Corporate communication and change management: a case study of Kenya Revenue Authority

Abstract

This study set out to find the role corporate communication has played in making changes at the Kenya Revenue Authority known to stakeholders. The changes among other factors are credited with the increase in revenue collection that doubled in only five years. This was remarkable since there was no corresponding increase in the rates of taxation. The study focused on two populations from which samples were drawn; internal publics who are the authority's employees and external publics. The study found out that communication played a key role in making the changes known to the various publics. The study also found out that the most effective communication channels for external publics were phone calls, radio, television, newspaper and billboards. For the internal publics; supervisors, internal memos, staff meetings and letters were the most effective channels of communication. Another key finding of the study was that KRA is perceived better by its publics than it was five years ago. Majority of the employees feel that KRA had changed for the better with loopholes for corruption being sealed thanks to automation of processes. This also has made work to be done faster that it was before. However, quite a number of the external publics felt that the tax rates are too high making them to dislike paying taxes. In a nutshell, the study found out that creation of awareness about in KRA was the main role played by corporate communication. This made various publics to comply with the legal requirements as stipulated in the various acts governing the authority's activities .