Bridging intercultural communication divides: examining technology use by dispersed research teams working in South East Asia

ABSTRACT

Multinational agricultural research teams operating in low-income countries must overcome communication challenges to address agricultural problems and rural poverty. Collaborations between dispersed team members rely on information and computer technologies (ICTs) to facilitate communication and share knowledge and expertise. These collaborations can compound dependencies of low-income countries on high-income countries through power imbalances and ICTs used. This paper explores impacts of these externalities on ICT communication between Lao and Australian researchers operating in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) through the theoretical lens of intercultural rhetorical theory. The study used constructivist grounded theory methodology with 30 interviewees collaborating in research projects in Lao PDR. The results identified external constraints on team communication, such as: limited ICT infrastructure and user education; economic, funding, and political pressures; variable coordination between national and international organisations. Researchers can apply these findings to project planning and implementation to improve communication between team members and enhance international collaboration.

KEYWORDS:

• Research communication
• organisational relations
• international teams
• communication technologies
• cross-cultural communication

Acknowledgments

The Authors acknowledge the assistance provided by the National Agricultural and Forestry Research Institute of Lao PDR and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research. We appreciate the guidance provided by Dr Joanne Millar on the research design.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. Charles Sturt University Human Research Ethics Committee Protocol no. 410/2011/01.

2. All interviewees provided informed consent and were assigned pseudonyms for anonymity.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Faculties of Science and Arts and Education, Charles Sturt University.