Comunicación Y Participación Ciudadana Para El Desarrollo Social

Abstract

This case focuses on identifying the main obstacles faced by a public institution in Mexico to communicate its messages in a transparent manner and increase citizen participation in governmental decision-making processes, in order to develop activities or projects that help reduce social gaps. Our objective is to study this problem from the perspective of social and public marketing and social responsibility.

Therefore, we focus on analyzing the institutional communication mechanism "I also have an opinion" of the Municipal Institute of Research and Planning (IMIP) of the city of Ensenada, Baja California in Mexico, which is a public paramunicipal institution in charge of the elaboration of plans and programs for the integral development of the municipality. However, in the organization, the lack of citizen participation is perceived, together with the institutional needs of being a more visible entity among the population and the challenge of involving the community they lead in the planning processes for social development.

To evaluate this mechanism, a focus group was conducted with the citizens who were in contact with it. Among the main findings was a positive attitude towards the project and the need to reinforce the information offered to increase trust in this type of Mexican governmental organizations.