Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to describe, examine and analyze, from an organizational development perspective, the KATE Project, a cross-cultural technical assistance project in higher education. This project was a contracted effort between the Greek Ministry of National Education and Religion and California State Polytechnic University and financed by the World Bank. The University assisted the Greek Ministry in the development of five new educational centers with college-level curricula aimed at educating technologists in the fields of agriculture, engineering, business, health-related services, food technology, and graphic arts. No followup study of any kind has ever been conducted on this subject. It was believed that an organization development form of analysis would advance the understanding of critical and significant variables extracted from the investigation which affect and impact the results of international educational technical assistance projects. Research Methodology. The research design of this study is descriptive--specifically, descriptive field research. Interview and questionnaire instruments were developed for the purpose of surveying the original Project implementors concerning their perceptions of the results of the Project and the processes utilized to obtain those results. Findings. The results of this study show that entrenched resistance to change was experienced in the implementation of the KATE Project. Because the consultancy was imposed on the Greek Government as a condition of funding, the request for assistance was motivated more out of a need to acquire funding than out of an intrinsic desire for assistance and change. The results further indicate that resistance to change was experienced primarily in the social/affective areas of change implementation. Major problems identified were: (1) stubborn resistance to change, particularly social/affective change; (2) lack of goals clarification; (3) inadequate establishment of group problem-solving processes; (4) inadequate communication; (5) lack of Greek organization, decision making, and continuity; centralized control; and bureaucratic red tape; (6) lack of resources; (7) intercultural problems such as differences in the following: educational philosophy, pace of life, work habits, and attitude toward work; and (8) inadequate consultant knowledge of the host system, environment, and culture. Project strengths identified were: (1) establishment of good working relationships; (2) professional commitment to the Project and to overcome difficulties; (3) a sense of high purpose, integrity, and mutual respect; (4) patience, sensitivity, and tolerance exhibited by both teams; (5) introduction of the practical, applied, hands-on approach and philosophy of education to Greece; and (6) the creation of a new, innovational technical educational system in Greece in three years' time. Recommendations. The primary recommendation of this study was that organization development interventions (particularly group and intergroup interventions) should be developed and designed to specifically deal with resistance to change, to clarify and gain consensus on goals and objectives, to improve communication and group problem-solving capability, and to clarify the roles of participants in these projects. It was further recommended that consultants be trained as change agents, that they have an understanding of organization development, and that they be afforded the opportunity to become familiar with the environment, system, and culture of the host country.