GHANA INSTITUTE OF JOURNALISM THE DYNAMICS OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATION PRACTICE - A STUDY OF THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT AUTHORITY BY I __ •. _ DAVID SEBASTIAN DAMOAH • (MAPR '16028) J_---- A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES AND RESEARCH, GHANA INSTITUTE OF JOURNALISM IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF ARTS IN PUBLIC RELATIONS OCTOBER,2017 DECLARATION I declare that, apart from references in other works cited and duly acknowledged, this dissertation is the result of my own research carried out at the School of Graduate Studies and Research of the Ghana Institute Of Journalism in Paliial Fulfilment of M.A in Public Relations.The research was ably supervised by M.r. David Newton. ~~ ...... ... ~ .. ... ... . MI·. David Newton David Sebastian Damoah (Supenisol·) (Student) U - ID- ('l-Date .. ....... ... .... .. .. : I. ~ t \o \n-Date .. . .. . . .. ..... .. ..... .. . DEDICATION I wish to dedicate this work to my wife, Dr. Mrs. Baaba Damoah, Children and my parents. Their toils and dedication are what have seen me through up to this stage. Special dedications also goes to Mrs. Rhoda Ewurabena Appiah, Head, Public Affairs at the Public Procurement Authority as well as Mr. David Newton who first admitted me into the institute to pursue my undergraduate studies and supervised my thesis as a postgraduate student. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First and foremost, I want to thank God for his constant grace and mercy in my life. This work would not have been possible ifnot for his grace and guidance. I will also express my profound gratitude to my supervisor, Mr. David Newton., for his in-depth and invaluable contribution to this work. His supervision was very helpful. My sincere gratitude goes to the staff of Public Procurement Authority, particularly Mrs. Rhoda Appiah and Samuel Kobina Asante of the Public Affairs Department. Their encouragements have spurred me on to this level. Many thanks also goes to Madam Faustina Sam, my beloved mother in-law for her support and constant prayers. TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION ....................................................................................................................... ii DEDICATION ........................................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ....................................................................................................... iiii ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................. \Ii CHAPTER ONE ........................................................................................................................ 1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background Statemellt ......................................................................................................... 1 1.1.1 Profile Of Public Procurel11ent Authority ......................................................................... 5 1.1 Problem Statement ........................................................................................................ 15 1.2 Research Objectives Of The Study ............................................................................... 16 1.3 Research Questions Of The Study ................................................................................ 16 1.4 Sl'gnl'ficance Of Study ....................................................... 17 ............................................ 1.5 Scope And Limitation Of The Study ............................................................................ 17 1.6 Chapter Organization Of Study .................................................................................... 18 CHAPTER TWO .............................................................. 19 .................................... , ................. . LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................. 19 ........................................... 2.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 19 2.2 Theoretical Framework ...................................................................................................... 19 2.3 Literature Review .............................................................................................................. 31 CHAPTER THREE ................................................................................................................. 37 METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................................. 37 iv 3.0 Illtroductiol1 ....................................................................................................................... 37 3. 1 Rcsearcll A})})1'0ac1: ............................................................................................................ 37 3.2 Po})ulatioll .......................................................................................................................... 39 3.3 SalTI}Jle ............................................................................................................................... 39 3.4 Sall1plillg Tecllllique .......................................................................................................... 39 3.6 Data Cal)turc Illstrulllcllts .................................................................................................. 41 3.7 Data Presentation and Analysis ......................................................................................... 42 CHAl)TER FOlJR ................................................................................................................... 43 FINDINGS AND Al\/\ 1.,YSIS ................................................................... i ............................ 43 CHAPTER FIVE ....................... : ............................................................................................. 67 DISUCSSION AND CONCLUSION ..................................................................................... 67 5.0 Introductioll ....................................................................................................................... 67 5.1 Discussioll of Findings ...................................................................................................... 67 5.2 Limitatiolls of Study .......................................................................................................... 69 5.3 ReCOlTIlTIendations for Public Procureluent Authority ....................................................... 70 5.4 ReCOlll1TIendations For Further Studies And Research ...................................................... 71 5.5 Conclusion Of The Study .................................................................................................. 71 APPENDIX ............................................................................................................................. 76 QUESTIONNAIRE ................................................................................................................. 76 v ABSTRACT Corporate communication is a very important aspect of public relations practice. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the practice of corporate communications at the Public Procurement Authority, with emphasis on internal communication within the organization. The study sought to identify the communication channels that are employed in the organization as well as the frequency of information flow. The four public relations models proposed by Grunig (1984) formed the theoretical basis of this study. The survey method, through questionnaires, was used to gather data from 50 employees at the organization. The employees were selected from all the Units, Directorates and Departments at the Public Procurement Authority. The findings suggested that memos are the most popular and commonly used communication channel by the organization. However, in spite of the high usage of memos, the employees who were surveyed preferred electronic means of communication such as e-mail and social media. The study also revealed that issues, such as staff promotion, sancti~ns on employees, recruitment and funeral, wedding. and death announcement, are often circulated to the employees. The study further found out that most of employees are aware of the full functions of the PR department and generally expressed satisfaction with the department's performance of-these functions. .:~ Based on the findings, the study sug.gested that management of the organization must involve. employees in major decisions, since most of the decisions by management concern the welfare, roles and activities of the workers. The study further called for frequent flow of information in order to avoid rumours and reliance on grapevines. There should be a comprehensive client service charter and a creation of a Client Serv~ce Unit to address stakeholder's complaints. CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1 BACKGROUND STATEMENT Corporate communication is a relatively new concept that embraces various sub-disciplines of communication within organisations, such as managerial communication, organisational communication, public relations and marketing communication (Van der Waldt, 2004). According to Van Riel (1995), corporate communication evolved from public relations. There exist various definitions ~f corporate communication. Some emphasise the aspect of integration, some focus on the enhancement of the corporate image and identity, and others stress the "wholeness" or totality of all communication in the organisation. The diversity does not necessarily restrict the scope of corporate communication, but rather emphasizes the diversity of variables that describe corporate communication (van der Wadt, 2004). It can simply be said to be the communication that is issued by a corporate organisation to all its publics. Cornelissen (2011) defines Corporate Communication as "a management function that offers a framework for the effective coordination of all internal and external communication with the overall purpose of esta1?lishing and maintaining favourable reputations with stakeholder groups upon which the organization is dependent" (p.23). Another explanation of corporate communication is that, "it is the strategic organisation process and management function by which an organisation communicates with its various audiences to the mutual benefits of both [sic] and to its improved comp~titive advanta~e" (Dolphin and Fan, 2000, p.l). These fun~tions ~ncIude communication strategy, media relations, crisis management, internal communications, 1 reputation management, corporate social responsibility, investor relations, government affairs and sometimes marketing communications. Van Reil (1995) also defines corporate communication as the "orchestration of all instruments of the organisation's identity (communication, symbols, participants' behaviour) to build and improve the reputation of the organisation from the perspective of those groups, on whom its activity depends" (p.12). According to Van Reil, the concept 'corporate communication' involves a coordinated approach to developing the organisation's communication. It should be such that communication specialists can use it for rational ising their communication activities within a centralised, coordinated framework. Considering the various definitions, this research will adopt the definition that sees corporate communication as communication between an organization and its internal publics including external. This is so because it is an effective strategy to communicate the brand value and reputation to its customers, stakeholders and the target audience. Hence corporate communications will be operationally defmed as the sum total of all communication within an organisation that is generated to achieve company objectives. This means corporate communication, in this study, will lend itself to internal communication; "internal communication is operationally defined1oas:,the.exchange of infonnation