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Difference Between Theory of Action and Theory of Change
What is the Theory of Action?
It is a set of unstated beliefs about how a company may change from its current state to the one it wants to be in down the road. A theory of action is a set of interrelated hypotheses that provides a rationale for why and how certain actions are taken.
In Haertel's words, it "draws a line between causes and effects" by specifying, in clear terms, the characteristics that are "most likely" to produce the intended result.
Importance of Theory of Action
Due to its influence on the theory of change and its subsequent implementation, a theory of action must be established early in the design process. The rationale for a program theory cannot be determined without first knowing how the change logic will be performed, which requires a theory of action.
The outputs, results, and impacts produced by a program's delivery mechanism should be recorded as part of the program's ongoing monitoring and assessment. Therefore, from the perspective of assessment, it is essential to define the theory of action of a program.
What is the Theory of Change?
Weiss (1995) provides a clear and compelling definition of a theory of change as an explanation of the factors that contribute to the success of a project. According to this definition, the first step in conducting any evaluation is to identify the desired outcomes, the activities that will be used to accomplish those objectives, and the contextual elements that may affect the implementation of those activities and their ability to achieve the desired outcomes.
In this way, a theory of change explains how an intervention's (such as a project, program, or policy's) actions set in motion a series of subsequent steps that ultimately result in the anticipated or observed consequences. A theory of change is useful not just for planning but also for tracking progress and gauging results.
Structure of a Good Theory of Change
Before beginning an evaluation, stakeholders should affirm the three criteria of a successful theory of change established by Connell (1996), and they should return to these qualities throughout the execution and evaluation of the project.
An effective theory of change can prove −
The appropriateness of your actions in light of your goals.
What can you and cannot do to attain your goals?
What actions and results are you responsible for?
How you may evaluate your success?
The Value of Change Theory
In addition to helping formulate more insightful key evaluation questions, key indicators for monitoring, data gaps, and the prioritizing of additional data collection, a solid theory of change may also provide a framework for analyzing and reporting on that data.
Differences Theory of Change and the Theory of Action
The following table highlights the differences between the Theory of Change and the Theory of Action −
Characteristics |
Theory of Change |
Theory of Action |
|---|---|---|
Definition |
Regardless of the specifics of the activity, the theory of change seeks to understand the intricacies and underlying mechanisms that cause change. Explains the causes of change by means of a series of "suppose, then" statements. |
How tactics are developed to set off the theory of change is explained by the theory of action. What the program does, how it kickstarts the organizational transformation, and how key premises are determined are all laid forth in this conceptual model of the theory of change. |
Uses |
A final look at the theory of action might prove or disprove the effectiveness of the current approach Additionally, it will reveal gaps that prevent the software from operating as intended. In this specific effort, 'If, then' statements play a role. |
The term "theory of change" is used to refer to the rationale behind why and how a certain social transformation is anticipated to take place. |
Conclusion
A program's design phase begins with an affirmation of the program's current condition, the program's ideal future state, and the necessary path to achieve that future state. One approach is to develop a theory of change, but this can be undermined without a corresponding theory of action, which tackles fundamental execution problems during the planning stage of a program.
The theory of change and the idea of action processes have completely altered the effectiveness evaluation landscape for businesses. It helps companies anticipate possible issues, offers a clear road map for all workers, funders, and investors, and provides a practical and realistic framework for implementing the change they desire.
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