Transcript I. Internal Audiences (cont`d)

Strategic Communication
and
e-Government
José-Manuel Bassat
April 12th, 2006
External Affairs Vice Presidency
Scope of the Presentation
Strategic communication and its relevance to eGovernment
2. Anticipated obstacles facing e-Gov with respect to

Internal audiences

External audiences
3. Examples

Chile, Brazil, Sri Lanka
4. Recommended interventions

Short-Term

Long-Term
1.
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Strategic Communication and Its
Relevance to e-Government
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A Definition of Strategic Communication
“the development of programs
designed to influence the voluntary
behavior of audiences in order to
achieve management objectives.”
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Understanding the Needs of the
Ultimate Beneficiaries
“The design and implementation of reform
initiatives should be based on an
understanding of the underlying political
and social processes at the core of
government that determine the motivation
and behavior of stakeholders…
…Stakeholder analysis should be standard
practice, and an integral part of program and
project design”
Source: OED 2004 “Economies in Transition” focus on Bank work in ECA since 1989
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Strategic Communication Helps
Overcome Obstacles to Change and
Reform through:
 Two-way (cyclic) communication:
both listening and informing
 Building consensus and active
constituencies
 Building local capacity to communicate
development issues
 Creating social ownership
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A Management Tool
with Five Key Decisions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Audience: Clustered according to
position/interest
Behavior and attitude: Position now and
changes needed
Messages: Appropriate for different segments of
audience
Channels: Effective and with appropriate
capacity
Evaluation: Assess/failure of communication
strategy
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Communication Management Decisions
Management Objective:
AUDIENCE BEHAVIOR
MESSAGE
Take-away Supporting
Message
Data
CHANNELS EVALUATION
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Definition of e-Government
“The use by government agencies of information
technologies that have the ability to transform relations
with citizens, businesses, and other arms of
government.”
“Analogous to e-commerce…egovernment aims to make the
interaction between government and
citizens … more friendly, convenient,
transparent, and inexpensive.”
Source: The World Bank, http://www1.worldbank.org/publicsector/egov/definition.htm
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In general, e-Government promotes:




