Table 4 Examples of descriptions of connections between mechanisms, feedback, and responsiveness

“An ideal feedback process involves the gathering of feedback (the mechanism), and the communication of a response, which forms a feedback loop” [16]

“… as a mechanism of accountability, social auditing enables views of stakeholders (such as communities and funders) to be considered in developing or revising organizational values and goals, and in designing indicators for assessing performance” [137]

“Feedback mechanisms offer beneficiaries the opportunity to approach an organisation to ask questions and receive a response, increasing their understanding of the program, reducing potential tensions and potentially developing their trust in the organisation” [138]

“… community scorecards are citizen-driven accountability measures that enhance citizens’ civic involvement and voices and complement conventional supply-side mechanisms of accountability, such as political checks and balances, accounting and auditing systems, administrative rules, and legal procedures” [139]

“… community empowerment initiatives often target capacity to exercise oversight and to provide feedback to service providers” [124]

“These diverse social accountability processes share three broad components as a part of their theory of change, namely information, collective action and official response” [140]