The aim of this thesis was to explore the factors contributing to digital communication inefficiency in the South Sudan’s governmental institutions. The current technological deficiencies and inefficiencies facing the government institutions in South Sudan necessitate the needs to explore the gaps in the day today communications. To do this, eight experts in the field of media, digital and strategic communications from variety of government entities were interviewed in the South Sudan capital, Juba, using the qualitative research method coupled with descriptive approach. The findings of the study revealed that low levels of literacy, poor digital communication structures, as well as high level of ignorance were the main factors contributing to digital communication inefficiencies in South Sudan and particularly South Sudan’s governmental institutions. In addition, it was also found that ignorance among the South Sudanese government officials and line ministries to adopt to digitalization contributing to the under utilization of digital communication in the country was backed up by the level of hesitance among the officials to adapt to the use of digital related gadgets, for instance; emailing system. The ignorance was also attributed to the lack of mass sensitization and poor communication networks across the country. These include poor technological infrastructures like mobile telecommunications network, low capacity on the already available digital communication channels. The study calls for the National Communication Authority (NCA) to initiate and implement a bottom-up digital policy that transforms the capacity of all the government employees both senior government officials and the bureaucrats in the public institutions. This is the first study to investigate the issues of digital inefficiencies in South Sudan. Therefore, it contributes to debates and understanding of the current issues facing the public institutions in the realm of growing digital communication gaps in South Sudan and the region as a whole. Also, this is the first research in the field of communication to use the Global ICT enabled change theory, a theory which has never been used previously in this field and context; and this enhances public understanding on digital communications.

Keywords: Human Resources; Economic Development; HR roles; South Sudan