Development Decision-Makers' Perspectives of Communication / John L. Woods.

Presented to a United Nations seminar on the role of information in the development of emerging nations, this document presents effective communication as the achievement of results--a change in attitude, practice, and knowledge. Elements of the SMCRE (sender-message-channel-receiver-effect) communications model are used in analyzing communication strategies for development programs, and the following observations are made: communication of technological information cannot rely on the "trickle down" effect to reach intended beneficiaries; diffusion research done by rural sociologists on the process of adopting new innovations is extremely valuable; in the organizational system particular problems exist in getting information from the bottom to the top; and individual communication patterns determine how individuals function in organizations. The following steps are recommended to determine a communication strategy in development programs: identify the individual decision maker, determine his or her location in the system, analyze his or her responsibilities and information needs, determine the behavioral change that is required of him or her, identify generators of relevant information, determine the sequence of channels that will provide correct information in proper form, and follow up to determine if effective communication and change have occurred. Communication flow charts are included. (DF)

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