Development Communication Sourcebook: Module 1

Mefalopulos, Paolo. Development communication sourcebook broadening the boundaries of communication. Washington, DC: World Bank, 2008. Print.

Module 1

“Communication: a term with a great number of meanings.”
-Denis Diderot, 1753 (p.3)

This book is composed of four modules. This first module introduces the theory and a brief historical path followed by developmental communication. It defines the various types of communication, and points out that failed communication and lack of stakeholder participation are the two leading causes of failed development. It begins by acknowledging the complexity and breadth of communication, and clearly defines the difference between communication and communications, as well as the differences between Corporate, Internal, Advocacy, and Development communication.

Every sustainable project requires effective communication to build trust, share knowledge and ensure understanding. Participative communication is important from either a rights-based, good-governance, sustainability, and project design perspective (p.9). Participation lives on a dial that goes from passive informational stakeholder meetings to collaborative decision-making by locals. The author, Paolo Mefalopulos, is a senior communications officer in DevComm the development communications branch of the World Bank.

Paolo also introduces some simple tools used by development experts. For instance, projects should start with a communication needs assessment (CNA) to identify potential communication issues before a project begins. These include information gaps, communication needs and capacities, local media environment, formal and informal flows, networks, etc. Explorative assessments are incorporated intot the initial design stages, and Topical assessments are those done during ongoing projects. Another method is the “Window of Perception” which is a set of simple flow charts mapping out the differences between stakeholder and aid worker perceptions of a given situation or project.

A study by DevComm found that decision-makers are aware of importance of communication but are lacking in the knowledge of breadth and scope of communication. Often they only address communication when it becomes a clear problem as opposed to handling it early on. Paolo makes a good point that communication is successful when everybody wins and change takes place because of stakeholder investment. DevComm recommends the use of a methodological framework based on 4 stages: Communication-based Assessment, Strategy Design, Implementation, and Monitoring and Evaluation.

Sender-Message-Channel-Receiver (SMCR). Using media-centric campaigns to diffuse new perspectives. This model was rejected during the 1960's, due to its paternalistic Western nature. The dependency theory was developed in its stead, focusing on a more equitable exchange of information, and cultural programs among rich and poor countries. This lasted till 1980's with recognized success but failure of economic models pushed by its proponents led to its decline.

Since then, participation as a focus has been the emerging model. This stage has been called the "multiplicity paradigm" as pronounced by Servaes in 1999. The World Bank (1994) said "..participation is inceasingy recognized as a necessary part of sustainable development strategies." (p.7) Development Communication is defined by DevComm (The Development Communication branch of the World Bank) as:

"An interdisciplinary field based on empirical research that helps to build consensus while it facilitates the sharing of knowledge to achieve postivie change in development initiatives. It is not only abeffective dissemination of information but also about using empirical research and two-way communication among stakeholders."

During the First World Congress of Communication for Development in Rome, Oct. 2006 the following definition was built into the 'Rome Consensus':

"A social process based on dialog using a broad range of tools and method. It is also about seeking change at different levels, including listening, building trust, sharing knowledge and skills, building policies, debating, and learning for sustained and meaningful change. It is not public relations or corporate communication."

History of development has included failures due to two things: lack of participation, and failure to communicate effectively. (p.8; Agunga 1997; Anyaegbunam, Mefalopulos, and Moetsabi 1998). Servaes (2003, p.20) states that "the successes and failures of most development projects are often determined by two crucial factors: communication.

Reflection

Each of these fields require its own toolbox of skills and knowledge. The author, however, goes as far as analogizing different types of engineers to different types of communicators, which may be true due to the vastly different perspectives between the two, but I find it hard to prove that this analogy applies any deeper. Building on this, the author seems to be a bit biased as he often emphasizes the importance of highly-trained development communication experts as the answer to successful projects. Coincidentally he is a senior communications officer in the DevComm branch of the World Bank.

Most useful to me was the simple introduction to the very wishy-washy science of communication. This information is valuable for beginning to understand more advanced literature on the topic. Additionally, the definitions have given me a basic knowledge of the lingo needed to explain that my research was a “topical assessment of the dialogic development communication between post-earthquake communities and NGOs...”

Another phrase I found useful was when he mentioned that the dialogic communication model had two broad applications: (1) assessment; and (2) empowerment. This is useful because my research goals were precisely this – to assess and to empower, by researching and experimenting. (p. 24). Additionally, on-site research is stressed for intervention, which was our approach as well. DevComm uses a methodological framework that is very intuitive, and lines up quite well with our NGO interviews, so I hope to be able to make some comparisons there.