ABSTRACT
This chapter explores a mediated settlement between the supposedly opposing camps in a typically hermeneutic fashion. Each represents different interpretations of the event of an evaluation process. When E. G. Guba and Y. S. Lincoln published Fourth Generation Evaluation in 1989, they provided a coherent voice to the concerns of many people involved in evaluation processes. The difficulty for both the evaluated and evaluator lies in the ubiquitous 'emperor's clothing' double-bind. Fourth-generation evaluation suffers from several shortcomings that left unchallenged undermine the value of the method from both theoretical and practical viewpoints. The basic approach adopted is to reinterpret the underlying features of fourth-generation evaluation as necessary but not sufficient components of an effective evaluation process. Moreover, it is suggested that elements of conventional interpretations of evaluation processes, be reintroduced, albeit in a particular form and context. Guba and Lincoln strict preconditions and polarisation of conventional approaches endangers the practical application of their proposed method, and its internal consistency.
