ABSTRACT
The complexity of changes in the competitive world today, has accentuated the need for promotional strategies that would give organizations an edge over others. This study was therefore embraced upon with the view of exposing the gains of good public relations practices in organizations and what they stand to benefit from a good corporate image.
In carrying out the study, the survey research method was adopted. A total of Two hundred and ninety-five questionnaires were returned. The sample, randomly drawn from academics, non-academics and students was used for this study. The data gathered were presented in tables with percentages of each category calculated. Furthermore, the formulated hypotheses were subjected to empirical test, applying the chi-square(X2) statistical technique. It was discoveredthat public relations and corporate image contribute immensely to the actualization of organizational goals. Also, it was found out that propaganda is not a good option to be adopted by any organization that wants to achieve a good corporate image. Public relations still remains the best option.
Findings from the study show that the mass media is effective in information dissemination and mobilization for public relations and corporate image policies of organizations in Nigeria.
It has been suggested that organizations should engage the services of public relations experts who will ensure that the two-way symmetric model of communication is upheld.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page i
Declaration ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgement v
Table of
Contents vi
List of
Tables vii
Abstract viii
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem 3
1.3 Objectives of the Study 4
1.4 Research Questions 5
1.5 Research Hypotheses 5
1.6 Significance of the Study 6
1.7 Scope of the Study 7
1.8 Limitations of the Study 7
1.9 Definition of Terms 8
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 An Overview of Public Relations 9
2.2 The Public's of Public Relations 10
2.3 Functions of Public Relations 12
2.4 Public Relations and Marketing
Concept 13
2.5 Powers of Public Relations in Building
Corporate Image 14
2.6 Public Relations and Other Media 15
2.7 Public Relations and Propaganda 16
2.8 Theoretical Framework 16
2.9 Empirical Framework 17
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research Design 20
3.2 Area of the Study 20
3.3 Population of the Study 20
3.4 Sources of Data 20
3.5 Sampling Technique 21
3.6 Determination of Sample Size 21
3.7 Method of Data Analysis and
Presentation 22
3.8 Validity of the Instrument 22
3.9 Reliability of the Instrument 22
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
4.1 Questionnaire Distribution and
Retrieved 23
4.2 Data Presentation 24
4.3 Psychographic Data Presentation 25
4.4 Test of Hypotheses 33
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary of Findings 42
5.2 Conclusion 43
5.3 Recommendations 44
References 45
Appendix 46
Questionnaire 47
LIST OF TABLES
Table 4.1 Questionnaire distributed and retrieved
Table 4.2 Personal
/biographic data
Table 4.3.1 The
role of public relations and corporate image to institution
Table 4.3.2 If
yes, are they adopted/practiced by institution
Table 4.3.3 How
long has it been produced
Table 4.3.4 The objectives of
public relations practice in improving good corporate image of your institution
Table 4.3.5 Which
of the following practice does your institution embarks upon
Table 4.3.6 Does public
relations practices contributes to building a good corporate image
Table 4.3.7 Does public
relations strategies/practices and a good corporate image contributes to the
attainment of institutional goals
Table 4.3.8 Does public
relations strategies and a good corporate image affect your institution
Table 4.3.9 Is it possible
for public relations practice to polish a tarnished image
Table 4.3.10 Is propaganda a
better option to public relations for an institution that wants to achieve a
good corporate image in Nigeria
Table 4.3.11.People sees the mass media in Nigeria as propaganda
machinery for their respective owners. Do you agree?
Table 4.3.12 How effective is the mass media in Nigeria in
information dissemination and mobilization for public relations and corporate
image policies.
Table 4.3.13 Does institution with good public relations practices
as well as a good corporate image how greater respect than their counterparts
that do not make good use of them?
Table 4.3.14 Have institution in Nigeria been making use of public
relations practitioners in achieving their goals?
Table 4.3.15Public relations and good corporate image provoke
consolidation of institutional aims and objectives.
