Dr. Jim McDavid

Professional Information & Research Interests

Professional Information

Jim McDavid (PhD Indiana University) joined the School of Public Administration in 1980 as an Associate Professor, and became a Full Professor in 1989. He was Dean of the Faculty of Human and Social Development from 1990-1996. Jim was a recipient of the UVic Alumni Teaching Award in 1993. In 2004, Jim received UVic's highest academic honour, the UVic Distinguished Professorship award which included a five year appointment as a Distinguished University Professor in the Faculty of Human and Social Development (2004-2009). He is one of Canada's leading public administration scholars in the fields of program evaluation, performance measurement and performance management. He has also made substantial scholarly contributions to the local government field both nationally and internationally. Professor McDavid is listed in the Who's Who of Canada.

Research Interests

• Program evaluation, performance measurement and performance management
• The efficiency and effectiveness of local government service delivery

Selected Publications

Journal Articles

• McDavid, J., Shepherd, R. and Morin, S. (forthcoming, 2019). Reflections on inter-university collaboration to deliver a graduate certificate in evaluation to Government of the Northwest Territories employees: A practice note. Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation.
• Hunter, T. and McDavid, J. (forthcoming, 2019). Canadian inventory of graduate evaluation education. Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation.
• Lawson, K., Hunter, T. and McDavid, J. (forthcoming, 2020). Predicting credentialed evaluator status: Characteristics, comparisons and Implications for the Credentialed Evaluator program. Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation.
• McDavid, J., Brousselle, A., Shepherd, R. and Zussman, D. (2018). Introduction to the Special Issue on linking program evaluation and spending reviews: Challenges and prospects. Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation, 32 (4), 297-304.
• Budhwani, S. and McDavid, J. (2017). Contribution Analysis: Theoretical and Practical Challenges and Prospects for Evaluators. Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation, 32 (1), 1-24.
• Dubois, N., McDavid, J., Charbonneau, E., and Denis, J. (2015). Editors Introduction to the Special Issue on performance evaluation. Canadian Public Administration, Volume 58 (1), Special Issue, 1-16.
• Halpern, Gerald, Benoît Gauthier and James C. McDavid. (2015). Professional standards for evaluators: The development of an action plan for the Canadian Evaluation Society. Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation, 29(3), 21-32.
• McDavid, James C. and Irene Huse. (2015). How does accreditation fit the picture? New Directions in Evaluation, Number 145 (Spring), 53-70.
• McDavid, James C. (2012). In search of a balanced Canadian federal evaluation function: getting back to the future. Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation, 26(2), 55-59.
• Kuji-Shikatani, Keiko, James C. McDavid, Bradley Cousins and Heather Buchanan. (2012). Canada: Consortium of Universities for Evaluation Education and its impacts on professionalizing evaluation in Canada. Japanese Journal of Evaluation Studies, 12(2), 11-22.
• McDavid, James C. and Irene Huse. (2012). Legislator uses of public performance reports: Findings from a five year study. American Journal of Evaluation, 33 (1), 7-25.
• Hildebrand, Richard and James C. McDavid. (2011). Joining public accountability and performance management: A case study of Lethbridge, Alberta. Canadian Public Administration, 54(1).

Books, Chapters, Monographs

• McDavid, J., Huse, I., and Hawthorn, L. (2019). Program Evaluation and Performance Measurement: An Introduction to Practice, Third Edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
• McDavid, James C., Irene Huse and Laura Hawthorn (2013). Program Evaluation and Performance Measurement: An Introduction to Practice (2^nd). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
• McDavid, James C. and Laura Hawthorn. (2011). Program Evaluation and Performance Measurement: An Introduction to Practice, First Edition. Translated into Chinese. (Xiangmu, P., Jixiao, C. and Shijian, R., Trans). Beijing, Education Science Publishing House.
• McDavid, James C. and Laura R.L. Hawthorn (2006). Program evaluation and performance measurement: An introduction to practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
• McDavid, James C. and D. Brian Marson (1991). The well-performing government organization. Toronto, ON: Institute of Public Administration of Canada.

Grants & Awards

• 2004: recipient of the University of Victoria Distinguished Professorship Award. 
• 2004: Recipient of the Clearview School District No. 71 Award of Merit. 
• 2003: Three year SSHRC grant for research examining the ways that elected officials use public performance reports.
• 2019 Two year SSHRC grant to evaluate a community-based transportation program in Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan (co-applicant with Karen Lawson, University of Saskatchewan – Principal Investigator is Alex Crizzle, University of Saskatchewan).

Recent Speaking Engagements & Event Participation

Paper, Lectures, Addresses

• April 30-May 3, 2017: panel presentation with Robert Shepherd and Sahara Morin. Panel title: Reflections on inter-university collaboration to deliver a graduate certificate in evaluation to Government of the Northwest Territories Employees. The presentation was held at the Canadian Evaluation Society Conference, Vancouver, BC.
• May 25-27, 2015: keynote presentation, Linking program evaluation and spending reviews: Challenges and prospects, to the Canadian Evaluation Society Annual Conference, Montreal, Quebec.
• May 4, 2010: presentation to the Canadian Evaluation Society Annual Conference in Victoria BC. Presentation described the development of the Consortium of Universities for Evaluation Education (CUEE). The Consortium is committed to increasing the availability of graduate education opportunities to evalaution professionals in Canada. The CUEE website is: evaluationeducation.ca
• November 2009: total of ten presentations in Australia to the Queensland State Government, the Commonwealth Government of Australia, the Australian Capital Territory Government, the South Australia State Government and the annual conference of the Institute of Public Administration of Australia (IPAA). The presentations were part of a four week trip to Australia and New Zealand that was co-sponsored by Griffith University in Brisbane and the Australia and New Zealand; School of Government (ANZSOG).

Courses Taught

• ADMN 545 – Introduction to Local Government
• ADMN 546 – Local Government Service Delivery
• ADMN 502A - Research Methods I
• ADMN 502B - Research Methods II
• ADMN 530 - Increasing Organizational Effectiveness: Working with Consultants
• ADMN 437 - Program Evaluation and Performance Measurement (Diploma Program)
• ADMN 537 - Program Evaluation and Performance Measurement
• ADMN 582 - Topics in Program Evaluation, Performance Measurement, Performance Management and Knowledge Management

• • Performance Measurement and Performance Management in Public Sector and Non-profit Organizations
  • Evaluating Complex Programs: Contribution Analysis, Program Theory and Realist Evaluation Approaches

• ADMN 621 - Program and Performance Analysis and Evaluation

Professional Appointments & Memberships

• Canadian Evaluation Society
• Institute of Public Administration of Canada
• Editorial Board for the Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation
• Editorial Board for New Directions in Evaluation
• American Evaluation Association