both informal and formal between management and employees within the organization" (Hayase, 2009, p.2). This is because emphasis in corporate communication in recent years has been placed on co­ ordi~ation and integration of all the organisation's communication activities. Ac~ording to Hayase (2009), internal communication channels may include: newsletters, Circulation materials, surveys, meetings, in-house television, face-to-face interactions, email, hotlines, suggestion boxes, Intranet,. Internet, telephone calls, vi deo conferences, memos, letters, notice boards, formal presentations, reports, open forums, blogs, and wikis (Argenti, 2 1998; Asif & Sargeant, 2000; Baumruk et aI., 2006; Debussy et aI., 2003; Goodman & Truss, 2004; Hunt & Ebeling, 1983 cited in Hayase, 2009, p.2). The role of corporate communication is divided into two distinct functions: the window and mirror functions. Van Riel (1995, p. 2) says that the window function refers to the preparation and execution of a communication policy, resulting in messages that portray all facets of the organisation in a lucid and appealing way. The corporate communication practitioner interprets the philosophies, policies, programmes and practices of top management to its stakeholders. In this facilitating role, according to Lubbe and Puth (2000, p. 19), he helps to accomplish an outward orientation for the organisation, establishing a firm base for mutual understanding and cooperation with strategic stakeholders. The mirror function refers to the monitoring of relevant environmental developments and the anticipation of their consequences with regard to the organisation's strategies and policies. The window function will be the main focus of this study. For this study, corporate communications will be confined to communication activities that take place between organizations and--.their int~mal stakeholders. Individuals or groups are stakeholders when they are affected by the decisions of an organisation or if their decisions affect an organisation (Freeman 1984), and are normally seen to be passive. When they become aware of potential problems in the relationship Wiib'&l'organisation, they.can be described as aware publics. If they actively start communicating about the- problem they are seen to be active publics (Grunig & Repper, in Grunig 1992, p.125). However, effective corporate communication will not happened, unless organization and corporatio~s practice concrete corporate communications. Though research have been carried out on the practice of corporate communication, to the best knowledge of the researcher, there is pot a single study on the dynamics of corporate communication practice especially in Ghana - . and much more research is needed to fill this vacuum. 3 It is against this background that this research seeks to examine the internal communication approach for the Public Procurement Authority and how it translates into the overall dynamics of corporate communication practice. The research is expected to make suggestion to the heads of Corporate and Public Affairs Department of the Public Procurement Authority based on the data that would be collected and analysed. This suggestions will be very practical in terms of internal communication practice at the Public Procurement Authority. Upon the suggestions, it is expected that the Public Affairs Department will periodically conduct an opinion poll or surveys to assess the performance of internal communication messages and the channels and as such change or adjust to new trends based on the result of the poll or survey and also inject some innovations into the practice. ;i 4 1.1.1 PROFILE OF PUBLIC PROCUREMENT AUTHORITY Government embarked upon an exercise to reform the Public Procurement System in 1996 as an integral part of a wider Public Financial Management Reform Programme (PUFMARP). The exercise was to improve the overall public financial management in the country. The reform exercise identified shortcoming and organizational weaknesses inherent in the country's procurement system. These include the absence of a comprehensive public procurement policy and the lack of a comprehensive legal regime to safeguard the integrity of the public procurement system. Others are the absence of a central body with the requisite capability, technical expertise and competence to develop a coherent public procurement policy. Rules and regulations are required to guide, direct, train as well as adequately monitor public procurement. Furthermore, the absence of clearly defined roles and responsibilities of indiVidual procurement entities is a problem There is no independent appeals process with power to address complaints from aggrieved bidders and provide corrective remedies. The lack of a clearly defined authority to allow procurement entities to undertake the procurement of goods, works and services with funds appropriated to them.weakened the system and also needs to be addressed. The absence of authority to dispose of public assets and the fact that there is no procurement auditing function by independent government officials or their appointed agents to ensure efficient accountability is also an omission in the present set up. In order to eliminate the various shortcomings and organizational weaknesses in the public procurement process, it is considered desirable to enact a comprehensive procurenlent law. This is to be supported with' standard tender documents. Appropriate adlninistrative' and 5 institutional arrangements are to be made with an oversight body to superintend the public procurement system. ~e new structure will promote the use public procurement as a tool for national development. It will harmonize the application of procurement related rules with International conventions and treaties. It is expected to foster Competition, efficiency, transparency and accountability in the public procurement process. There will be equal access for any citizen to participate in the public procurement process. . The Public Procurement Board was established by an act of Parliament known as The Public Procurement Act 2003. It was established initially as a board, but in 2012 through an Executive Instrument, the board became known as an Authority, hence its current name Public Procurement Authority (PPA). The authority is charged with the mandate of overseeing the formulation and execution of procurement policies (Act 663). In addition, PPA is tasked to draft rules, regulations and documentations for effective public procurement activities. The authority is headed by a chief e.xecutive officer appointed by government. The activities of PP A is supervised by a board to whom the CEO reports. The Authority is present in three out of the te!l regions in Ghana. The regions are the Greater Accra, Ashanti and Western regions. It is headquartered in the capital Accra. The Authority is composed of nine divisions, directorates, units and departments. They are listed below: Benchmarking, Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate, Policy and Strategy Directorate, Legal Directorate, MIS Directorate, Human Resource/Administration Department, Finance Department, Public Affairs Department, Audit Unit, Procurement Unit 6 Directorate of Benchmarking, Monitoring and Evaluation Mission: To develop effective monitoring& evaluation systems and programmes for auditing all public sector institutions on procurement issues. And to set benchx:narks for performance measurement and procurement audit. Functions: • Daily examination of advertisements for procurement of goods, services or works that appear in the newspapers to check that they contain information that will encourage the suppliers to "respond favourably to provide what is required. Where problems are identified with the adverts, the entities are assisted to institute the corrective measures. • All approvals granted by the board for the use of the single source and restricted tender methods are tracked to ensure that they have been implemented properly. .• When alleged violations of the provisions of act 663 are brought to the attention of the authority, the Directorate carries out very thorough investigations and reports, with recommendations, to the board for the necessary corrective measures to be instituted. • Conduct annual procurement assessment for all government entities to ensure compliance with the Public Procurement Act, 2003(Act 663). 7 Directorate of Policy and Strategy Mission: To develop best practice procurement policies and strategies to ensure that government procurement achieves transparency, accountability and value for money Functions: • Leading discussions to enaole the Board introduce various procurement policies to support its work. • Developing efficient strategies for disseminating the policies across all l\1DAs and MlVIDAs. • Ensuring th~t government policies including private sector initiatives, public sector reforms, and anti - corruption measures extend to public procurement. • Working with other Directorates to review annual reports submitted by all Procurement Entities and organizing annual procurement forums. • Developing the relevant policies and strategies in procurement in the public sector. 9 Directorate of Legal Mission: To provide legal advice to the Board on all matters pertaining to the discharge of its functions under the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663) as am~Iided. And,to aetas a Secretary to the Board and maintain records of proceedings. Specific Functions: • Assisting the Board to adjudicate on cases of complaints, reviews arbitration and appeals, and establishing detailed administrative and mechanisms. • Assisting the Board to draft proposals and regulations as prescribed in the Procurement Act. • Representing the Board in Litigation and external administrative hearings. • Working with other Directors to review and update standard tender documents, and guidance notes. Directorate of Management Information Systems Mission: To develop a computerized system for monitoring and evaluating public procurement performance. Functions: • Establishing Management Information Systems for Board's, IvIDAs, and MlVIDAs operations and ensuring the establishment of Databases for standards and prices available in Ghana and elsewhere' , 10 • Establishing of suppliers', consultants', contractors' database in Ghana and elsewhere; • Developing and updating list of procurement entities, members and secretaries of tender committees and tender review boards; • Developing and providing IT and e.:procurement support services; • Developing and maintaining·the Board's website. Finance Department Mission: To manage a support team of Finance and Procurement Officers and to develop financial management systems consistent with relevant laws to support the day to day operation of the Authority. Functions: • Ensuring timely and accurate preparation of the Authority's annual accounts. • Developing and maintaining efficient transparent financial management and accounting systems. • Setting up and managing banking arrangements for the Authority in line with Financial Administration Act, 2003. • Developing clear internal financial management procedures for managing day-to day finances. • Advising seruor management on financial implications for Policies and Change Management. 