CHAPTER
ONE
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background to the Study
Many
authorities have contributed immensely to the success of defining public
relations. Some scholars believed and wrote on it as act (deed) representative
(representing) a group or organization.
Public relations is deliberate planned
and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding between an
organization and its publics. British Institute of Public
Relations (IBPR).
According
to Roger Hayward as quoted by Adegoke (2001:1)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 British Institute of Public Relations
(IBPR) definition because both state the duty of public relations officers in
promoting, projecting and representing the organization and at the same time
relating with the publics of the organization both the internal and external
public.
Public
relations project the management personality of which the public relations
department represents, through their activities with the use of their
perspective tools (i.e. Print and electronic media).
The
aim is to create favorable atmosphere between an organization and its publics.
Sam Black (1962: 62) asserts that public relations involve anything that is
focused, improving and enhancing the flow of communication between institution
and its publics.
Also,
in a competitive marketplace where businesses compete for customers, customer
satisfaction is seen as a key differentiator and increasingly has become a key
element of business strategy. "Within organizations, customer satisfaction
ratings can have powerful effects. They focus employees on the importance of
fulfilling customers’ expectations. Furthermore, when these ratings dip, they
warn of problems that can affect sales and profitability. These metrics
quantify an important dynamic. When a brand has loyal customers, it gains
positive word-of-mouth marketing, which is both free and highly effective.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
This
research has observed that in so many organizations, management neither
recognize nor appreciate public relations efforts in Nigeria.
The
management does not realize the public relations activities in building and
enhancing a good image for the standard of the organization.
It
has been observed that the management 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 this is because of the erroneous and selfish
belief that public relations efforts benefits to the organization.
Therefore,
this study will look at the role of public relations in an organisation as a
case study Mobil Oil.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
• To
examine whether public relations can help Mobil Oil in creating good image.
• To
know how effective has public relations been able to influence the behaviour and decision of management and
publics of Mobile Oil.
• To
study whether public relations has been able to create and enhance cordial relationship between the
management and publics.
• To
know whether management see public relations as a veritable tool of satisfying publics?
• To
know whether public relations enjoy free hand to operate in Mobil Oil.
• To
examine if Mobil Oil publics trust public relations information / message.
• To
know whether public relations can bridge the communication gap between management and its publics.
• To
examine any challenge facing public relations in an organization.
1.4 Research Questions
• To
what extent can public relations help Mobile Oil to create good image?
• How
effective has public relations able to influence the behaviour and decision of management and publics of
Mobile Oil?
• Has
public relations been able to create and enhance cordial relationship between the management and
publics?
• Does
management see public relations as a veritable tool of satisfying publics?
• Does
public relations enjoy free hand to operate in Mobil Oil?
• Do
Mobil Oil publics trust public relations information / message?
• Does
public relations bridge the communication gap between management and its publics?
• Is
there any challenge facing public relations in an organization?
1.5 Significance of the Study
At
the end of this study the following category of people will benefit from the
findings of this study.
Different
organizations will know the benefits of public relations through the result of
the findings and how they can use PR for their gain.
Future
researchers who will be researching into the area related to this topic will
find this work relevant.
Public
relations students and mass communication students will as well understand the
importance of their course of study to the industrial development.
1.6 Scope of the Study
This
study is limited only to the role of public relations in an organization. It is
also limited to the staff and management of Mobil Oil Nigeria due to the fact that the researcher
cannot study all Oil companies in Nigeria because of the limited time
available for this study, financial constraints and other logistics.
1.7 Limitation of the Study
Time:
The available time to carry out this research is relatively short, this
pose a lot of limitations to the work.
Finance: Inadequate finance to travel to Mobil
Oil and browsing for as many relevant materials as possible is another limitation
to the study.
Material: At present there are only few literature
materials available on this topic; this pose constraint to the work.
Despite the aforementioned limitations
this research will still be able to achieve the set objectives.
1.8 Definition of Terms
1. Publics: A group of persons with
similar aspiration and ideas, interest
and characteristics that is of importance to an organization.
2. Public Relations: Is the deliberate
planned and sustained effort to establish
and maintain mutual understandings between an organization
and its publics
3. Relations: The way in which two people
or group behaves towards each other or
deal with one another.
4. Organisation: A group of people who
form a business together in order to
achieve a particular aim or a group with a particular purpose.
