Data Gathering and Project Design: A Third World Case Study of Community Development

Abstract

There are many constraints to community development. In this paper some of the constraints to the design of a feasible integrated, rural community development project in an isolated third world setting are considered. Constraints to data gathering are considered in terms of reliability, validity, and multi-disciplinary team work. Constraints to the project design process are discussed with respect to attitudes of officials, the use of the report, and development. Three factors which community development specialists might want to pay particular attention to are: interpersonal relations, qualitative contextual factors and community goals. This case study will help to clarify some of the similarities and differences between Indonesia and other third world settings on the one hand and North America on the other. While social organization and welfare may be quite different in some respects, some of the constraints to data gathering and project design may be analogous to problems frequently encountered in community development efforts in the U.S. or Canada.