11 Internal Audit Department Mission: The mission of Internal Audit is to assist the Governing Board and management ofPPA in the discharge of their oversight, management and· operating responsibilities through independent audits and consultations designed to evaluate and promote the system of internal controls . ' including effective and efficient operations. Functions: ' • Maintaining the results of audits and evaluations in the strictest confidence, subject to any legal or ethical requirements for disclosure to outside authorities; • Providing a written summary of internal auditing activities to the Chief Executive and the Audit Committee within 15 days of the end of each calendar month; • Providing a detailed report of all internal auditing activities, including a comparison of actual work performed to planned" to th~ Chief Executive and the Audit Committee within 30 days of the end of each quarter • Coordinating the total auditing effort, both internal and external, in the interest of minimizing duplicate efforts and in contributing, as far as professionally permissible, to the work of the external auditor(s) bearing in mind that final determination of the extent of such contribution rests with the external auditor(s); and • Communicating with the external auditor(s) on all significant matters which will be brought to the Audit Committee's attention 12 Procurement Unit What plays out in our minds when procurement is mentioned is the purchasing of goods and services. However, the role of the Procurement Unit goes beyond that. The Procurement Unit is not only limited· to procuring of-goods and services but also administration of stores and ensuring maximum value for money from all procurement. This does not mean buying the cheapest option but rather fitness for the purpose. The Head of-the Unit as mandated by the Act 663, 2003 to report directly to the Head of the Entity (CEO). Currently the staff strength of the Unit is three (3). Functions: • Management of all procurement and disposal by tender activities • Support the function and implementation of Entity Tender Committee decisions • Prepare tender documents for approval • Maintain a list or register of all contract awards. • Maintenance and Updating 'of inventory and records of goods and Assets for the Authority 13 Public Affairs Department The Public Affairs Department publicizes the Authority's programmes and activities through publications and varied Public Relations Strategies. These include the organizing workshops, media encounters and consultative meetings to educate the public and empower participants in public procurement. Achievements: • Development of PP A's Communications Strategy, Public Affairs Hand Book and Brand Guide. • CommissionIng of research on the impact of PP A's Communication and Training programmes • Produced audio and video documentaries for the Authority • Frequent publication of promotional items such as the Procurement Digest, Annual reports, Corporate Brochures, Leaflets on Appeals and Complaints, Low and Minor value procurement, Sustainable.Public Procurement(SPP) • Successfully organized corporate programmes for the Authority over the years such as the Annual Public Forum, Sensitization workshops and Conferences. • Succe.ssful execution of Protocol Services and Study Tours 14 1.1 PROBLEMSTATEMENT The Public Procurement Authority, as a government agency, must keep in constant touch with its internal stakeholders in order to successfully undergo· its daily activities. As an institution that does not deal directly with clearly iden~fiable external ~ustomers or publics, it is expected . '. of it to take communication with internal stakeholders seriously. Corporate communication comes in handy as the right tool to use to achieve this goal because it plays a foremost role in forming and maintaining organizational communications activities. Excellent corporate communication lies at the heart of industry, commerce and governments' abilities to build a democratic society. Winner (1993 cited in Dolphin and Fan, 2000) asserts that corporate communications has a crucial role to play in what he calls the total business system. According to Giglio, Diamante & Julie (1998) organisational transformation, where organisations undergo metamorphoses, is the order of the day, is popular in today's changing world system. There is a complex network of transformation taking place, and so agencies and companies must take their communications to stay relevant. These changes are equally affecting the Public Procurement Authority (PPA), hence they must move to apply strategies, through communications. When organisations neglect certain elements of corporate communication due to various reasons, which ultimately lead to poor communication, many challenges are bound to happen. Therefore, this study is being done to identify how the Authority is handling its corporate communications activities. It hopes to come out with recommendations on how the image and reputation of Public Procurement Authority (PPA) can be managed and sustained through 15 effective communication. This study becomes more important because among the functions of the Public Affairs Department of PPA is to ensure the effective publication of press releases, in-house newsletters, brochures, maintaining communication internally among others. All these functions relate to corporate communications, and this study seeks to purposefully assess the performance of their functions from the perspective of the employees ofPPA. 1.2 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY 1. To investigate the channels of communication that is used at the Public Procurement Authority 2. To examine the frequency and employees' satisfaction with the rate at which information is delivered to the stakeholders of the Public Procurement Authority 3. To identify the corporate communication functions that is played at the Public Procurement Authority 4. To examine how employees respond to feedback from their stakeholders 1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS OF THE STUDY 1. What ,channels of communications are employed by the Public Procurement Authority to communicate with its stakeholders? 2. How often does the Public Procurement Authority make information available to its stakeholders? 3. What is the staff perception of stakeholders' view about the corporate communication roles of the Public Affairs Department at the Public Procurement Authority? 16 1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY Every study has some relevance or implications for academia, policy formulation and professional practice. In terms of academia, this study will add to already existing literature on the subject. In Ghana, very few studies have been done in this area, so the current research will add more knowledge and shed light on this important topic. From the policy standpoint, this research will help organizations like the Institute of l?ublic Relation Ghana and other communications stakeholders to contribute to the formulation of policy framework for governmental agencies. Finally, this study is important to practicing corporate communications practitioners ,and other PR professionals. The findings will help them understand the latest findings in the field and lead them into becoming more effective on the job. 1.5 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY The scope of the study would be limited to the Public Procurement Authority. The reason for this limitation is to make sure that the focus for this research is maintained. The first difficulty would be associated with the collection of data. Some employees may be apprehensive in completing the questionnaires for fear of disclosure for their identities. The researcher however will assure them of the confidentiality of their identity and the study is solely for academic purpose Finally, the sample size of the staff population may be too small to make generalization that encompasses the employee base of the Public Procurement Authority. 17 · 1.6 CHAPTER ORGANIZATION OF STUDY This research is organized into five chapters. They are as follows: Chapter one would contain general introduction, background statement, problem statement, research objective, research questions, significance of the study and scope of work. Chapter two will comprise of the literature review and detailed study of theoretical framework. Chapter three will look at the methodology which comprises of introduction of the methods, research design, source of data used, and population, sampling techniques and data collection technique and instruments. Chapter four would cover the data analysis, discussions and findings that will come up at the end of the data collection discussions and conclusions. Chapter five would be made of conclusions, summary, limitations, and recommendations for the study, reference and questionnaire. 18 CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 INTRODUCTION This chapter is in two broad parts. First, it discusses the theories that undermine the study in order to explain the logic that inforrried the meth~dologicalapproach'and expectation of the study. Second, it appraises previous research by accredited scholars and researchers. A literature review is a body of text that aims to review the critical points of current knowledge on a particuhir topic. Its ultimate goal is to bring the reader up to date with current literature on the topic and forms the basis for another goal, such as the justification for future research in the area. 2.2 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK 2.2.1 Four Models of Public Relations The field of public relations has progressed far from the research tradition· which primarily focused on production of messages, campaigns, and mass media effects on audiences (Bruning & Ledingham, 2000; Ledingham & Bruning, 1998). In 1984, James Grunig and Todd Hunt published the· Four Models of Public Relations as part of their book Managing Public Relations, which provided grounds for the re-conceptualization of public relations. The model describes . the different forms of communication between an organisation and its stakeholders. These theories are taught as normative models and they form the basis of much academic research, hence they are believed to be the cornerstone of public relations. Since that time Grunig and a team of scholars have proposed new models that have enriched our understanding of how public relations is practiced. The first model is publicity or press agentry, the second is public 19 relations information model, the third asymmetric persuasion, and the final one - the two-way symmetrical model' - has become accepted as a formal definition of best practice for communication in Western markets between an organisation and its audiences. The first three models reflect a practice of public relations that attempts through persuasion to achieve the organization's goals. The fourth focuses on balancing self-interests and the interests of the other group or public. The four models are fully explained below: 2.2.1.1 Press Agentry Press agentry is the model where information moves one way-from the organization to its publics. It is perhaps the oldest form of public relations and is synonymous with promotions and publicity. Public relations practitioners operating under this model are always looking for opportunities to get their organization's name favourably mentioned in the media. They do not conduct much research about their publics beyond "counting the house." This model includes propaganda tactics such as use of celebrity names and attention-gaining devices such as giveaways, parades, and grand openings. Although press agents are not unethical, they don't desire to be ethical either. The louder the noise, the more attention-getting the story, whether true or false, the better they are doing their jobs. 2.2.1.2 Public Information Public information differs from press agentry because the intent is to inform rather than to press for promotion and publicity, but the communication is still essentially one-way. Today this model represents public relations practices in government, educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and even in some corporations. Practitioners operating under this model do very little research about their audiences beyond testing the clarity of their messages. They are 20 ')ournalists-in-residence," who value accuracy but decide what information IS best to communicate to their publics. 2.2.1.3 Two-Way Asymmetrical Model The two-way asymmetrical model considers public relations to be scientific persuasion. This model employs social science research methods to increaSe the persuasiven'ess of messages. Public relations practitioners use s~rveys, interviews, and focus groups to measure public relationships so the organization can design public relations programs that will gain the support of key publics. Although feedback is built into the process, the organization is much more interested in having the publics adjust to the organization than the reverse. 