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Communication Development and Policy Sciences: A Potent Fusion for Human Development

Development Communication and Policy sciences as a fusion of two potent forces for socio-economic development can be considered ever changing and evolutionary, but certainly have such promising potentials to offer. Kabir (n.d) Kabir (n.d.) notes that: “development communication has evolved from a one-way asymmetrical flow of communication based on the mass media towards a two-way symmetrical, participatory model of communication based on the usage of new technology and nowadays on the digitalization of media. Communications for development plays an essential role in the overall development process as the practice of development communication covers a wide range of activities that can be geared to support development outcomes.”

The core mission of Policy Sciences is to foster the achievement of “a commonwealth of human dignity for all be it at a local, national, and international issues to includes “questions of governance and development; the achievement of human rights in all contexts; natural resources policy and management; issues of scientific leadership and science policy in general; the impact of intellectuals on public order; the processes of selecting policymakers and decision makers; improving communication, health, and education at all levels; and so on” (Policy Sciences, n.d.).

Technology performs a major role in carrying out the mission of Development Communication and Policy Sciences. Since policies have to be planned, designed, approved, and implemented in ways that require the constituents’ involvements to make them effective, communication development plays a vital role in the field of Policy Sciences.

eDevelopment and eKnowledge Management Component

Development Communication through the ICT4D movement suggest the need for Policy Sciences to utilize an effective Knowledge Management (eKM), if policies must be aimed at genuinely productive development. The eKM is envisioned to serve as a mechanism or driving force for productivity in eDevelopment prospects. The eDevelopment concept is referred to the “computerized development management support.” Knowledge Management distinguishes information from, data from knowledge, and where knowledge is regarded as usable for developing solutions for problems, for innovation, improving performance, innovation, or productivity. One great example of KM approach to eDevelopment is the case of SEAMEO-SEARCA, which was an endeavor geared towards reduction of poverty as elaborated in “The Information-Rich and the Information-Poor: Two Faces of the Information Age in a Developing Country” (Flor, 1986) which is concerned with:

''the widening gap between the information-rich and the information-poor, particularly in agrarian communities. The study presented the policy implications of such a gap. The existence of this gap, not only in the agricultural sector but in all other sectors associated with development, are now widely recognized due for the most part to the July 2000 Okinawa Summit of G7/ G8 nations. Today, this gap is widely known as the Digital Divide, a phenomenon associated with the advent of new ICT.''

Effective Knowledge Management (eKM) for eDevelopment can be utilized to the vast array of socio-economic problems of a country. A top most problem could be poverty. Elimination of poverty requires tremendous problem-solving skills. This short essay argues therefore that KM for eDevelopment must incorporate in its framework critical thinking and creative problem solving strategies. Such problem solving strategy (adapted from “The Executive Guide to Improvement and Change, 2016) shall include: •	identifying and understanding root causes of an existing problem; •	identifying and choosing workable alternative solutions; and, •	executing solutions derived from a well-informed decision-making process There must be problem solving strategies so that leaders can effectively guide the direction of research and the process of resolving problems. For Beecroft, Duffy, and Moran (2003), these “diagnosing the problem support the involvement of interested parties, the use of factual information, comparison of expectations to reality and a focus on root causes of a problem.” Based on the authors’ recommended solutions, this proposed eKM shall endeavor to: •	Evaluate and do proper documentations of how effective are the current processes coverings considerations such as: “who does what, with what information, using what tools, communicating with what organizations and individuals, in what time frame, using what format, etc.” •	Analyze and visualize the potential effects of current mechanisms in the creation of a new framework to achieve goals and objectives for eDevelopment.

As part of the problem – solving strategy within the KM for eDevelopment system, root cause-analysis must be used to identify the underlying factors that cause the existence of the socio-economic problem, so that plausible strategies can be developed to solve the problem. Digging deeper into the root of the problem, may involve asking the basic questions such as: 1.	What is the nature and seriousness of the problem?” 2.	Why is it that the problem exists? 3.	What are the situations or factors that cause the problem? 4.	What can be done to solve and/or prevent this problem?

Critical Thinking approach must be used in order to spark aglow creative and innovative solutions to existing problems. According to Chaffee (2015), “the best way to solve problems is to have an organized way to approach the problem” and to consider the five-step problem solving process as follows: 1. Identifying the problem 2. Identifying possible solutions 3. Understanding the pros and cons 4. Come up with the solution 5. Analyze how the solution would work

Through a well-managed, effective Knowledge Management (eKM) system for eDevelopment, evaluation of problems, potentials, opportunities and challenges is made possible with greater ease of access to data and existing bod of knowledge. The simple yet efficiently designed model from Entrepreneurial Storytelling & Creative Problem-Solving (2013) has its focus for exploring existing challenges in order to generate ideas that could lead to action.

In generating ideas for problem solving, the approach must be multi-dimensional in order to allow for the use of a variety of potent apparatuses and creative strategies that utilize clear deliberations of individuals or people, the existing situation, issue or problem, and the desired solutions or outcomes – which must be innovative. The efforts must be geared towards performance and productivity for genuine development efforts. Creativity shall play a role in such productivity through innovative ways.

As Scott Isaksen says, "You can have creativity without innovation but you cannot have innovation without creativity." For E. Paul Torrance, "Creativity is a distinguishing characteristic of human excellence in every area of behaviour." Enhancing people’s performance, harnessing their competence on “creativity, innovation, problem solving to drive change and development. The goal of this proposed eKM for eDevelopment is to enhance human development with the end in mind of performance, productivity, and innovation.

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