Abstract
The Intercultural Outreach Initiative is a Florida-based 501(c)(3) registered, international not for profit organization that seeks to help establish an ecologically sustainable and socially stable local economy in the Galapagos via programs in conservation, education, social development and public health. Organically growing from the roots up, IOI’s employees and projects have been added on a needs basis. Thus, incongruities between IOI’s organizational structure, operational system and communication channels occur. These anticipated incongruities hinder the efficiency that local initiatives have on their mission in Isabela.
In an effort to deliver a political ecology analysis of IOI’s integration into Isabela and identify structural, operational and communicative discrepancies—data was collected and analyzed on IOI’s employees and various interest groups within Isabela. Data collection tools included participant observation and interviewing and analytical tools included situational analysis, triangulation and interest group mapping.
Using these ethnographic tools garnered insight into the relationship between IOI’s organizational structure, operations, communication channels and surrounding network. Insights aided in the refinement of job descriptions that solve incongruities in organizational structure; in the determination of workflows that streamline operational efficiency; and in navigating competition, uncertainty and a lack of trust in communication channels—which allows for more to be accomplished at a grassroots level.