2.2.1.4 Two-Way Symmetlical Model The two-way symmetrical model depicts a public relations orientation in which organizations and their publics adjust to each other. It focuses on the use of social science research methods to ~chieve mutual understanding and two-way communication rather than one-way persuasion. In 2001 James E. Grunig created other names for the symmetrical model: mixed motives, collaborative advocacy, and cooperative antagonism. His intent was to present a model that "balanced self-interests with the interest of others in a give-and-take process that can waver between advocacy and collaboration." Grunig argued that this model was the most ethical because all groups were part of the resolution of problems. This means that organizations that desire to establish an effective corporate communication must adapt to its fullest terms the tenets of the Two-way symmetric model, since it is the only 21 model that entreats efficient and mutual transfer of information both in and out of the organization. This is the surest way of building employee confidence for the organization. These four models help understand how public relations or corporate communications works between and organization and its publics. For this study, the models will help determine which of the models is being practiced at the Public Procurement Au~ority. By situating the practice of corporate communications to any of the models, one -can easily assess whether the organization is on the right track or not. Systems Theory First identified in the 1940s, systems theory achieves insights into communication (Heath & . Bryant, 2000). Especially influential on organizational communication, systems theory explains how and why people form groups, each of which is a system as well as part of a larger system. Its focus is on the whole system rather than on its parts, and how these parts interact to affect the whole system. Infante, Rancer and Womack (1997) define a system as hierarchical - a set of interdependent units working together to adapt to a changing environment. It can be divided into smaller subsystems or incorporated with other systems to create larger systems, referred to as suprasystems or environments (Heath -& Bryant, 2000). A systems approach to organizational communication expands the basic model of sender-receiver to feature communication networks~ this explains how systems adapt to their environments (Heath & Bryant, 2000). As previously stated, PAis composed of three basic subsystems: internal information, media and community relations. Although the military mainly uses each subsystem interdependently, the entire system is much more than the sum of the contributions of each individual part. As Infante, Rancer and Womack explain it, "every system is like a cake in the sense that if you 22 take away or change one individual part, the entire system is affected" (1997, p. 91). The focus of organizational c~mmunication is on the whole system, rather than on parts of the system (Katz & Kahn, 1996). Communication systems, such as public affairs, are "open" systems - they interact with their environments. Open systems "continually take in new information, transform that information and give information back to the environment" (Shockley-Zalabak, 1999, p. 43). By contrast, "closed" systems are characterized by· a lack of input communication, making it difficult to make good decisions and stay current with the needs of the environment (Shockley-Zalabak, 1999). Closed systems lean toward entropy, chaos or total disorganization (Infante, Rancer & Womack, 1997). Applying the open systems approach to military PA requires a purposeful sensing of the environment to anticipate and detect changes that affect the organization's relationships with its publics (Cutlip, Center & Broom, 1985). Ultimately, the systems approach should serve as the foundation for a more effective management practice. This becomes the basis upon which our ideal model for PA interaction was created (Figure 1). Development of Organizational Communication "Communication serves as the basIS for control and coordination in organizations; it also provides information essential to effective completion of the organizational mission" (poole, 1978, p. 493). But, what "exactly" is communication? In layman's terms, communication is the interchange of information between two or more persons. Farace, Monge and Russell (I977) define co~unication as the exchange of symbols that are commonly shared by the individuals involved, and which evoke quite similar symbol-referent relationships in each individual. Organizational communication goes a bit further. Organizational communication is "both similar to and distinct from other types of communication" (Shockley-ZaIabak, 1999, p. 23 28). It is more than the daily interactions of individuals within organizations, it is the process through which organizations create and shape events (Shockley-Zalabak, 1999). The study of organizational communication centers on processes of interaction means by which people obtain information, form opinions, make decisions, merge into the organization, leave the organization and create rapport with one another (Shockley-Zalabak, 1999). Through co~unication, people coordinate their actions to achieve individual and organizational goals " " (Shockley-Zalabak, 1999). Effective organizational comm.Unication within "the PA arena is critical. The public's perception of credibility and validity of any PA office depends largely on the successful transmission of verbal and nonverbal messages and the sharing of information at all links (subsystems) through the organization's channels. According to Huse and Bowditch (1973), an organization is effective and efficient when it has the ability to be integrated and to consider three different perspectives simultaneously: structural design, flow and human factors. Looking into this further, a literature review by Campbell (1977) found that more than 30 different criteria were used for the measurement of organizational effectiveness (Praeger, 1986). These measurement criteria ranged from specific aspects of organizational effectiveness to" a global view. Campbell's (1977) review also finds some of the measurement criteria to be inconsistent, in that few stUdies used multivariate measures of effectiveness and the same criteria were rarely used across studies (Praeger, 1986). Herein lies the basic theme of this paper, suggesting that public service organizations, in an effort to gain greater efficiency, should attempt to both integrate and simultaneously consider its three subsystems (internal information, media and community relations) as well as best practices in the civilian corporate PR arena, when approaching organizational issues. 24 Cross-functionality Cross-functionality is the idea that members from different departments of a unit or organization form teams, bringing a variety of talents and resources to bear on the accomplishment of the overall mission of the unit or organization (proehl, 1997). This method has proven positive results within AT&T and Hewlett Packard (Jayaram & Ahire, 1998). It also has application to PA in two ways: 1) Cross-functionality can be applied to the relationship between PA and other organizatio~s within"a command~ and 2) it can b~ applied within the PA organization itself- this is the idea' behind the three-pronged approach. Cross-functional teams consist of people who serve in different departments or perform different functions within the organization (Wellins, et al., 1994). Some companies establish permanent and temporary cross-functional teams. The permanent teams work on issues companies face on a·routine basis, while temporary teams are formed to handle special projects such as implementing new procedures, reorganizing procedures and processes, or solving unexpected problems. By their nature, cross-functional teams offer members opportunities to receive training and experience outside their areas of expertise .inorder to. meet the goals of the team (Well ins, et al., 1994). This has several benefits including team flexibility, understanding among the functional areas of how the others work, and an increased sense of ownership and pride among team members. 25 · Applications for Public Affairs Previous studies suggest the idea that marketing is here to stay and that successful companies must integrate marketing departments into their strategic planning or suffer for it in their profit margins (Shipley, 1994). The difficulty is successfully integrating marketing, or in the public service's case public affairs, into a strategi,? operational role after having been a support function for so long. Many people within organizations hav~ preconceived notions about the value of marketing or PA, and based on outdated ideas that do not consider the important role they play in the overall mission accomplishment; resist their inclusion into the upper echelons. Shipley (1994) suggests a number of ways to combat this: 1) It is essential that the role ofPA be thoroughly understood and communicated to all levels by the commander. 2) CEO's should ensure their PA offi~ers are "politically shrewd, experienced, tough and able" (Shipley, 1994, p. 20). 3) Training should be offered to all department heads and essential personnel with the goal of altering false perceptions. 4) CEO's should build internal motivation within their outfit. P A practitioners need to understand that achieving a shift in mindset like this is extremely difficult. With that in mind, practitioners need to do all they can to fit in. Some suggestions include "building a professional image for [public affairs]; ensure frequent communication and personal interaction with other departments; do not laud the importance of [public affairs]; recognize the equal importance of other [ departments]; acknowledge their viewpoints, strengths and constraints; build allies and tight relationships; be tactful, amicable and harmonious; go to "war" as a last resort; involve top management in disputes as a last option; be unselfish about the 'ownership' of good ideas; use finance and other resources wisely; and always stress the commonsense view" (Shipley, 1994, p. 20). 