Table 4.4.1a To test the hypothesis one
Table 4.4.1b Chi-square Table one
Table 4.4.2a To test the hypothesis two
Table 4.4.2b Chi-square Table two
Table 4.4.3a To test the hypothesis three
Table 4.4.3b Chi-square Table three
Table 4.4.4a To test the hypothesis four
Table 4.4.4b Chi-square Table four
Table 4.4.5a To test the hypothesis five
Table 4.4.5b Chi-square Table five
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
An organization cannot exist like an island
or isolation. No company can exist in itself. A company’s public is its life-
the public patronizes the company; invests in the company; constitutes the
environment in which a business/company operates; and runs the company’s
business activities (employees). The public is the reason for a company’s
existence; hence the affairs of the public must be of utmost importance to the
management of the company and must not be handled carelessly. All companies
must make it a priority to value the needs of all publics, and to forge good
relationships with them.
Business activities have evolved from the
era of handling public affairs trivially, like the public doesn’t matter, to
treat the public like they are kings. Indeed a company’s public is its ‘king’.
This is a resultant effect that originates from the realization that every
stakeholder of a company has substitutes, other options/choices in the industry
to patronize or invest in and everyday they are bombarded with a multitude of
adverts of diverse products and services. “Managers recognize the link between
good public relations and the success of their organizations, they increasingly
rely on public relations specialists for advice on the strategy and policy of
their communications”. Also Johnston (2007) rightly says, “Today, corporate
credibility is an over-riding factor. Whether they like it or not, companies today
are at the mercy of public constituencies. That means there is growing
recognition of the need to foster a good reputation by developing positive
relationships with various publics”. Indeed, excellent public relations
practice gives an edge in competition and must be paramount in a company’s
management agenda.
Public relations have become an important
marketing tool in modern business management in contemporary times. It is important to management of
organizations, including Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike to
understand its potentials and limitations.
Kotler and Armstrong (2013) defined public
relations as ‘building good relations with the company’s various publics by
obtaining favourable publicity, building up a good corporate image, and
handling or heading off unfavourable rumors, stories and events’.
Chukwu (2000:3-4) stated that public
relation is a management philosophy aimed at doing everything possible to
create good relationship between an organization and its publics.
Nwokoye (1984:212) defined public relations
as the activities of cooperation, unions, governments or other organizations in
building and marketing sound and productive relations with special public at
large so as to adapt itself to its environment and interpret itself to the
society.
The Institute of Public Relation (IPR) of
London defined Public relation as “the deliberate, planned and sustained effort
to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an
organization and its public.
Public relation is the way organizations or
individuals communicate with the public and media so as to build a good company
image which is strongly needed for an organization to remain in business and
make profit. With the increase in the
activities of an organization, the need for an adequate communication between
the organization and those who in one way or the other affected by these activities
of the organization become essential. An
organization while wanting to remain viable, need to have good relations with
its employees, customers/consumers of its products and services, future
investors, stock-holders and in fact the public at large.
Stressing the position of public relation in
the country, Olakunori (1999:194) noted that most officials occupying the
public relations of various organizations in the country today are not
professionals they generally have a fair knowledge of what they are supposed to
do.
In view of this, this study is focused on
the role of public relations in improving the image of Michael Okpara
University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU).
1.2 Statement of the Problem
It is the duty of the public relations
practitioners to make their institutions known to the public by informing the
public about the objectives of the institution, the programmes offered in the
institution, its location and the success story of the institution. Also, a
good relationship between an institution and its alumni is a very important
thing.
A good corporate image is usually regarded
as to be essential for the existence of an organization. The success and failure of any corporate body
depends on its relationship with its public; consumers, employees, stake
holders, governments, community, distributors, suppliers and others.
A favourable corporate image creates
confidence in an organization. Occasional troubles in tertiary institutions
have become the order of the day, but MOUAU has always remained in session
despites the occasional occurrence of this ugly indicants. The questions that called for answers are as
follows:- Why has the problems been on the increase in our higher institution? Why has MOUAU been able to maintain peace
despite the facts that there are some policies that do not go down well with
the staff, lecturers and the students of the institution? Why has MOUAU not witnessed the major
breakdown of law and order despite the pressure in school fees payment?
