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THE ROLES OF PUBLIC RELATIONS IN AN ORGANISATION

Abstract

The study basically examined the role of public relations in an organisation with a case study of Mobil Oil Nigeria. Therefore, public relations has remained a powerful tool in building and maintaining mutual understanding between the company its various public, It also help in building good image and satisfy the needed information by customers on behalf of a company. The role of public relations cannot be overlooked because a company with bad image cannot succeed in any competitive market and as a result of this, companies and individuals are engaging the service of public relations to help build, maintain and sustain their communication and reputation at all time. However, researcher adopted survey research method with the use of questionnaire to elicit data from the selected respondents.   

CHAPTER ONE

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 (2011) 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 (2012) 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.

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