26 Cross-Functionality Applications for Public Affairs at the Office Level . Many of the theories used in developing cross-functional teams find their origins in small group organizational communication theories. A model that has utility for cross-functional application in PA, both at the organizational and departmental levels, is discussed by Tjosvold (1991). He discusses D.L. Gladstein's 1984 model (Figure 3) for group behaviour within an organization (Tjosvold, 1991, p. 61). In this model there are two inputs: The composition and structure of the group and the resources and structure of the organization. The inputs work together forming the group process. The process interacts with the task to determine the group's effectiveness. Using those inputs, the group develops a process to work together, and then applies that process to whatever tasking comes down the road. The nature of the tasking and its interaction with the group's processes Figure3 determines· the effectiveness of the group's output. Gladstein's Model of Group Behavior explains how the PA three-pronged approach can be more effective. Figure 1, The Walton, et al~ Planning Model, draws upon Gladstein's model to illustrate how PA and cross­ functionality work together. Public Relations Theory Public relations is the attempt by information, persuasion and adjustment to engineer public support for an activity, cause, movement or institution (Bemays, 1955). The field borrows theories of communication from the social science disciplines; however, there is no one theory that is PR The field also lacks a sense of identity, failing to define its purpose, scope and dimension (Leeper & Leeper, 2001). There appears to be a widely held definition that PR is "the manipulation of public behavior for the benefit of the manipulated publics as well as the sponsoring organizations" (Grunig, 1989, p. 18 - 19). Grunig's (1989) research explains PR 27 using four models. Grunig calls them "press agentry/publicity," "public information," "two­ way asymmetrical" and "two-way symmetrical" (Grunig, 1989, p. 29). According to Grunig (1989), the four models are representative of the goals, values and behaviors held or used by an organization when practicing PRo Grunig's (1989) press agentry/publicity model is descriptive of the propaganda feel of PR, seeking media attention in almost any way possible. The ·basis of this approach is the amount of'mass media coverage determines the r~lativeimportaJ?ce 'of the topics (Cutlip, Center & Broom, 1994). Grunig suggests those who practice' the press agentry model fully intend to persuade or manipulate publics (Grunig, 1989). Grunig's public information model is similar to the press agentry/publicity model. Practitioners of this model provide generally accurate information, but usually do not volunteer negative information. Both the press agentry/publicity and public information models are one-way they give information about the organization to the identified publics but do not actively seek information in return from the publics through research or informal means (Grunig, 1989). Grunig's two-way asymmetrical and two-way symmetrical models are more sophisticated, they include the element of research; however, only one of these models holds real promise toward attitudinal change. The two-way asymmetricaI model uses research to identify messages most likely to produce support of the I?ublics without having to change the behaviors of the organization. Practitioners of the public information model change public behaviors and opinions, even though that may not be their intent (Grunig, 1989). The fourth model defined by Grunig is the two-way symmetrical model. This model has effects that benefit both th~ organization and the public. Organizations practicing this model employ bargaining, negotiating and strategies of conflict resolution to bring changes in both the organization and the public (Grunig, 1989). This model has one presupposition; 28 communication leads to understanding among people and organizations (Grunig, 1989). Grunig's research and formulation of these four models serve as a map of the major stages of development in the ~R field, providing clarification and serving as a basis for a classification system (Neff, 1989). Organizations practice several of the models together, with the press agentry model being the most popular (Grunig, 1989). Grunig's (1989) research suggests the two-way asymmetrical model is most popular in corporations. The function of PR practitioners is to help an organization adjust and adapt to their environments by monitoring public opinion, social change' and cultural shifts (Cutlip, et. al., 1994). How an organization accomplishes these tasks in an effective manner is subjective. Bemays, (I955) suggests that to cany out PR effectively, one must follow this process: 1) define your ~bjectives, 2) research your publics, 3) modify the objectives, 4) decide upon a strategy, 5) set up a theme, 6) establish an effective organization, 7) chart a tactical plan and 8) carry out the tactics.·PR is a part of any organization's problem-solving function, practitioners with this view use social scientific theory and the best available evidence in a four-step problem solving process (Cutlip, et. al., 1994). This process is similar to Bemays' work with the obvious difference being some of Bemays' steps are integrated to shorten the process. The four-step process involves: 1). Situational analysis -. what is happening now? 2) Strategy - what should we do, say and why? 3) Implementation - how and·when do we say it? 4) Assessment - how did we do (Cutlip, et. al., 1994)? Each step of the model is as important as the other steps, with the process being continuous, overlapping and cyclical (Cutlip, et. al., 1994). To get the most out of any PR effort it is necessary to have a master plan. Just having a plan doesn't necessarily guarantee success, but it allows the practitioner to focus and determine the ultimate Success or failure o~the communication effort (Ginsburg, 1955). The ramifications to military PA is twofold, first; Grunig's models provide an assessment for military practitioners to determine how their respective programs currently fit in the arena of strategic planning within 29 their military services. As Grunig suggests, most organizations combine all four models making it difficult to determine PA effectiveness. Second, research introduced by Bernays advances elements from the social sciences into the practice of public relations. Bemays' contributions are significant in that the element of identifying and measuring public opinion is a critical first step before embarking on an effort to change or modify those opinions. This idea continues today through the use of Cutlip, et al's four-step public relations planning tool. Rationale and Hypotheses The bottom line in the great proactive vs. reactive debate is that to a certain degree, P A will always be reactive. "While PA must continue to react to the requests and situations that pop up unexpectedly, it also must take the initiative to create strategic and tactical plans that allow it to put the right information in the hands of the right audiences at the right time" (AFI 35-101, p.49). There is simply no way of anticipating the who, what, when, where and whys of the next crisis. But, rather than not planning at all and waiting for the next situation, there are areas where P A practitioners can benefit from thorough prior planning. This rationale - prior planning will assist PA in effectively solving issues - and the use of theoretical perspectives offered by systems theory, organizational ""communication, cross-functionality and identified PR "best practices," is what led the research team" on the quest to develop a unified model for strategic and tactical planning. For this study, the models and theories will help determine which of the models is being practiced at the Public Procurement Authority. By situating the practice of corporate communications to any of the models, one can easily assess whether the organization is on the right track or not. 30 2.3 LITE~ TURE REVIEW COIporate communication "offers a framework for the effective coordination of all internal and external communication with the overall purpose of establishing and maintaining favourable reputations with stakeholder groups upon which the organization is dependent" (Cornelissen, 2008, p. 5). As such, corporate communication is both a means to securing reputation and an organizational function. Several researches have been conducted due to its importance to the growth of organizations on corporate communication. Sewestianiuk (2013) conducted a sf1:idy on organizational internal communication at Ericsson Goteborg with the ultimate goal of exploring how communication strategies were managed in the organization under study. According to the researcher, internal communication in a global company can be seen as a challenge in the organizational environment. Therefore, communicational objectives such as message efficiency, creating learning networks and sharing knowledge represent guidelines for any strategy that looks at developing a modem distribution of information. This research investigated the richness of different internal communication channels in relationship with the processing of an efficient communication strategy at Ericsson GOteborg. The theoretical approach tried to define concepts such as: internal communication, strategic communication, internal communication channels and the use of social media in an organizational environment. The main findings supported the choice of a rich communication medium, which validated the media richness theory and the hypothesis that employees have a natural affinity for face-to-face-communication. The social aspect of communication was also taken into account with the introduction of social media as a possible internal communication channel. 31 Also, Holm (2012) conducted a study on the role of internal and external communication, with Bank Citadele as the organization of study. The study was conceived with the notion that in order to be perceived as good company it is not just enough to have a good reputation and results. It is also very important to create a good working environment for employees and possess knowledge in attracting new customers. It is very important that company knows its internal and external environment. These two things are crucial for company's long---term success and much related to each other. "The study aimed at finding out how could communication processes be organized making them more effective. In order to be able to answer this question a sample of three branch managers with different working experience in Bank Citadele were selected for taking part in a qualitative study. There were conducted focused interviews which revealed that all branch managers considered communication beirig a very important issue internally, as well as externally for the company. All the interviewees admitted that the bank is engaging in the communication processes very actively, although the ones, who have been working at the bank for a longer period of time, could identify some problems such as excess of information and lack of information passed to employees in branches. Hayase (2009) undertook a research into internal communication In organizations and employee engagement. The researcher argued that employee engagement is a fairly new phenomenon that continues to gather the attention of and implementation into organizations. Taking this into account this study sought to find whether there is a relationship between internal communication and employee engagement. Results indicated that there is a positive relationship between factors of internal communication and factors of employee engagement. 32 The current research found that internal communication is linked to commitment, discretionary effort, and meaningful work; all factors of engagement. In addition, results also indicated that communication channel satisfaction and channel combinations were linked to employee engagement. Sapho (2011) also recognized the importance of corporate communications on internal communication and employee relations. The aim of the .study was to investigate the role of communication in organizational success. The study s~pl~d managers from some identifiable organizations and sampled their opinions on corporate cotrimunications and its relevance to organizations. The findings. shows that the Managers spend the majority of their time communicating in several forms: meeting, face-to-face discussion, letters, emails etc. Also more and more employees realize that communication is a very important part of their work because a lot of work activities are based on teamwork among workers in different functional groups. Also, the study findings also suggested that among the various roles comm8unication play, the sampled managers said the most important role of organizational communications in companies is relationship building. They explained that rel~tionship building provides strong basis in case of crisis management and help in facing the changes in the organization. This raised moral of employees and make contribution to strategic goals of the organization. The author concluded that effective communication is very important for the creation of a successful company. Moreover, Lan-Ni (2006) undertook a study on the value of public relations in employee relations in the org~ization. The purpose of this study was to explore the value of public relations in strategy implementation as demonstrated through the cultivation of employee- 33 organization relationships in the context of globalization strategies and cultural influences. The key theoretical constructs included organization-public relationships, organizational strategies, resources, and strategy implementation. The researcher conducted 69 qualitative interviews with managers and employees in companies in China. Among them, 60 participants came from 14 case organizations (11 multinational companies, 2 mainland companies, and 1 Taiwanese company) and included 17 public relations managers, 10 strategy managers, and 33 employees. The 11 multinational companies followed , , , different globalization strategies, 3 with high global integration and low local responsiveness, 5 with high global integration and hi~ local responsiveness, and 3 with low global integration and high local responsiveness. Another 9 interviewees from separate organizations provided supplemental' information. The findings suggested that relationships were recognized as a resource that could contribute to competitive advantage. Both public relations managers and strategy managers recognized that characteristics of relationships overlapped with those of organizational resources. They also acknowledged the contribution of relationships to the implementation of strategies. C~nsistent with the concept of fit in the literature, participants pointed out the strategic use of relationships that corresponded to organizational strategies.,' Lee (2010) undertook a research to determine between face-to-face and computer-mediated communication the one employees preferred. The study found that although the computer­ mediated communication channels such as e-mails and social media were mostly used in the organization he stu~ied, the respondents preferred face-to-face communication. 