Performance Management of Official Development Assistance (ODA): Examining Qualitative Performance

Abstract

In many OECD member countries, including South Korea, Official Development Assistance (ODA) has been steadily increasing. However, criticisms have been raised regarding the limited tangible impact compared to the amount of assistance provided. Hence, there is a growing emphasis on managing ODA outcomes based on the policy validity and sustainability of aid projects and on the importance of project evaluations from the recipient country's perspective. In this study, drawing on prior research, we conceptualized aid quality through sub-factors such as service quality, delivery quality, expectation levels, and social responsibility. We analyzed their effects on aid satisfaction using a structural model. Notably, we incorporated experience in the relevant field and country-specific collaboration experiences as moderating variables to validate the maturity of the aid system. Our findings suggest that social responsibility and expectation levels positively influence aid satisfaction. Conversely, experience in the relevant field and collaboration experience in specific countries showed significant impact only in certain paths. These results indicate the necessity of meeting expectation levels and fulfilling social responsibilities to enhance aid satisfaction. Furthermore, there's a demand for a sustainable management system that elucidates the causal relationships between aid environment and influencing factors and evaluates outcomes from the beneficiary country's viewpoint.