M.O.O.C. Unito

The impact assessment work carried out throughout the 2-year project was the result of the following activities:

♦ Research on the legal frameworks on Whistleblowing protection (WB) and Open Data (OD) policy. The activity consisted in analysing the legal framework on WB protection and open data in all the partner countries involved. The research focused on factors that pushed for the adoption of the legislation, its evolution, strengths and weaknesses identified by scholars and practitioners. In both cases, attention was paid to highlight also the connections with public procurement processes. Whistleblowing protection and opne data are unanimously recognised as key measures to deter and detect corruption in public procurement.

♦ Implementation evaluation on the Whistleblowing protection and Open Data legislation. The analysis was conducted at country-level through study cases. Study cases involved 3-5 public authorithies for each country selected according to predefined criteria. Selected organization belong to different typologies of public bodies such as university, ministry, local municipality, state-owned company. The in-depth analysis allowed highlighted how both these measures work in practise and which are the facilitating factors or barriers in the actual implementation of the two anti-corruption measures.

♦ Identification of the Theory of Change (ToC). Through qualitative methods the evaluation team identified, for each measure, the long-term objectives, the core components of implementation that are most likely to have impact and the potential causal links (cause and effect relationship) most relevant for partners’ contexts.

♦ Identification of variables and indicators on the legislative framework (predictive indicators) and actual implementation (implementation indicators). Based on the Theory of Change developed, a preliminary frame of both predictive and implementation indicators for WB and OD was identified. Predictive indicators are indicators whose presence strengthens the possibility of creating impacts. Indicators of implementation are indicators that assess if and how the legislative measures on WB and OD are implemented in the daily activity of public authorities.

♦ Review and harmonization. After a review work, the definitive frame of indicators on WB and OD with corresponding weight values was delivered to partners. This frame constituted the core of the impact assessment model and it contained two sections, one for WB, the other for OD; for each of them, the model comprised the predictive and the implementation indicators.

♦ Elaboration of the online assessment tool. This activity consisted in the design and develpoment  of the online tool suited for public authorities according to the impact assessment model developed. The model was adapted to provide them with a concrete tool to self-assess the impact of the WB and OD measures that can be used beyond the end of the project, and thus fostering the culture of anti-corruption in the public sector.