34 Johan and Noor (2013) conducted a study to explore the role of Corporate Communication in building organization's corporate reputation. According to the author, the motivation for the study stems from the fact that corporate reputation is one of the essential intangible assets for many companies. Citing Wei wei (2007), Johan and Noor (2013) argued that businesses that lack of this important asset may face the difficulties where operational income is less than operational cost; business losing customers may confront the problem of a profit decline. This research aims to describe the relationship between corporate communication and corporate reputation, and their impact on the companiesff success. A self-structured survey questionnai"re, which contained a series of questions on demographic questions, advertising, public relation, corporate social responsibility and the corporate reputation, was used in the study. The study found out that most of the respondents believe there is a positive correlation between corporate communications and corporate reputation. This finding is linked with several other studies that have shown that improving corporate reputation results in better corporate communication for companies. Horomia (2007) conducted a study to investigate the internal communication of financial institutions in New Zealand. The study sought to gain understanding into how management of the organizations that were studies managed iriternal communication, the channels utilised within organizations for internal communication and whether measurement of the internal communication was evident. Semi-structured interview guide was constructed top gather data from management members and representatives of the organizations. Horomia (2007) found intranet and emails as the most predominant channels, while face-to-face communication was an often underutilised channel. 35 Johan and Noor (2013) conducted a study to explore the role of Corporate Communication in building organization's corporate reputation. According to the author, the motivation for the study stems from the fact that corporate reputation is one of the essential intangible assets for many companies. Citing Wei wei (2007), Johan and Noor (2013) argued that businesses that lack of this important asset may face the difficulties where operational income is less than operational cost; business losing customers may confront the problem of a profit decline. This research aims to describe the relationship between corporate communication and corporate reputation, and their impact on the companiesn success. A self-structured survey questionnai·re, which contained a series of questions on demographic questions, advertising, public relation, corporate social responsibility and the corporate reputation, was used in the study. The study found out that most of the respondents believe there is a positive correlation between corporate communications and corporate reputation. This finding is linked with several other studies that have shown that improving corporate reputation results in better corporate communication for companies. Horomia (2007) conducted a study to investigate the internal communication of financial institutions in New Zealand. The study sought to gain understanding into how management of the organizations that were studies managed internal communication, the channels utilised within organizations for internal communication and whether measurement of the internal communication was evident. Semi-structured interview guide was constructed top gather data from management members and representatives of the organizations. Horomia (2007) found intranet and emails as the most predominant channels, while face-to-face communication was an often underutilised channel. 35 Asif and Sargeant (2000) found in their study that horizontal model of communication is the preferred mode of communication by employees, instead of the top-down flow. The study was undertaken in The United Kingdom, with two major banks as the cases of study. The findings suggested that majority of participants viewed internal communication as an information sharing tool and did not consider it as part of a relationship building endeavour. Asif and Sargeant (2000) consider the latter an area of potential focus, as stronger relationships throughout the organisation could enhance team spirit and organisational identity. The results of Asif and Sargeant (2000) emphasized the need for more horizontal communication as well as the creation of a stronger organisati.onal identity arid team spirit (cited ·in Horomia, 2007, . . .. p.2S). Cutlip, Center and Broom (2000) also make the point that effective deployment of communication internally can lead to the development and sustenance of good relationship and . proper employee bonding. According to them, this is crucial to the success of the organization, hence organizations must constantly keep their employees informed. "The goal of employee communication is to establish and maintain mutually beneficial relationships between an organisation and the employees on whom its success or failure depends" (Cutlip, Center & Broom p.289). Finally, Hargie, Tourish and Wilson (2002), through a survey ofPR practitioners in the United States, found out that employees w!th higher levels' of training in communication skills and education generally were more satisfied with the level of information flow than the less educated ones. 36 CHAPTER THREE METHODOLOGY 3.0 INTRODUCTION The main purpose of this chapter is to explain the research methodology and procedure used in collecting data for the study. The chapter begins with the philosophical foundation of the research, evaluating the research inethods selected, and co:ntinues by identifying the reasons for adopting the selected methods. The chapter then presents the research procedure and the overall research design. 3.1 RESEARCH APPROACH There are three major designs for conducting research or gathering data-quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods designs. Quantitative design is one in which the investigator primarily uses positivist claims for developing knowledge (i.e., cause and effect thinking, reduction to specific variables and hypotheses and questions, use of instrument and observation, and the test of theories), ell1ploying'strategies of inquiry such as experiments and surveys and collecting data on predetermined instruments that yield statistical data (Creswell, 2003). Qualitative research on the other hand is multi method in focus, involving an interpretive, naturalistic approach to its subject matter. This means that qualitative researchers study things in their natural settings, and attempt to make sense of, or interpret, phenomena in terms of the meanings people bring to them (Newman & Benz, 1998). 37 This research employed the quantitative method to examine corporate communications in Ghana, with the Public Procurement Authority as case study. The type of research method used was survey. A survey is any activity that collects information in an organized and methodical manner about characteristics of interest from some or all units of a population using well­ defined concepts, methods and procedures, and compiles such information into a useful summary form (Wimmer & Dominick, 2011). Surveys have numerous advantages and they influenced the selection of this method. Wimmer and Dominick (2011) outlined the. advantages· as; . 1. Surveys can be used to investigate problems in realistic settings. 2. The cost of surveys is reasonable when one considers the amount of information gathered. Researchers also can control expenses by selecting from five major types of surveys: mail, telephone, personal interview, group administration, and the Internet. 3. A large amount of data can be collected with relative ease from a variety of people. Surveys allow researchers to examine many variables (demographic and lifestyle information, attitudes, motives, intentions, and so on) and to use a variety of statistics to an8lyze the data. 4. Surveys are not constrained by geographic boundaries; they can be conducted almost anywhere. 5. Data helpful to survey research already exist. Data ·archives, government documents, census materials, radio and television rating books, and voter registration lists can be used as primary sources (main sources of data) or as secondary sources (supportive data) of information (Wimmer and Dominick, 2011, p. 185-186). 38 3.2 POPULATION Polit and Hungler (1999:37) refer to the population as an aggregate or totality of all the objects, subjects or members that confonn to a set of specifications. The population for this study is all internal stakeholders of the Public Procurement Authority in Accra, Kumasi and Takoradi shall constitute the target population for the researcher. They are 200 in all. The reason for selecting the internal publics is trigged by my association with PPA employees and their accessibility in terms of their geographical location for the researcher to conveniently reach out to them to elicit response from them. 3.3 SAMPLE Since the researcher cannot study the entire population, it is imperative to select an aspect of the population to study. A sample is derived from the population. In other words, the sample is a subset of the population and it involves the actual participants or respondents in the study. For the purposes of this study, the sample is made up of employees from all departments in the organization and each sample would be chosen depending on the size or number of staff within each directorate, department or unit so that it will be representative enough. 