CHAPTER
ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
OF THE STUDY
Peace is
the hallmark of every developed society and without peace their won’t be any
development or growth in that sector and that is why every organization give
priority peace building so as to move forward.
And one
of the common way to ensure peace in an institution is to engage the service of
public relations to build good relations between and among the public,
particularly higher institution.
Whether
an organization is a profit making or non, whether it is owned by government or
a group of individual, it need the services of public relations for such
organization to dwell and eventually succeed
in achieving it set goals. No wonder an individual personality are now engaging
the service of public relations to help build, maintain and polish their image
and reputation in the public sphere. Some of the individuals and politicians,
business tycoon Footballers, Wrestlers, Boxers, Musicians, Actors and Actress
e.t.c
Public
relations unlike advertisement and other Marking Mix, Place all it efforts in
building good image, name and public confidence in the mind of the various
publics dealing with the organization public relations did not only see to good
image for the products and services of the organization it serve but also ensure
good image of the workers and management of the organization
For the
above reasons, to define public relations become subject of individual
perception of what public relations is and what it does, however many scholars
have contributed to the success of defining what public relations is some
scholars believed and wrote on it as act (deed) representing a group or
organization.
Public
relations is deliberate planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain
mutual understanding between an organization and its public British Institute
of Public Relations (BPR).
According
to Roger Hayward as quoted by Adegoke (200:1) says that public relations is the
propagation of the personality of the organization. This states the importance
of communication between the organization and its public Roger Hayward’s
definition has something to do with the (IBPR) definition because both state
the duty of public relations officers in promoting projecting and representing
the organization and at the sometime relating with the public of the
organization both the internal and external public.
Public
relation also project the management personality of which the public relation
department represents, through their activities with the use of their
perspective tools (i.e print and electronic media).
The aim
is to create Favourable atmosphere between an organization and its publics. Sam
blank (1962:62) asserts that public relations involve any thing that is
focused, improving and enhancing the flow of communication between institution
and its publics.
The main
words that can be drawn out from Sam Black definition in the crucial
role-played by any public relation department through the means of using mass
media
However,
in this research work, impartial assessment will be done on the role of public
relations in higher institution as the main crucial and prominent tool in day
running of academic affairs especially in building peaceful environment for
learning.
Efforts
shall be extended to all media mostly employed by the public relations
department which could fall under print and electronic media to carry out their
activities such as Billboards, Calendar, Notebooks, Release, Bulleting Board,
Opining Box or Suggestion Box, Magazine, Pamphlets, Radio, Television even the
Recent Internet e.t.c.
The
Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) defines public relations as:
“a distinctive
management function which helps to establish
and main mutual lines of communication, understanding, acceptance and operation
between an organization and its public”
The
international public relations association of mexico in north America defines
public relations as
“the art and social science of analyzing trends, predicting their
consequences, counseling organisations’ leaders and implementing planned
programmes of action which serve both the organisation’s public interest.”
It is
obvious that the work of Public relations is needed in almost in every society,
organisation, both the profit and non-profit organisation, to include higher
institution of learning (universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and
other colleges). In fact, individual in the society also need the service of
public relations especially those individuals that are profession or expert
such as musician, athletes, politician e.t.c .
Therefore,
public relations assist the institution in so many ways and some of the ways is
by writing and distributing press realizes, school newspaper, journal and many
more.
PR
promotes and projects the image and dignity of the institution to the world.
Public relations principles successfully add the following skills:
•
Ability to effective
writing, fluent speaking and effective reading.
•
Ability to think clearly
and put issues in perspectives.
•
Ability to act and work as
part of management team at all level.
•
Ability to write speeches
for the top institution management such as chief executives
•
Ability to provide needed
information to the institution and those outsiders.
•
Creativity ability to
design any art work for the institution’s logo, Letterheads e.t.c
•
Ability to plan events
such as convocation, seminar, conference, exhibition, and many.
· Ability to
write and protect the institution during crisis or catastrophes such as if a
cult groups are striking and in the process a body or more death, examination
malpractices e.t.c
Because
PRs is a backbone for every organisation that is ready and willing to survive.
To this end the research seek to examine the impact
of public relations in enhancing harmony in higher institutions using (Osun State Polytechnic, Iree)
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
This
research has observed that in so many organizations, management neither
recognizes nor appreciate public relations efforts in Nigeria. The management
does not realize the potential of public relations activities in building and
enhancing a good image for the success of the organization. It has been
observed that the management’s attitude is lukewarm and non-challant toward
public relations department and their activities.
Besides,
they don’t want to spend money on its activities such as organizing seminars,
workshops, symposium e. t. c because of the erroneous and selfish belief that
public relations efforts bring little benefits to the organization. Therefore,
this study will look at the role of public relations in higher institution of
learning , using Osun State Polytechnic, Iree as a case study.
1.3
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
·
To examine whether is
public relations recognize as management function of the Ospoly
·
To know if public
relations assist in preventing crisis in Osun state Polytechnic, Iree.
·
To examine whether public relations help in
building and maintaining a mutual understanding between the management and the
students of Osun state Polytechnic, Iree.
·
To know some of the
problems facing public relations in higher institution.
1.4
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
·
To what extent is Public
Relations recognize as management function of the Ospoly
·
To what extent can public
relations assist in preventing crisis in Osun state Polytechnic, Iree?
·
To what extent can pr help
in building and maintaining a mutual understanding between the management and
the students of Osun state Polytechnic, Iree?
·
What are the problems
facing public relations?
1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
With the
selection of Osun State Polytechnic, Iree as a case study, this project work
has been limited because visiting all higher institutions of learning in
Nigeria cannot be possible. However, the demography of the staff, students and
management of Osun State Polytechnic, Iree such as age, sex, working
experience, academic qualification will be considered before the distribution
of questionnaires.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
Work like
this will benefit a lot of people. Few among the beneficiaries include but not
limited to undergraduates. And graduates of mass communication and public
relations.
It will
as well benefit the public relations practitioners on what is expected of them
in higher institutions. It will serve as eyes opener to the management of
higher institution of learning on the need to have a functioning public
relations department or unit on their campus
In
addition, this research work tries to provide satisfactory answers to some
questions that are disturbing the mind of policy formulators, students and
researcher.
Researchers
will know how the public relations promote mutual understanding between the
organization and publics; Students in various institutions will benefit from
this project work by knowing the roles of public relations in the society.
Moreover,
policy formulators will benefit from this research work because they will be
able to identify the usefulness of public relations to them on policy
formulations and corporate management.
1.7 LIMITATIONS TO THE STUDY
There is
no gain saying in the fact that research work like this cannot be written
without some hindrances that include but not limited to this following:
•
Time is a hindrance as
there is just limited time to complete the research work.
•
There is also a financial
constraint in carrying out this research work.
•
There is little literature
available under the topic to consult.
1.8 DEFINITION OF THE TERMS
ROLE: This is synonymous to
functions, impact or contributions.
HIGHER INSTITUTIONS: It means all colleges
such as: polytechnics, universities, colleges of educations and host of other
post secondary schools.
PUBLIC RELATIONS: Public relations is a
deliberate, planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual
understanding between an organization and its publics. British Institute of
Public Relations (IBPR).
PUBLICS: In this research
publics means all the groups or organizations,
entity
that are one way or the other associated with an organization.
MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING: This is a terms in
public relations, is simply all about good rapport that brings symbiotic
relationship between an organization and its various publics.
