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A Systemic Indicators Framework for Sustainable Rural Community Development

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Abstract

Community indicators have been of special interest to scholars worldwide, because of their vital role in community development. Nevertheless, the best way to identify indicators is still unclear, especially for rural communities in developing countries where the complexity of rural systems give rise to special challenges. Following conceptual and empirical stages of the development of a systemic framework for identifying indicators for rural community in developing countries, our participatory action research moves to critical reflection, undertaken with the participants in the original fieldwork. This paper discusses findings from that reflection, in workshops and in-depth interviews, considered, also, in the context of our experiences in the previous stages of research. It finds that the positive impact of the framework was reflected in increases to the communities’ human and social capital, although several weaknesses in the framework implementation were also revealed. This paper introduces reflection-based improvement to the framework and also discusses a set of principles as a foundation for implementing the framework in rural settings in developing economies.

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Fig. 1

(Source: Nguyen and Wells 2017)

Fig. 2

(Adapted from Arnstein (1969), Choguill (1996), Eversole (2015) and Macdonal et al. (2012))

Fig. 3

(Adapted from City of Onkaparinga 2000)

Fig. 4

(Modified from Nguyen and Wells 2017)

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Acknowledgments

We would like to express our gratitude to all the participants and the People’s Committees of Vang Quoi Dong and Tam Hiep commune, and Binh Dai Agriculture and Fishery Extension Station, for their time and valuable contribution to this research. We would also like to thank the Ben Tre Agriculture and Fishery Extension Centre and Seed to Table for their valuable administrative support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Adelaide Business School, The University of Adelaide, 10 Pulteney Street, Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia

    Phuong T. Nguyen, Sam Wells & Nam Nguyen

  2. College of Forestry, Vietnam National University of Forestry, Chuong My District, Ha Noi, Vietnam

    Phuong T. Nguyen

  3. Malik Management Institute, St. Gallen, Switzerland

    Nam Nguyen

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  1. Phuong T. Nguyen
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  2. Sam Wells
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  3. Nam Nguyen
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Correspondence to Phuong T. Nguyen.

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Nguyen, P.T., Wells, S. & Nguyen, N. A Systemic Indicators Framework for Sustainable Rural Community Development. Syst Pract Action Res 32, 335–352 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11213-018-9456-9

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