ECB) initiatives for their critical role in ECB and addressing its challenges, especially those threatening its goal of sustained evaluation practices in organizations. The review identified various themes from the literature, including the critical need to value diversity in ECB, the necessity of stakeholder involvement, and the potential for ECB to foster organizational learning and systemic change. The review highlighted that the two approaches are key to ECB because they offer frameworks that consider complex, adaptive, diverse experiences, and multiple perspectives within organizations. When the two approaches are adopted in ECB efforts, evaluators can work collaboratively with all relevant stakeholders to develop appropriate and holistic stories that provide nuanced understanding of the organization's culture, context, and the multiple factors that affect its routine operation and the sustainability of ECB. The review also identified some gaps in the literature, including the need to investigate the ethical rationale of integrating culturally responsive and systems theory lenses in ECB and the need for more studies on the effectiveness of ECB initiatives. Overall, this study contributes to the body of knowledge on ECB and highlights the importance of the culturally responsive and systems theory frameworks in shaping stories that promote equitable and sustainable evaluation practices in organizations.

Relevance Statement: The relevance of this study lies in its focus on the integration of culturally responsive and systems theory lenses in ECB. The review study highlights the importance of ECB initiatives that value and promote equity, diversity and systems change. Reflecting on the role of storytelling in ECB, the study spotlights the importance of cultural responsiveness and systems theory in presenting holistic and transformative stories that demystify persisting complex problems in ECB and uncover power relations situated within complex organizational or community settings with an intent of building more inclusive and equitable evaluation systems. This scoping review paper is specifically relevant to evaluators, students, and others interested in increasing their knowledge of the current state literature on ECBs that integrate culturally responsive and systems theory lenses. At the same time, the study highlights the need for evaluators to critically reflect and recognize how their experiences, backgrounds, relationships, and stories they heard shape their practices. The study suggests that storytelling can help evaluators understand the diverse experiences and perspectives of stakeholders and foster reflexivity in ECB initiatives. For this year’s conference theme, “The Power of Story” this review paper can contribute substantially to discussions around the role of stories in evaluation practice. Specifically, this paper can clarify how stories can be applied to evaluation practice and be used to report data in an effective manner. In summary, this literature review study on integrating culturally responsive and systems theory lenses in ECB initiatives is relevant to evaluators, project managers, and students interested in ECB, organizational development, and the role of cultural responsiveness and systems theory in telling stories that strengthen evaluation practices.