Abstract:
In 2002, the Jamaican government redesigned its social safety net programs for children and the elderly. Their goal was to simplify and better target support to those individuals most in need. This case examines the new design for the PATH program, a conditional cash transfer program that rewarded mothers for getting the recommended well-child healthcare for their children and for sending their children to school regularly. The program design is complex and requires the coordination of individuals in a number of national and local institutions. In order to analyze the roll-out and implementation of the PATH Program, students need to map the program, identify points at which implementation is likely to meet challenges and design a strategy for assessing program implementation at those key points. To do this, students need to consider not only the questions they want to answer, but also the most effective strategy for gathering that information. They need to think about data sources (observation, personal interviews, focus groups, surveys, analysis of administrative data), sampling, and research design.
Learning Objective:
Students should learn to map the process of a program, identify key points at which effective implementation may face challenges, and design strategies for measuring and subsequent monitoring of implementation.
