The author analyzed the factors that inhibit evidence-based cancer screenings based on the concept of policy ideas. In Japan, the idea of evidence-based cancer screenings was introduced from abroad and it was intended to re-examine existing cancer screening programs. This policy change is incomplete so far at the municipal level, which actually conduct screening programs. It became apparent that many screenings without enough evidence are provided in addition to screenings that passed effectiveness test.

  It can be pointed out that the factors inhibiting evidence-based cancer screenings are the lack of understanding on effectiveness at the municipal level and the existence of “policy legacies” that previous policies affect the next policy making.

  In the international development field, it has often been pointed out the significant lack of scientifically sophisticated and rigorous evidences related to development impact. With the recognition, the large number of rigorous impact evaluations and researches has been carried out for last decade. On the other hand, there is room for improvement in terms of the use of those results.

  There are several reasons of the less utilization. The evaluations and surveys by researchers might pay less attention to influence on the decision-making. The decision-makers have little awareness on the utilization as well. The evaluation results could not overcome the external validity issues and the systematic reviews have the room of improvement for directly using on decision making.

  In order to promote the Evidence-based Practice in the international development field, aid agencies including Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) need to apply the evidences on the implementation of projects or programs and show the good examples toward further evidence-based practice.

  This paper critically reflects upon SROI (social return on investment), one of the evaluation tools for social investment from the viewpoint of EBP, an initiative to produce, communicate, and use evidence. Firstly, I describe the history and spread of SROI worldwide and point out that SROI is indeed a type of CBA (cost-benefit analysis), and then, following Nicholls et al. (2009), review the SROI principles and stages. Next, I introduce Arvidson et al. (2010, 2013)’s vivid eight criticisms against SROI. Further, I examine two cases of SROI to find the arbitrariness in calculating the SROI ratio and the possibility of inflating the ratio. Lastly, based on the research on the role of social investment in welfare states. I contend that SROI should not be used to evaluate a project and/or an organization as a target of investment, but should be used to support the gradual investment in a sector as social common capital as EBP has done for years.

  Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) was established at 2003 and it has conducted over 770 impact evaluations using randomized controlled trial (RCT) since its establishment. Based on the accumulation of the impact evaluation using RCT, J-PAL conducted comprehensive review of a set of impact evaluations at education sector, health sector, political economy & governance sector and prepared four “Policy Lessons” consisting of a set of detailed lessons generated by those reviews. In addition, J-PAL achieved 7 cases of scale-up. This research report focuses what lessons have been actually generated and what scale-up cases have been realized. In addition, this thesis discusses what Japan should learn from the systematic review results and how Japan can conduct more the practice of systematic review and scale-up cases.

  This paper examined teaching method in the ethics education of auditors and withdrew implications for that of evaluators. The ethical education of the auditors emphasized the use of a participatory approach based on case method and applied several systematic decision-making models to the teaching method. Also, an analytical framework to understand ethical issues and methods to compare choices for ethical decision-making had been developed.

  It was notable that evaluators were often given two different evaluation purposes, accountability and improvement, under the same assignment. As a result, evaluators dealt with different relationships with clients on each occasion. Evaluators were required to acquire the abilities to interpret their situations and to solve line-drawing problems and conflict problems. Case method is an appropriate technique to satisfy their educational needs. The ethics education based on the case method will establish a path to link ethical practices to institutional arrangement. Thus, it is expected to withdraw meaningful feedbacks on the Guidelines for the Ethical Conduct of Evaluations, which the Japan Evaluation Society approved in 2012, from participants in the ethics education for evaluators.