Be Explicit: Identifying and Addressing Misaligned Goals in Collaborative Research Teams

TY - JOUR

T1 - Be Explicit: Identifying and Addressing Misaligned Goals in Collaborative Research Teams

AU - Haas, Nicholas

PY - 2023/1

Y1 - 2023/1

N2 - The misalignment of goals among 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 almost never are elicited, making identification of misalignment and its potential consequences a difficult task. In this evaluation of a United Nations Nonviolent Communication Program conducted in Bangladesh, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka, I collected qualitative and quantitative data on OPs’ 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 evidence that as the program progressed, participants’ expected program impacts began to more closely approximate those of the OPs. I conclude with thoughts on the benefits of explicitly measuring research team goals and expectations and addressing their misalignment.

AB - The misalignment of goals among 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 almost never are elicited, making identification of misalignment and its potential consequences a difficult task. In this evaluation of a United Nations Nonviolent Communication Program conducted in Bangladesh, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka, I collected qualitative and quantitative data on OPs’ 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 evidence that as the program progressed, participants’ expected program impacts began to more closely approximate those of the OPs. I conclude with thoughts on the benefits of explicitly measuring research team goals and expectations and addressing their misalignment.

U2 - 10.1017/S1049096522000944

DO - 10.1017/S1049096522000944

M3 - Journal article

SN - 1049-0965

VL - 56

SP - 82

EP - 87

JO - PS: Political Science & Politics

JF - PS: Political Science & Politics

IS - 1

ER -