Use of Internal Corporate Communication (ICC) Strategies in the Enhancement of Performance Contracting in Kenya

Abstract

The paper analyzes the internal corporate communication (hereafter, ICC) strategies used in the implementation of performance contracts in one large public corporation in Kenya. ICC is an organizational function that involves managing all communications within institutions. ICC has core tenets that, if managed professionally, would promote amicable and successful institutionalization of corporate programs. However, there is increasing concern among Communications professionals and scholars agree that ICC continues to be generally done haphazardly in most organizations, resulting in varied levels of success in the implementation of important corporate policies and programs such as performance contracting. On the other hand, the literature reviewed so far reveals that currently, there is relatively little research that has examined the use of ICC in the implementation of performance contracts in public organizations. The paper is based on the findings of a study in Kenya. The study adopted a qualitative case study design and was conducted in the Western region of Kenya, involving all relevant officers of the organization and a total of 42 participants. Data was generated using interviews and document analysis, and was analyzed thematically. Some of the ICC strategies highlighted and discussed in the paper are: communicating corporate ownership of PCs, instituting consistency in communicating about PCs and using change as a strategy in communicating about PCs. The paper highlights the need to educate the internal publics of organizations on the meaning and significance of ICC in deciding the nature of strategies to be used in implementing performance contracts.