Expert Evaluation as Means of Promoting GIS Software Development

Abstract

Abstract The Chinese government invested considerable resources in developing the GIS software industry. Expert evaluation has been used as an important mechanism for assisting the distribution of R&D funds and to assess the performances of the funded projects. The expert evaluation serves as a resolution of the information asymmetry between the funding agencies and the GIS software developers. The formation of the expert committee, the formulation of the evaluation guidelines and the test questions, as well as the conduct of the evaluation contribute to the characteristics of the information obtained from the evaluation. Improvements can be made in these areas so as to enhance the quality of the evaluation and to generate positive influences on the behavior of the software developers. Meanwhile, decision makers should be aware of the advantages and limitations of the expert evaluation.