Abstract: Impact assessment, in public policy
evaluation, faces two major challenges: on the one hand, the theme of impact
measurement, on the other that of its explanation. Quantitative research
techniques usually play a vital role in the measurement, while qualitative
techniques are much more useful in explanation. In order to carry on a
successful impact assessment is therefore necessary to integrate the first with
the second, combining them in a balanced research design. The use of mixed
methods in this direction, allows to overcome some criticism to quantitative
approach, as well as to qualitative approach. But how is it possible to achieve
an effective integration of qualitative and quantitative methods in impact
assesment? The article attempts to answer this question. After a brief
theoretical excursus on the use of mixed methods in evaluation research, with
the presentation of three different theoretical options for use of mixed
methods (sequential, concurrent, and transformative), the paper describes a
single experience of integration between qualitative and quantitative methods,
based on the analysis of employment effects of vocational training, experienced
in Piedmont Region, within the independent evaluation of the ESF Operational
Programme. The paper explain the choices made in research design, discussing
the positive and critical.
Keywords: public policy evaluation - impact assessment –
mixed methods – vocational training