What is Electronic Collaboration

This chapter originated as a reflection of the communication between U.S. facilitators and a Rwandan host as they ecollaborated in planning international leadership and human resources training for Rwandan leaders. The authors maintain that electronic collaboration or e-collaboration is a viable practice for use in effective communication with persons in developing nations. It can be used as a way to reduce the cost of providing support and services. For this action research project, facilitators accepted an invitation to train, collaborated to complete all planning via the Internet, and traveled to do the work successfully addressing all of the substantive requirements. In preparing this chapter, the authors have shared pre, during, and post work considerations hoping to make a case for increased use of e-collaboration in establishing effective work relationships and improved international communication. The chapter includes substantial details for context and the issues that necessitated the training.