Efficiency
Transparency
Trust in public institutions
Closer relationship between government and
citizens
 Public participation in policy-making
But also means:
 Initial complexity
 New process & procedures
 Intimidating modus operandi
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A massive social transformation
 The introduction of e-gov calls for a change in behavior
by members of society
 Opposition is inevitable and must be expected, but can
be minimized with a strategic communication program
 e-Government agenda should not be driven solely by
technology, but be focused on meeting citizens’ needs
through the use of technology
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Anticipated Obstacles Facing
e-Government with respect to
Internal and External Audiences
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Main Communication Needs
in e-Government
Build support and promote its usage
I.
Internally: within state bodies
and
II.
Externally: among end-users
It is crucial to segment stakeholders as well
as to understand their interests and concerns
regarding the introduction of e-government
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I. Internal Audiences
Government must first achieve internal
consensus before e-Government is rolled out,
but it will likely face resistance.
Hence, interests and concerns of each group
must be taken into account.
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I. Internal Audiences (cont’d)
Key Stakeholders
 Prime Minister & Cabinet Members
 Middle Managers
 Rank-and-File Civil Servants
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I. Internal Audiences (cont’d)
Prime Minister & Cabinet Members
Interests
Concerns
Improved service delivery
to citizens (voters)
Turf battles between
ministries/agencies
Modernization of the
country
Lack of coordination and
ownership
Reduced opportunity for
corruption
In some cases,
unwillingness to become
more accountable
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I. Internal Audiences (cont’d)
Middle Managers
Interests
Potential for increased
efficiencies
Concerns
Perceived loss of
authority / control for the older,
less computer-savvy officials
Streamlined business processes Vested interests
i. ▲ Automation and
transparency = ▼ potential
for corruption
ii. Fear of loss of
control/authority due to
reduction in No. of
employees within
departments/units
Boost in revenue collection
Inability to meet expectations
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I. Internal Audiences (cont’d)
Rank-and-File Civil Servants
Concerns:
i. Retrenchment due to automation
ii. Erosion of traditional hierarchies
iii. Need to adapt to new work environment
If misunderstood, e-Gov could
give rise to 21st c. Luddites, the
19thc. workers who rejected
automation by breaking
machinery
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Five Management Decisions:
A Possible Approach for Internal Audience
Objective: To build internal support for e-Gov
AUDIENCE BEHAVIOR
•CABINET
MEMBERS
•Understand the
e-Gov initiative
•Actively support
and promote eGov
MESSAGE
Take-away Supporting
Message
Data
•e-Gov is a
tool to
improve
efficiency of
public
services &
promote
growth
•e-Gov is a
first step to
modernization
•e-Gov will
enable Gov’t
to serve its
citizens better
• data linking
e-gov and
increase in
competitiveness
• 6% savings
in Chile after
e-procurement
became
compulsory for
state entities
CHANNELS EVALUATION
•Meetings w/ PM,
assuming that PM
is on board
•Demos on e-Gov
by PM / wellrespected senior
officials
•Workshops on eGov to raise
awareness of
Cabinet members
• Op-ed articles
by credible
commentators
•Cabinet
members’
attendance at
working group
meetings
•Full commitment
to and promotion
of e-Gov related
activities
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II. External Audiences
Before e-Gov is rolled out, key external stakeholder groups
should be identified, and their interests and concerns
must be taken into account.
Key Stakeholders
 Business community
 NGOs/Media
 Educated public/early adopters
 Public at large
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II. External Audiences (cont’d)
Business Community
Interests
Concerns
Reduction of red tape
Concern that only larger
companies may benefit
Easier interaction with
Government
Capacity of the
Government to deliver
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II. External Audiences (cont’d)
NGOs and Media
Interests
Easier interaction with
Government
Concerns
e-Government may
become a white elephant
Greater transparency and Overall inclusiveness of
accountability
the initiative
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II. External Audiences (cont’d)
Educated Public/Early Adopters
Interests
Concerns
Improved interaction with
Government
Security and loss of
privacy issues
Less time wasted on
administrative errands
Government not using the
tool to become more open
and transparent
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II. External Audiences (cont’d)
General Public
Interests
Concerns
Easier interaction with the
public administration
Limited access to
technology
More information on
Government activities
Change in procedures
Possibility of providing
feedback
In rural areas, further
isolation from the center
Less time wasted on
administrative errands
Benefits may go mainly to
the elite
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Five Management Decisions:
A Possible Approach for External Audience
Objective: To assuage fears that e-Gov may become a white elephant
AUDIENCE BEHAVIOR
•NGOs
•Support e-Gov
as an investment
that would reap
multiple benefits
for the society in
the long-run
•Advocate the
benefits of eGov to the public
•Become “coowners” of the
initiative
MESSAGE
Take-away Supporting
Message
Data
•e-Gov is a
tool to fight
corruption&
improve
services for
the public
•e-Gov
allows the
public to
communica
te directly
with Govt,
& gives
space for
public
participation
•e-Gov may be
expensive upfront, but its
upkeep is not
(cite data from
comparable
initiatives)
• showcase
greater govt
responsiveness
CHANNELS EVALUATION
•Meetings w/ eGov implementing
agency
•Training/Worksh
ops/Study Tours
on e-Gov
•Booth in NGO
forum
•Number of
meetings, contacts
with NGOs
•Content
monitoring of eGov information
produced by
NGOs
•Surveys of NGO
perception of eGov
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II. External Audiences (cont’d)
Challenges to e-Gov roll-out may also come from:
 Absence of a culture enabling state-citizen dialogue
 “Ivory tower syndrome”: common perception of
Government being distant and not working on behalf of
the public
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Case Examples
Chile, Brazil, Sri Lanka
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Chile
Communication as an important factor of success
 Bipartisan support at the top: both President Frei (right)
and President Lagos (left) championed e-gov
 Change in positioning: from a “technocratic” concept to a
service-delivery one
 Feedback loop essential to improve the portal’s user-
friendliness
 Public confidence in the institutions behind the process
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Chile (cont’d)
Three legs of the communications program
 Lobbying
 Rallying support behind the initiative
 Client relations
 Increasing public confidence in the system
 showing responsiveness
 Demand generation
 Fostering the usage of the e-services
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Brazil
Communication program originates from the private sector
Its main elements are:
 Advocacy
 Obtaining political support at all levels
 Public Outreach
 Creating public demand for e-services by showing
potential benefits
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Sri Lanka
 Communication interventions featured prominently in e-Gov
initiative
 A series of programs on TV, radio ads, brochures, street
theatre throughout the country, press launches, seminars
 Website: www.icta.lk
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Recommended Interventions:
Short- and Long-Term
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What would a communication intervention
look like?
SHORT-TERM
1. Assessment
 In-depth interviews with stakeholders
 Focus groups
 Review of materials (e-Gov strategy,
Freedom of Information laws, etc)
 Assessment of existing communication
capacity within Government
 Identification of possible partners
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What would a communication intervention
look like? (cont’d)
SHORT-TERM (cont’d)
2. Recommendations
 Fine-tune project design to make it
more responsive to citizens’ needs &
easier to implement (minimize
opposition)

Assist with e-Gov Survey: “20 Most
Important Govt. Services to the Citizen”

A good initiative to show to the public that their
concerns/views are being considered
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What would a communication intervention
look like? (cont’d)
SHORT-TERM (cont’d)
2. Recommendations (cont’d)
 Immediate activities
 Create a working group to coordinate outreach




initiatives & to create a sense of ownership
Hire a communication consultant as part of eGov implementing team to develop & manage a
communication program
Help identify entry points for championing e-Gov
Conduct high-profile e-Gov demonstrations by
senior officials
Conduct workshops and study tours
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What would a communication intervention
look like? (cont’d)
LONG-TERM
Comprehensive communication program,
consisting of:
 Strategy design and action plan
 Plan for building partnerships with
universities/schools/NGOs to promote e-Gov
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What would a communication intervention
look like? (cont’d)
LONG-TERM (cont’d)
 Possible activities
 Media campaigns targeted at broad audience
 Internal communication program
 Use of communication tools to scale up
successful initial activities
 Initiatives to promote cultural change
 Knowledge-sharing across country
 Training of journalists
 Continuous opinion research
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Thank you