Doelmatigheid

Doelmatigheid is a term used in management and public administration to describe the degree to which resources, such as time, money and personnel, are used in a way that supports the intended objectives. It focuses on the relevance and fitness of the chosen means to achieve goals, including whether the set of actions and allocations justifiably lead to the desired results.

In practice, doelmatigheid involves assessing whether the objectives are appropriate, whether the selected interventions are suitable and proportional to the goals, and whether the expected outcomes provide value for money. Evaluations often compare alternative approaches to determine which option offers the best balance between costs and the intended effects.

Doelmatigheid is closely related to, but distinct from, other concepts. Doeltreffendheid measures the extent to which the policy or project actually achieves its stated outcomes. Efficiëntie (often translated as efficiency) concerns how economically inputs are converted into outputs. In many frameworks, doelmatigheid, doeltreffendheid and rechtmatigheid (legality) are used together to assess public programs.

Applications of doelmatigheid appear in policy evaluation, program management, and procurement, where decision makers weigh the relevance and justification of actions against resource use. While it provides a lens for judging the prudence of choices, it can be complemented by quantitative analyses such as cost-benefit or cost-effectiveness studies to support informed decisions.