3.4 SAMPLING TECHNIQUE There are two general approaches to sampling~ probability and non-probability sampling. Under probability sampling all elements in the population have a chance (greater than zero) of being included in the sample, and the mathematical probability that anyone of them will be selected can be calculated (Wimmer and Dominick, 2011). Non-probability sampling on the 39 other hand refers to any sampling method where some elements of the population have no chance of selection or where the probability of selection cannot be accurately determined. Since the researcher cannot study the entire population, it is imperative to select an aspect of the population to study. A sample is derived from the population. In other words, the sample is a subset of the population and it involves the actual participants or respondents in the study. For the purposes of this study, the sample of the study was 50, made up of employees from all directorates, departments and units in the organization. For this study, probability sampling was used and under this the stratified sampling method was used. Under this technique, all the resp'ondertts are put 111to strata ~d a specific number of participants are subsequently drawn. from each stratum. In the case of this study, the stratum represents each department in the authority. This means out of every department, a specific number of respondents was selected to partake in the study. This is because it gave all subsets of the sample frame equal probabilities of selection. Questionnaires were distributed for them to fill in with responses. The Directorates, Departments and Units considered were: 1. Benchmarking Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate (13) 11. Policy & Strategy Directorate (5) 111. Legal Directorate(3) IV. Management Information Systems Directorate (5) v. Capacity Development Directorate .(6) VI. Finance Department (4) VII. Audit Unit (2) Vlll. Public Affairs (4) IX. Human Resource, Administration Department and Procurement Unit (8) 40 3.5 Types and Source of Data This study shall make use of primary and secondary data. The primary data shall compose of data collected from the respondents in the field with the use of a self- developed structured questionnaires. The secondary data will come from other publications such as books, journals, magazines, newspapers, annual reports, audio and visual materials etc. This will give the researcher an over view of what already existed and what is expected based on the research objective of the study. 3.6 Data Capture Instruments A well-defined questionnaire that is used effectivelY'can 'ga.ther information on both overall performance of the test system as well as information on specific components of the system. Close-ended and open-ended questions (are) were carefully prepared and specially numbered. The questions (are) were arranged in proper order, in accordance with the relevance of this was to make interpretation a lot easier. The questionnaire was self-administered. It helped to explain to respondents the essence of the research and to assure them that it was purely for academic purpose. Respondents were assured that all information provided by them would be confidential and not used for any other purpose except that which was stated and also assured the respondents of anonymity. 41 Questionnaires were mainly adopted for this study because: 1. It enables the respondents fill them at their own convenience and in a relaxed manner where relevant information could be checked before data was provided. Hence, giving more accurate answers to questions. 2. The respondents might be confident due to anonymity assured them and thus, feel free to express views they fear may be disapproved of. 3. It is an efficient way to collect statistically quantifiable information. 3.7 Data Presentation and An~ysis Analysis for the study based is. on the data' gathered from respondents and official documentation collected from the organization under study. The mode of analysis is tabulated to make it simple for anyone to analyse and converted into percentages to make it more meaningful for interpretation and then presented through diagrams and tables. The data tabulated according to the response from the questionnaire administered. This enhanced the understanding of the findings and makes it more relevant. Moreover, Analysis of the data is done by the use of SPSS and other editing software such as 'Gramm1y' to avoid mistakes and errors from the findings. 42 · CHAPTER FOUR FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS 4.0 Introduction In this chapter, the raw data collected from the responses of the sample size is collated and analyzed. The data collation software 'SPSS' was used to analyze the data obtained from respondents and the findings have been depicted using frequency tables, pie charts and bar graphs to make them very easy to understand. These findings were obtained after an analysis of the 50 questionnaires which were distributed and retrieved. It captures respondents' views on" issues pertaining to the research objectives" and the research "questions. 4.1 Age of Respondents Frequency Percent 18-30 26 52.0 31-40 17 34.0 41-50 3 6.0 ABOVE 50 4 8.0 Total 50 100.0 Table 1: Age Distribution of Respondents Table 1 shows the ages of the respo~dents Who partook in the study. More than half (52%) are within the youthful age bracket of 18 years to 30 years. A little above one-third (34%) of the respondents are between 30 years and 40 years of age while the remaining 14% are above 40 years. 43 4.2 Sex of Respondents Frequency Percent MALE 21 42.0 FEMALE 29 58.0 Total 50 100.0 Table 2: Sex of Respondents Almost three-fifth of the respondents are female while the remaining 42% of them are male. 4.3 Educational Level of Respond~nts Frequency Percent DIPLOMA 4 8.0 lIND 11 22.0 FIRST DEGREE 20 40.0 MASTER'S DEGREE 15 30.0 Total 50 100.0 Table 3: Education of Respondents From table 3, majority (40%) of the ~ampled employees hold first degree or bachelor's degree, followed by master's degree (30%). 30% of the respondents hold Diploma (8%) and HND certificates (22%). 44 4.4 Departments of Respondents The respondents came from the Directorates, Departments and Units within the headquarters as well as the zonal offices in Kumasi and Takoradi of the Public Procurement Authority. . Respondents were sampled from all the Ten Directorates, Units and Departments at PPA. They are Finance Department, Audit Unit, Public Affairs, Procurement Unit, 1\11S Directorate, Benchmarking, Monitoring and Evaluation, Policy and Strategy Directorate, Legal Directorate, CEO's Secretariat and Human Resource and Administration Department. 4.5 Communication Channels 'used at PPA Responses Percent of Channels N Percent Cases CHANNELS TEXT 17 15.2% 34.0% USED MESSAGING MEMO 36 32.1% 72.0% INTRANET 26 23.2% 52.0% E-MAIL 20 17.9% 40.0% SOCIAL lVlEDIA 8 7.1% 16.0% OTHER S. ·4.5% 10.0% Total 112 100.0% 224.0% Table 4: Channels ojCon1munication used at PPA 45 Fig 1: Communication Channels Employed at PPA OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA 5% From table 4 and figure 1, memo is the most popular form or channel of communication with almost one-third of the respondents selecting it. 23%, 18% and 15% of the respondents choose intranet, e-mail and text messaging respectively. Social media was made up ofless than 10% of the respondents while other channels such as notice board and interpersonal communication were picked by 5% of the respondents. 46 4.6 Most Frequently used Communication Channel Responses Percent of Channels N Percent Cases MOST FREQUENTLY TEXT 4 7.0% 8.2% USED CHANNEL MESSAGING MEMO 40 70.2% 81.6% INTRANET 9 15.8% 18.4% E-MAIL 3 5.3% 6.1% OTHER I 1.8% 2.0% Total 57 100.0% 116.3% Table 5: Frequently Used Channel a/Communication at PPA Fig 2: Frequently used communication channel OTH MESSAGING 47 An overwhelming majority (70%) o{the respoi1dent~ .:said~emo is the most popular communication channel while iritranet is the second most frequently-used channel, with a little above 15% of the respondents. The rest of the respondents chose text messaging (7%), e-mail (5%) and other form of communication channels (2%) as the most frequently used communication channels. 4.7 Preferred Communication Channel Responses Percent of .N Percen.t Cases '. : PREFERRED TEXT 14 17.5% 28.0% COrv.tMUNICATION lVtESSAGING CHANNEL l\1EMO 21 26.2% 42.0% INTRANET 16 20.0% 32.0% E-MAIL 20 25.0% 40.0% SOCIAL l\1EDIA 9 11.2% 18.0% Total 80 100.0% 160.0% Table 6: Preferred Communication Channel of Respondents 48 ------_._----------, fig 3: Respondents' Preferred Communication Channel From the graph and the table above, memo was picked by 26% of the respondents chose memo. E-mai l fo llowed closely with approximately a quarter of the respondents. Intranet is the thi rd most preferred communication channel with one-fifth of the respondents choosing. Text messaging and social media were also among the least preferred communication channel. 4.8 Form of Communication Form Frequency Percent WRITTEN COMMUN ICA TION (MEMO, LETTER, 24 48 CIRCULAR) INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICA nON (FACE TO FACE) 5 10 GROUP COMMUNICATION (STAFF DURBARS, 7 14 DEPARTMENTAL MEETING) ELECTRONIC COMMUNICA nON (E-MAIL, SOCIAL 14 28 MEDIA, SMS, INTRANET) Total 50 100 49 Table 7: The forn1 of communica.tion that is mostly practiced at P PA Almost half of the respondents noted that the written form of communication, which is made up ~f memo, letters and circulars, are the most common form of communication at the organization. Almost 30% of the respondents chose the electronic means of communication while group communication such as durbars and departmental meetings is mostly used whereas interpersonal communication was seen as the least used fonn of communication. 4.9 Frequency of Information Flow Days Frequency Percent DAILY 24 48.0 TWICE A WEEK 8 16.0 WEEKLY 8 16.0 MONTHLY 1 2.0 OCCASIONALLY 9 18.0 Total 50 100.0 Table 7: Frequency at which Information was delivered Nearly half of the respondents (48%) ofthe .. responderitssaidtheyreceive information from the organization everyday. 16% of the ~espondents also said they get information twice a week while another 16% of the respondents also mentioned that they get their information weekly. Only 2% of the respondents said infonnation is flowed once a month while nearly one-fifth of the respondents indicated that they get information from PPA occasionally. so 4.9 Respondents' Satisfaction with the frequency ofInformation Flow Frequency Percent YES 21 42.0 NO II 22.0 CAN BE BElTER 18 36.0 Total 50 100.0 Table 8: Respondents' Satisfaction with thejlow olin/ormation at PPA ARE YOU SATISIFIED WITH THE FREQUENCY OF INFORMATION FLOW? 25- 20- "" ~ 15 II ~ 0- Il .. IL 10- 5- o~---L-----r----~--~ ____ .-____ L-__ L-__ -, ____ ~ __ ~ YES NO CAN BE BETTER ARE YOU SATISIFIED WITH THE FREQUENCY OF INFORMATION FLOW? Fig 4: Respondents ' Sati~faction with the Frequency o/Information Flow 51 Table 8 and figure 4 show that ll10re than ~o o~t of-five ~~spondents expressed that they are . . satisfied with the frequency at which information· flowsiri··tbe organi~ation. However, nearly three out fiverespond~nts were either unsatisfied (22%) or believes the situation can better or there is more room for improvement (36%). 4.10 Kind of Information Churned out by the PR Unit Responses Percent of N. Percent Cases IKINDOF ST AFF PROMO~ION .. ~7 ··29.4% 74.0% INFORMATION RESIGNATION 16 12.7% 32.0% SANCTION ON 15 11.9% 30.0% EMPLOYEES STAFF ANNUAL 19 15.1% 38.0% LEAVE NEW 20 15.9% 40.0% RECRUITMENTS ST AFF MEMBER'S DEATH, FUNERAL, 13 10.3% 26.0% WEDDING OTHER 6 4.8% 12.0% Total 126 100.0% 252.0% Table 9: The K1nd of 1nformation Clrculated at PP A 52 Fig 5: The kind of info rmation tha t is circulated to Em ployees 37 15 19 20 13 6 "" "" ",,,,,,,c.; .:.'" "c.; ~ ... 1<-<1:- ",0 "? ",'<- ~",,,, ~ ,,-<' ~o ",'<- ",0 ,," ,Q'<.; ° r<-0 ~0 ,f ,::,'" ,::,~ ~ x'l. <1:-'<; ",,'<; ""-<' GO:: fO'<; .;s ,,"0 x'" <1:-'<; I<-~ ,;- 6,0 .;s I<-~ ,,'< ~ ,;- ~ ';l--<' ,;-'" c.; From table 9 and figu re 5, information concerning staff promotion and recognition is the most wide ly ci rculated, with a li tt le below 30% of the respondents choosing it. Nearly 16% of the respondents identified information on new recru itments and new employees as one of the issues that is circulated by the organization to its employees. Staff annual leave was also chosen by 15% of the respondents while in formation on employee res ignation was a little above 10% (12.7%). News of the death, funeral, wedd ing and nam ing ceremonies of staff member andlor their family members made up 10.3% of the responses. Other issues, main ly dec isions by management, were chosen by only less than 5% ofthe respondents. 