To what extent has public relations
contributed in maintenance of peace and harmony in MOUAU, these and many more
are the task of this research work.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The general objective of this study is to
provide access to a broad spectrum of particular knowledge relating to public
relations and the corporate image. Specifically, however, this research is
directed at achieving the following objectives are to:
i)
appraise the effectiveness of public relations and corporate
image in establishing and sustaining stakeholder’s loyalty in the institutions.
ii)
identify and appraise various public relations
practices/activities embarked upon by organizations to achieve a good corporate
image.
iii)
analyze the objectives of these public relations practices or
activities and its importance
iv)
identify the various public relations programmes and/or
strategies crucial to achieving a good corporate image.
v)
identify public relations strategies that are crucial to
achieving goals and objectives.
1.4 Research Questions
1) How can one appraise the
effectiveness of public relations and the corporate image in establishing and
sustaining stakeholder’s loyalty in the institutions?
2) How can one identify and
appraise various public relations practices/activities embark upon by
organizations to achieve a good corporate image?
3) How does one analyze the
objectives of these public relations practices/activities and its importance?
4) How can one identify the
various public relations programme and/or strategies crucial to achieving a
good corporate image?
5) What are the public
relations strategies that are crucial to achieving corporate goals and
objectives?
1.5 Research Hypotheses
H0: Corporate
public relations strategies (advertorials, news, articles, features, etc.) are
not significantly effective in building a good corporate image.
H1: Corporate
public relations strategies (advertorials, news, article, features, etc) are
significantly effective in building a good corporate image.
H0: Good public
relations strategies practices and a good corporate image do not contribute to
attainment/ accomplishment of organization goals.
H2: Good public
relations strategies/ practices and a good corporate image contribute to
attainment/accomplishment of organization goals.
Ho: Public
relations strategies (advertorials, news, articles, features,
posters/photographs) and a good corporate image do not contribute to the
establishment and sustenance of stakeholder’s loyalty to organizations.
H3: Public
relations strategies (advertorials, news, articles features,
posters/photographs) and a good corporate image contribute to the establishment
and sustenance of stakeholder’s loyalty to institutions.
H0: Propaganda is not significantly more
effective strategy than public relations in achieving a good corporate image in
Nigeria.
H4: Propaganda is
a significantly more effective strategy than public relations in achieving a
good corporate image in Nigeria.
H0: The mass media
are not effective in Nigeria in information dissemination and mobilization for
public relations and corporate image policies of institutions.
H5: The mass
media are effective in Nigeria in information dissemination and mobilization
for public relations and corporate image policies of organizations.
1.6 Significance of the Study
This study having been completed will be of
immense benefits to students, lecturers and the staff of management of MOUAU.
This will help to minimize conflicts in the
institution.
The study also gives an insight into the
problems and practice of public relation in institute of higher learning. The study by its objectives will not only
assess the effectiveness of classified public relation, but all its application
and uses generally. Therefore, when
successfully carried out and documented, this study will serve as a source of
relevant information to many institutions and organization on ways of using
public relations.
Finally, public relation practitioners have
been deprived of excellent performance in their operation because of scanty and
insufficient data and inadequate literatures availability in this area. This study when successfully completed and
adequately supervised will be an addition to essential literature needed in
public relation – a vital area of marketing communication.
1.7 Scope of the Study
This study focuses on public relations role
in improving the image of tertiary institution in Umuahia metropolis, however
in view of limited time and other emphasis was placed on Michael Okpara
University of Agriculture, Umudike.
It will be noted that only the academic and
non-academic staffs and college of management sciences students that is large
and representative enough to cover all the colleges in MOUAU.
1.8 Limitations of the Study
In the course of writing up this research
work, some inadequacies were encountered.
The level of ignorance and lack of interest
in collecting of primary data from the management and as well students affected
this research.
Also another setback is, in the area of combining
lectures and writing the project instead of limiting my study. But it did not
serve as a means or excuse for quality of this work.
1.9 Definition of Terms
·
Publics: Is the group of people that influence the
business activities of a company or people who have real or potential interest
in the company.
·
Relations: The way in which two or
more people or things are connected.
·
Image: The general impression
that a person, organization, or products or service presents to the public.
·
Opinion and Attitude: Belief or judgment about
something not necessarily based on fact or knowledge. While attitude is the
tendency to respond positively or negatively towards a certain idea, object,
person, or situation.
· Marketing: This is the managerial process responsible for identifying
the needs and or wants of consumers and satisfying them at a profit.
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