| Description |
The misalignment of goals between researchers, external organizational partners (OPs), and study participants is thought to pose a challenge to the successful implementation of collaborative research projects. However, the goals of different collaborative team members are almost never elicited, making identification of misalignment and its potential consequences a difficult task. In my evaluation of a United Nations Nonviolent Communication Program conducted in Bangladesh, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka, I collected qualitative and quantitative data on OP and study participants’ expected program impacts. I find that there are differences in OP and participant goals, and that misalignment appears to bear some responsibility for participant dissatisfaction with the program. I also observe some evidence that as the program progressed, participants’ expected program impacts began to more closely approximate those of the OP. I conclude with some thoughts on the benefits of explicitly measuring research team goals and expectations and addressing their misalignment.
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ICAR Research Data Repository for Knowledge Management