53 4.11 Respondents' Knowledge about the ~epartment Tha~ Handles Communication at PPA Frequency Percent HR/ ADMINISTRATION 4 8.0 lY1IS UNIT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS 3 6.0 PUBLIC AFFAIRS 33 66.0 PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND 10 20.0 HR/ ADlVIINISTRA TION Total 50 100.0 Table 10: Respondents' Knowledge about l~ho i~ in charg~.of communication Two-third of the respondents chose the Public Affairs Department as the Department that handles communication, both internally and externally. One out of five respondents believes communicati9n is handled by both the Public Affairs Department and the Human Resource and Administration Unit of PPA. Below 10% (8%) indicated that only the Human Resource and Administration Directorate is in charge of communication and its related activities, while 6% revealed that the Management Information System Unit and The Public Affairs Department combine to play the communication functions of the organization. 54 4.12 Respondents' Impression about the roles and Functions of the PR Department ... ... Frequency Percent CREATING AND MAINTAINING ORGANIZATIONAL 9 18.0 WAGE EMPLOYEE RELATIONS 2 4.0 PROTOCOL AND EVENT MANAGEl\1ENT 7 14.0 EXTERNAL RELATIONS 10 20.0 ~RNALCO~CATION 9 18.0 I- lVIEDIA RELATIONS 8 16.0 "- OTHER 5 10.0 Total 50 100.0 Table 11: Impression of Respondents on the role of the P R department at P PA One-fifth of the respondents said that they know the Public Affairs Department at PPA to be playing the role of serving as the link between the organization and the general public. This role is known as external relations. Nearly one-fifth (18%) also indicated that they know the Public Affairs Dep~ent to be playing the function of ensuring there is effective internal communication in the organization, whereas 16% of the respondents believe that the PR Department serve as the interface between the organization and the media. Additionally, nearly 20% of the respondents noted that the Public Mfairs Department plays the function of creating and maintaining the image of the .public procUr~merit. authority. 14% also indicated that they know the PR department to be playing protocol and event management functions. 10% of the respondents said the PR Department plays other functions. 55 4.13 Respondents' Satisfaction with the Performance of the PR functions by the Public Affairs Department Frequency Percent VERY SATISFIED 13 26.0 SATISFIED 25 50.0 NOT SATISFIED 12 24.0 Total 50 100.0 Table 12: Level of Employee Satisfaction with the Peiformance of PR Functions This question sought to establish the degree o,f emplo,yee satisfaction with the performance of the Public Mfairs Department in terms of delivering its rt:Iandate~From table 12, half of the respondents (50%) said they are satisfied with the roles and functions being undertaken by the public affairs department ofPPA while more than a quarter (26%) of the respondents said they are very satisfied with the performance of the Public Affairs Department. A little below a quarter (24%) of the respondents said they were not satisfied with performance of the Public Affairs Department., 56 II 4,14 COl'pol'ate Communication Functions by the Public Affairs Responses Percent of 7@,t1} (~( POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND BUILDING COMPANY CULTURE \lit "- "'~ "'\\, \ "'\l~'!Ii1 'i> "'~ee ~Cff' 1..)0 So l Sj o.C \·· N Percent Cases 17 40, tL ught '" \ 0,,", " . \ "~1 rv.. ' ....... ~\~,,\ , ,<>, "''''''~'. '' ~ I' d ' ! ' N \':' ~~\: ., '-'\..)\\.-:;.\.., ~ • Tt:.U' <-' (: Uf , ,,: ... :'\t P\.~~:a.\ :\.'<:!, ~"::::''ih'~~ ~~ J..... / - lIl t c.: t U Jii --.: 'fS n~ ~'"'\"'\\:"")\;:~""'.J ~ ... . ' " r - tJ'a.rtmcnt . " - ~ ~a'\:" ~at:t_\ on ... . eSPOnd 1n t e rms o'f d e H ve ' . i N n W th e: nc rt-o rrn~ric:e: o t- ents (5 nng I S n l ' l n d ' t , . . 0 0/ ) " • a e F rO l 11 1:::l b l c 1 2 ii -" i ,- '.- L\ / 0 said th . " , . ~ 0 '" c Pub)' ey a le sati s f, ed w Ith th e ro l e s ru ,d ruil cti"ns bdn g n hdcrm k c n by dw Ie affairs depart 0 " I . » ti den rs said tI; ~y men! of PP A whil e mo re than a q uart" ,. (26 Vo) o r I 10 I es,. 0 ~v I ery Satisfi d ' " t A little be OW a Ie With the perfo rmance of the PubliC AffaIrs Departmen ' qUarter (24o/r) , ' .' e of the public o of the respondents said they were not sati sfied WI th p e l fOl l11 onc A.ffai rs D epartment. 4.14 Corporate Communication·Functio~s by.'thePtiblic Affairs. 00 '. Responses Percent of N Percent Cases PR POLICY FUNCTIONS DEVELOPlVIENT AND BUILDING 20 17.4% 40.0% COlVIPANY CULTURE ElVIPLOYEE 21 18.3% 42.0% RELATIONS INTERNAL 19 16.5% 38.0% COMl\illNICA TION CREATING AND MAJNT AINING 22 19.1% 44.0% ORGANIZATIONAL I1MAGE COUNSELLING 8 7.0% 16.0% I\1EDIA RELATIONS 18 15.7% 36.0% CUSTOI\1ER 7 6.1% 14.0% RELATIONS Total 115 100.0% 230.0% 57 Table 13: Corporate Communication Functions Peiformed by the Public Affairs Department Almost two out of five (19.1%) respondentschose-creation -and maintenance of corporate image as the major function that the Public Affairs Department performs in the organization. A little more than one-third of the respondents said the department plays employee relations (18.3%) and internal communication (16.5%) roles as part of their corporate communication functions. Policy development and building culture was also identified by 17.4% of the respondents as one' of the functions played by the public affairs department. Also, media relations and customer relations functions were identified by more than 20% of the respondents. - 4.15 Employees' Involvement in Decision Making Frequency Percent YES 24 48.0 NO 13 26.0 DONTKNOW 13 26.0 Total 50 100.0 .. Table 14: Involvement of Employees In Declslon Making 58 fig 6: Illvolvemellt of Employees ill Decisioll Making Almost half of the respondents said their inputs are sought when decisions are being taken in the organization while more than a quarter said their opinions are not considered. However, same percentage of respondents that said they were not engaged during decision making also expressed that they do not know whether employees are contacted or not. 4.16 Employees' Satisfaction with the Flow ofinformation Frequency Percent YES 30 60.0 NO 20 40.0 Total 50 100.0 Table J 5: Employees ' level of satisfaction with the flow of information While 60% of the respondents are comfortable with the flow of information in the organization, 40% said they are not. 59 4.17 Explanation for Employees' Satisfaction with Information Flow FJ;~quency Percent . - -- CAN DO BETTER IN TERMS OF INFORMATION -- -4 8.0 DELIVERY FREQUENT AND PROJv.1PT DELIVERY OF 15 30.0 INFORMATION FREQUENT ElVlPLOYEE INTERACTION 3 6.0 INFORMATION IS SCANTY 5 10.0 OTHER 11 22.0 POOR, UNT1J.V1EL Y DELIVERY OF 12 24.0 INFORMATION Total 50 100.0 -- Table J 6: Explanation for Employees' Satisfaction with thejlow of information 30% of the employees explained that information is delivered on time to the respondents while a little below a quarter of the respondents (24%) said information delivery is untimely and poor. 10% of the respondents indicated that information scanty while 8% of the respondents believe there is more room for improvement. 60 4.18. Suggestions for Improving Effective Internal Communication Frequency Percent .. '. EFFECTIVE COLLABORATION BETWEEN PR.UN1T··· 6 12.0 ANDHRUNIT FREQUENT FLOW OF INFORMATION 4 8.0 INTERNALLY FREQUENT INTERACTION WITH STAFF 5 10.0 INVOLVE EMPLOYEES IN DECISION MAKING 16 32.0 OTHER 11 22.0 USE APPROPRIATE C01Vt:MUNICATION CHANNELS 8 16.0 Total 50 100.0 Table 17: Explanationfor Employe~s' Satisfaction with theflow olinformation Almost one-third (32%) of the respondents suggested that should be involvement of employees in decision making as one of the main strategies of improving effective communication in the organization. 16% called for the use of appropriate communication channels while 18% suggested frequent interaction and flow of information as the main idea for improving communication. mo~e than 10% of the respondents called for effective collaboration between the Human Resource Department and the Public Affairs Department to improve communication. More than one-fifth (22%) of the respondents said other suggestions such as awards, promotion and recognition, provision of communication channels and constant monitoring of communication activities. 61 I 4.19. Age of Respondents versus their PrefelTed Communication Channel "AGE , ' " , , ABOVE 18-30 31-40 41-50 50 Total PREFERRED TEXT 10 4 0 0 COMMUNICATION MESSAGING CHANNEL MEMO 9 8 1 3 lNTRANET 6 7 2 1 E-MAIL 10 5 4 1 SOCIAL lV1EDIA 7 2 0 0 Total 26 ,17 3 4 , ' Table 18: Cross-tab of preferred communication channel versus the age of respondents Table 18 shows that majority of the respondents within the youthful ages (18-30 years) generally prefer electronic and new media channels of communication. For instance, all the nine respondents who prefer social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter are below 40 years. On the other hand, only nine respondents out of the 26 respondents aged between 18 and 30 years prefer memos, as against 75% of the respondents above 50 years who chose memos. Similarly, all the respondents who preferred text messages are 40 years old and below. 62 14 21 16 20 9 50 i. 4.20 Education of Respondents versus Knowledge about the Depa11ment that Handles Communication . EDUCATIONAL LEVEL FIRST MASTER'S DIPLOMA HND DEGREE DEGREE Total DEP ARtlv.JENT HRI ADl\1INIST 2 2 0 0 4 ~SPONSmLE RATION FOR l\1ISIPUBLIC COrv.tMUNICAT AFF AlRS 1 2 0 0 ~ON PUBLIC 0 7 16 10 33 AFFAlRS PUBLIC AFFAlRSAND 1 0 4 5 10 HRlADMINIST RATION Total 4 11 20 15 50 Table 19: Cross-tab of education of respondents and the department which ;s responsible for communication Table 19 shows that the highly educated respondents (first degree and master's degree holders) are aware that communication in their o~gai1ization is handled by only the Public Affairs Department while the less educated ones (Diploma and HND) relatively think the role is shared by Public Affairs Department together with the Human Resource and Administration Directorate and the MIS Directorate. 63 3 4.21 Stakeholders Most Effective Channel for Receiving Information • Seriesl '6,1> r:-" " ,,, ",..'" " ,," ~<:- ,:;.'" ~, " ,,<6 i-"o ~'" ;P "$>'" ~<5' ~ '1;-'" '¢.::i !}'" ~",,,, .::i" ~ ~" ~l' is'?c ".::i '?'''' ",,'" ,0' "$>" (,'Ii The media appears to be the most effective means through which respondents agreed that stakeholders received information on activities ofPPA representing 56%. The proliferation of the media however means that the Authority will have to determine the appropriate media through which it can effectively disseminate information to its stakeholders. Annual reports, meetings, newsletters, website etc. were mentioned as some of the channel for receiving information. 64 4.22 Stakeholders Preferred Source oflnformation on PPA's Activities by Stakeholders 50% - 45% - 40% -r 35% 30% 25% - 20% 15% 10% -- -- --- -------- - ---------. --- ---- • Seriesl Interesting, respondents (50) indicated that stakeholder's preference for the media as the channel through which they would want to receive information from the Authority. PPA 's website, as well as annual reports and meetings were also mentioned by stakeholders as their most preferred sources of information about PPA 's activities. 4.23 How does the PR Department react tol deal with complaints relating to public procurement with their stakeholders? The Public Affairs Department was seen as reactive instead of being proactive in educating and responding to complaints rai sed by the Authority's varied stakeholders. These findings comes at the backdrop when the Authority has channels of resolving issues. Some of the 65 ! ! existing channels includes a toll free-line dedicated to receiving complaints and addressing issues bordering on public procurement. There is also an interactive website where stakeholders l' can lodge their complaints andhaveth~y,resp~ndedt() with~ th'e shortest p.o~sible time. Other channels used by the Public Affairs