Discovering Social Issues: Organization Development in a Multicultural Community

This article reports on a community development project conducted in a small multicultural town on an island in the Pacific. The project objectives were twofold: to identify the social, health, and educational needs of the community and to develop a process of inquiry that could be used by residents...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of applied behavioral science 1992-09, Vol.28 (3), p.445-460
Main Authors: London, Anne, McMillen, M. Cecilia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Area planning & development
Behavioral sciences
Community Development
Cultural Pluralism
Intergroup Relations
Islands
Minority Groups
Multiculturalism & pluralism
Oceania
Organization development
Organizational Development
Pacific Ocean
Social conditions & trends
Social research
Social sciences
Studies
Towns
Urban areas
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Summary:This article reports on a community development project conducted in a small multicultural town on an island in the Pacific. The project objectives were twofold: to identify the social, health, and educational needs of the community and to develop a process of inquiry that could be used by residents in determining the community `s needs. The primary intent of the article is to discuss the process of inquiry used in the project. The authors contend that in a multicultural setting consultants must pay particular attention to the methods they choose. The article proposes that the cooperative inquiry approach, comprehensive coverage of all groups involved, joint data analysis, and cultural sensitivity result in a successful intervention, defined as discovering the underlying causes of problems in a community or organization. The authors propose that only when causes are identified specifically can problems be addressed.
ISSN:0021-8863
1552-6879
DOI:10.1177/0021886392283011