The ��what if�� in the evaluation of public programs

The topic of the book is the evaluation of public programs. I am submitting three papers on related topics concerning methodologies and practices. The “what if” phrase refers to the state of affairs provided that the program under evaluation was not carried out. Thus the “what if” signals a belief that the counterfactual that is the most likely situation to prevail without the program should be the benchmark against which achievements are measured. This is the perspective employed in the first and second paper presented. Both papers present analyses of programs carried out by Innovation Norway for the Norwegian Government.