Cross-Cultural Innovation

In 20th century aid projects the approach to development had an empirical basis and focused on Western goals. By the turn of the century the World Bank and donors were reconsidering project 'success' and sustainability and were evolving new approaches to project processes, monitoring, evaluation, sustainability and impact. This book describes a World Bank and AusAID higher education project in Thailand at this transition stage and highlights the important influence of national culture and organisation capacity when implementing innovations cross-culturally. The project was implemented during a time of significant global change in both information technology and education with the internet, e-learning and improved teaching methods supporting the educational reforms. A model of the motivating and inhibiting factors that influenced the diffusion and adoption of the innovations offers points relevant to long-term sustainable development. This book is especially useful for teachers, academics and education reformers, professionals setting development project policies and guidelines, and anyone interested in Thai cultural behaviour or sustainable cross-cultural innovation adoption.