Academic CentreUSE OF SOCIO-ECOLOGICAL MODEL TO COMMUNICATE CHANGES IN BEHAVIOR
Vita Savicka, Zane Gorškova
Change of behavior is a very complex process that includes necessity to approach it at several levels in the social ecological system – individual, interpersonal, community, organization and policy. Purpose of the research and the article is to show how the C4D (communication for development) approach is implemented within the social ecological model to achieve changes in social behavior of target audience. To develop the guidelines a case was selected – necessity to change entrepreneurs’ behavior – reporting on the infringements of agreements within cartels.
Cartels, most frequently known as prohibited horizontal agreements between market participants regarding fixing of prices, the allocation of markets and the participation in public procurements are the most serious violations of the competition law.
The theoretical part outlines the findings of strategic communication (Hallahan, Grunig, Schiavio), social ecological theory (Bronfenbrenner), social marketing (Kotler, Zaltman, Andreasen) and the theory of interpersonal behavior (Triandis) to understand factors that influence behavior of individuals.
In this research secondary data analysis and in-depth interviews with entrepreneurs have been used. Gathered data have been analyzed with the qualitative content method.
The results show that various obstacles at the individual, interpersonal, organizational and environmental level need to be removed before entrepreneurs change their behavior and report on infringements.
In the Master thesis dealing with removal of identified obstacles, communication guidelines based on behavior change theories and research of audience have been made for the Competition Council of Latvia. Guidelines include definition of problems at individual, interpersonal, community, organizational, policy and environmental level, achievable goals, tasks, expected results, methods and conclusions.
Keywords: social ecology, behavior change, communication for development, models of behavior, entrepreneurs, Competition Council of Latvia, strategic communication.