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Based on concrete examples this paper discusses different understandings of the concept "governance" and summerizes ten years of a research program aimed at giving it a rigorous definition and method. It asks the question if the concept can be used in serious research, as there has been very little improvement in its definition. The answer given here is both pessimistic and optimistic. Maybe it is time to call the death of governance as a scientific term, victim of techno-management fashion. Can it still be saved?. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review focuses on the first four books of a new series titled "Reconstructive Research in Social Work" published by Barbara Budrich publishers. The starting point is the idea that the methods and findings of qualitative research could be helpful for different areas of social work, education and advanced training. The two conference readers and the two studies present a wide range of concepts, methods, results and fields of application. At the same time, they demonstrate that some important questions are still open, especially in relation to the differences between the ethics and quality criteria of qualitative scientific research and the standards of social work practice. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs1002219

We present a summative evaluation of an information program to prevent the HIV/AIDS implemented in Romania by a non-governmental organization between 2006 and 2009. The design and methodology of the program evaluation were done in respect of the second paradigm launched by Potter (2006) - interpretive approaches. The evaluation methodology includes the document analysis, observation, interviews and focus groups with beneficiary and stakeholders (Patton, 2001). The indicators used were: relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, sustainability and replicability. The evaluation results show that the project was well structured, with a well thought methodology and design, which led to achieving all the proposed objectives. With regard to the cost-efficiency of the programme, the recommendation is to replicate such programmes both at the national and at the international level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Churchman's framework for inquiring systems has been used by authors interested in taking more than just a positivistic approach to information systems development. This framework is used by Churchman to explore the nature of the design process and the philosophical implications arising. Inquiring systems are supported by a set of conditions and statements which define three generic roles played in the design and implementation of inquiring systems. These roles are compared with the generic roles of information systems development identified by Hirschheim and Klein. Churchman develops his ideas using the cause–effect model of physical science which supports the software engineering approach to information systems development. However, this does not support interpretative approaches to information systems development, such as Checkland's Soft Systems Methodology. Paradoxically, Checkland claims philosophical support from Singerian Inquiring Systems for his methodology. The problems found are shown to relate, in part, to the measure of performance and how it is implemented. However, the main problem is the spectrum of environments that information systems development takes place in, not all of which follow the cause–effect paradigm. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]