Guest learning and adaptation in the field: a Navajo case study
Debebe, Gelaye
Debebe, Gelaye
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Publication date
2002-08-01
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Journal article
Pages
15
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In many development projects, individuals from one organisation are assigned and relocated to another organisation. For these 'guests' to be effective in the provision of technical assistance, they need to learn about and adapt to the local milieu. Using a Navajo case study, this paper analyses how practices called acts allow guests to make effective contributions through learning and adaptation. It is shown that two categories of acts, calibrating and progressing, are crucial in this regard. Calibrating allows guests to assess the appropriateness of assumptions, and progressing allows them to elicit information and explanations to help develop an understanding of the context. These sets of acts contribute to cross-cultural communicative competence and, thereby, to the success of the development project.<p>This article is hosted by our co-publisher Taylor & Francis.</p>
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English
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Journal
Development in Practice
Journal Theme
Development and the Learning Organisation
Volume
12
Issue
3 & 4
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0961-4524
EISSN
1364-9213