Why do numerous organisational initiatives and projects often fail despite having a seemingly well-designed internal communication plan? I believe the key factor is culture, which is often undervalued in both research and practice. Across Africa, organisations are adopting digital transformation, restructuring, policy reform, and innovative work methods.
Employee resistance is often a major obstacle to successful change. However, the issue is not always poor internal communication; rather, organisations often struggle to communicate in ways that align with their employees’ cultural contexts. This observation is the foundation of the ACCRA Framework for Internal Communication and Change Management, which I present in my forthcoming book, Communicating Change in Africa (Palgrave Macmillan).
The framework begins with a simple proposition: effective internal communication must start with culture. Employees do not interpret organisational messages in isolation. They interpret them through their beliefs, lived experiences, family responsibilities, respect for authority, religious values, and communal relationships.
These factors determine whether they trust leaders, accept change, or resist it. That is why internal communication cannot simply transmit information. It must help employees make sense of change within their own cultural context.
The ACCRA Framework invites leaders to ask different questions before launching any change initiative: What cultural values will shape how employees interpret this change? Who are the trusted voices within the organisation? Which organisational traditions should be acknowledged rather than ignored?
How can internal communication build trust before it asks employees to change? These questions move internal communication from information sharing to meaning-making. The ACCRA Framework: Awareness Creation, Community Legitimacy, Cultural Translation, Relational Reinforcement, Adoption Alignment (Tandoh, Communicating Change in Africa) THE ACCRA FRAMEWORK: Five Dimensions AAwareness CreationCultural literacy: understanding the values employees bring before crafting any message.CCommunity LegitimacyTrust-building through respected community voices and inclusive consultation.CCultural TranslationMeaning-making: expressing change in language and metaphor employees genuinely understand.RRela…
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