Communicating economic reform
The article asserts that communication can be a tool both before and after reforms are designed because it focuses on the needs, motivations and perceptions of reform beneficiaries.
It identifies two steps in the reform process. In the first, the communication task is to provide a clear rationale for drastic economic reform. In the second, communication is used to sustain momentum, keep the reform goals in view, and manage people’s expectations.
The article proposes a practical approach for using communication strategically to promote behaviour change throughout the economic reform process. It discusses five management decisions that planners should consider and provides a sample template for this framework. The decisions include:
- which audiences need to be reached
- what change in behaviour is required
- what messages would be appropriate
- which channels of communication would be most effective
- how will the communication process be monitored and evaluated
The article also discusses how a communication audit can be a useful methodology in this process because it can:
- identify key communication issues
- determine political risk
- suggest programs to mitigate this risk
- identify the potential ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ in a reform program
- assess the importance of each of these groups in the reform and determine their relationship to each other
- describe the role of media and their understanding of reform issues
- assess the ability of a government to communicate and implement strategic communications programs
- review attitudinal research and identify gaps
[adapted from author]
