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Lessons from Aristotle and Glen Turner in anchoring evaluation theory and practice in world of change and complexity Presentation: ANZEA 2015 - Navigating evaluation: Making waves in Aotearoa and across the Pacific. 6-8 July 2015 Dr John Wren Principal Research Advisor, ACC Copyright (c) ACC PPT Version 1.2 Evidence for Inequities in Vulnerable Workers Utilisation of NZ Injury Compensation, AIRAANZ 2015

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Our Evaluation Reality Timely Relevant Cost-effective Adds Value Value for Money Research that directly addresses Business Group Owners information needs Information for policy and operational decision-making

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Your decision-maker is typically thinking Why does this need Ethics ? WHO is this person ? WHY should I listen to them ? Do I understand what they are saying ? Are they using my language ? Is this information useful ? Is this information important to me ? The challenge for evaluators

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TECHNOCRATIC APPROACH Scientific Process Foci: discipline, method No end user input Distanced from policy & operational context No stakeholder ownership Research quality standard Evaluation -Research Fit for Purpose My DILEMMA as Principal Positioning the evaluation / research the optimal position Audience, Purpose, Style Evaluation Method PARTICIPATIVE APPROACH Active end user engagement Alliances set up Tendency for value driven Context aware High degree of stakeholder ownership Can lack independence, end user capture FOCI: Policy / Strategic Direction Political decision makers Board CEO, Senior Executive FOCI: Operational / Delivery Professional Service provider Claimants Community Group Where does Ethics fit in this?

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Theologian Giles Fraser on Moral Character http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04ps558 Last on: Tue 25 Nov 2014 12:04 BBC Radio 4 Rules Based Ethics: 00:00 to 1:16

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Current focus: Rules based ethics a minefield for my day to day reality

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Focus on rules based ethics?

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Sample ACC Ethics Guidelines (2007)

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Why is rules based a problem? Rules are subjective and changeable I dont have time to refer to a 20, 30, 40 page rule book for every situation I face Rules cannot cover every situation Rules are open to differing interpretation Rules lead to legalism Is there a better way than relying on a myriad of written rules?

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Aristotle (384 322 BC) believed that: ethical knowledge is not only a theoretical knowledge, rather a person must have experience of the actions in life for a person to become virtuous (ethical), s/he can't simply study what virtue is, but must actually do virtuous things (NE 1095a3 and b5). virtue requires doing virtuous acts repeatedly until they become habit until you do it automatically without having to think about it We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit.

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What have I learnt Ethics - practical wisdom, as Aristotle conceived it, cannot be acquired solely by learning general rules. We must also acquire, through practice, those deliberative, emotional, and social skills that enable us to put our general understanding of well-being into practice in ways that are suitable to each occasion. http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/aristotle-ethics/

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Glen Turner: New Zealand's first truly professional cricketer. Geoff Watson. 'Amateurism and professionalism - Rise of professionalism', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 28-Jan-13 URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/38006/glenn-turner Till the 1960s, New Zealand lacked a cricketer who would be professional enough to transform efforts into victories. Glenn Turner was that man. (Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand) The most professional NZ cricketer ever http://www.espncricinfo.com/newzealand/content/player/38622.html He really believes in players being skill-fit, and is firm on his point: The more time you spend at the crease, the more you get fit to do that job. For bowlers you have to be bowling-fit. (Cricket Country: http://www.cricketcountry.com/articles/glenn-turner-a- new-zealand-cricketing-legend-and-one-of-great-openers-the-game-has-known-26991)

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Glen Turner: Professionalism for the Winning Formula Being accountable Responsible Reasoned Open and honest Self-disciplined Solving problems without seeking to blame others for ones own failures Dominion Post, Glen Turner Comment Try real professionalism for the winning formula

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My lessons from Aristotle and Glen Turner Rather than more rules an emphasis on Ethics as a state of being, which accreditation and credentialing wont deliver alone Seeing ethics as a virtue that must be lived and practiced daily in our work True professionalism requires ethics and hard practice till it becomes habit forming Personal leadership that demonstrates true professionalism in practical evaluation life which others can learn from How about promoting examples of courageous real life ethical practice, which can inspire and inform, that become our role models to ground ethical evaluation in the 21 st century where ethics is what we are, rather than promoting rules and credentials

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Theologian Giles Fraser on Moral Character http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04ps558 Last on: Tue 25 Nov 2014 12:04 BBC Radio 4 Point of Virtue Ethics: 11.07

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A 21 st Century Virtue for Evaluators? One golden rule to rule them all: Do no harm

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Thank you for your attention Discussion At the descriptive level, certainly, you would expect different cultures to develop different sorts of ethics and obviously they have; that doesn't mean that you can't think of overarching ethical principles you would want people to follow in all kinds of places. (Peter Singer Australian Philosopher) Ethical decisions ensure that everyone's best interests are protected. When in doubt, don't. (Harvey Mackay American Businessman) Love your neighbour as yourself.' (Mark 12:31 & Matthew 22:39) Do no harm