"Although necessary and often first rate, technocratic solutions alone have been ineffective in delivering real change or lasting results in governance reforms. This is primarily because reform programs are delivered not in controlled environments, but under complex, diverse, sociopolitical, and economic conditions....In the real world, reforms will not succeed, and they will certainly not be sustained, without the correct alignment of citizens, stakeholders, and voice."

This World Bank publication is intended to demonstrate to a broad audience - including governments, think tanks, civil society organisations, and development agencies - the ways in which communication research can help address development challenges, particularly in the area of governance reform in developing countries. It explores a range of communication approaches and techniques for effectively dealing with six of the central challenges that impede the success and sustainability of reform efforts. Amongst the questions explored are: How do we use political analysis to guide communication strategy in governance reform? How do we secure broad leadership support for change by reaching out to political leaders, policy makers, and legislators? How do we gain the support of public sector middle managers, and foster among them a stronger culture of public service? How do we build broad coalitions of pro-change influentials? How do we help reformers transform public opinion into support for reform objectives? How do we instigate citizen demand for good governance and accountability in order to sustain governance reform?

Through articles and case studies, contributors present theoretical frameworks as well as practical approaches and techniques to address these challenges. An accompanying 6-page Brief for Policymakers [PDF] is available.

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Email from World Bank Publications to The Communication Initiative on June 20 2008.