Abstract

This article explores the factors that influence the impact of ex-post legislative evaluations and suggests that these factors can be divided into three main categories: context, research quality, and interaction. Contextual factors, including the evaluation’s initiation, it’s place in the legislative process, the varied functions given by stakeholders, and the level of political or social attention, are beyond researchers’ control. However, researchers can influence research quality and interaction with stakeholders, such as the evaluations’ commissioner, as well as the society at large, thereby increasing the likelihood of achieving impactful results. They should engage with the evaluation context to improve impact, but must also maintain independence while being influenced by the context. These findings are in line with the much broader literature on the impact of policy and programme evaluations which pays less attention to the policy instrument legislation. Therefore, both disciplines have an interest in a better exchange of knowledge.