How can communication generate successful and sustainable reforms?
For one, communication should be the first step to a reform process by enabling reform agents to begin the process of developing policy initiatives and programs and seeing reform not from the government or institution's perspective but from the point of view of those who are meant to benefit from these reforms. It also plays a key role at various stages of reform, governmental or institutional. However, there are many obstacles to a successful reform agenda. Most noted are political, changes in people's knowledge, attitudes and behaviors and the conflicting interests of opinion leaders and stakeholders.
At the start of reform process leaders can use communication to articulate a rationale for change, and engage people in a consultative process to better understand the nature of the problem that reforms intend to affect. After the reforms are launched, their target audiences will need to develop support which often requires changes not only in what people know, but also in their attitudes and practices. To sustain the success of reforms, policymakers and program managers need to continuously respond to people's concerns, reduce barriers to adoption of new practices, and encourage people to maintain positive behaviors.
So, to find out how reform leaders can use communications to generate broad support for reforms, join us for the 2018 World Bank - Annenberg Summer Institute in Reform Communication: Leadership, Strategy and Stakeholder Alignment to get answers and learn more about the art and science of reform communication