Communication Channels in Public Policy Development and Implementation: Online or Offline? (The Case of Separate Waste Collection in St. Petersburg)

Abstract

In recent decades, the development of information and communication technologies has led to expansion of the range of communication channels used by the society. Cheaper, faster and more user-oriented communication channels, such as the Internet and social networks, have proven effective in implementing strategies for promoting goods and services in the private sector. They also demonstrated their popularity in the interaction of public authorities with citizens. Government websites, public services portals, and platforms for electronic public participation now largely determine the nature, quality, and areas of interaction in the public sector. But are the electronic channels a panacea, and will they replace completely the offline channels? The issue of choosing the optimal communication strategy becomes especially relevant when solving complex multidimensional issues of development and implementation of a public policy in any area. At different stages of the communication strategy life cycle, the tasks of interaction are different. The success in their completion is determined, in particular, by selection of the correct communication channel. This article discusses the attributes of different communication channels (online and offline) and using the example of the separate waste collection policy in St. Petersburg (Russia) provides recommendations on the usage of the most effective communication channels for the policy development and implementation. A formal procedure of the conjoint analysis is used as a way to analyze citizens’ preferred attributes of communication channels. The results of a survey conducted among the residents of St. Petersburg allow to conclude that online channels are not always the most preferable and effective ways of such communication.