THE ROLE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS IN A CORPORATE ORGANISATION (A CASE STUDY OF NITEL PLC ENUGU)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Nigeria Telecommunication Plc Enugu in public liability company that carries out business in the telecommunication sector in Nigeria before now. It is the only telecommunication outfit that issues telephone lines to individuals and corporate organization in Nigeria. Nitel was created from the fomer post and telecommunications. It is the nation’s national carrier.

Nigeria Telecommunication Plc was in charge of issuing out line to other telecommunications operations both in fixed and wireless lines. Nitel Plc stood as a confess in the telecommunication sector in Nigeria because it gives the back bone for other operators in the country. The first Managing Director of Nitel Plc was Engr. Augustine Otiji who made Nitel Plc what it is today.

When the government of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo came into power in 1999, deregulation was confessed in some sectors of the economy. This was as a result of the feeling that most government companies and parastatals were operating below expectations and those expected to the making profit were not doing so.

Deregulation is all about private participation in business where government help surrey private individuals are allowed to invest in such capital intensive business like telecommunication downstream and upstream oil sector, part activities etc. Incidentally, the telecommunication sector was deregulated and other players like MTN, V Mobile, Glob COM, Ster comms etc. came into the business. The Nigeria communication commission was also established to oversee the activities and the operations of those private participants in the telecoms sector.

With this development, Nitel found itself in a foil. The need to advertise itself, to create goodwill and services among its internal and external publics and the importance of discharging its services responsibility to the environment where it is established became emphasized. Telephone subscribes now have a choice and they more likely to invest their money where the would get the best services.

1.1              BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Public relations have become an important activity of most large industries and commercial firms. It is also very vital in branches of government, trade and professional associations, social welfare organizations, labour unions, schools, armed forces and center. (1971:pg 5) defined public relations as he planned effort to influence opinion through society responsible and acceptable performance based on mutually satisfactory two way communications. The British Institute of Public Relations defined it as the deliberate, planned and sustained effort to established and maintain mutual understanding between an organization and its various publics.

Nitel plc Enugu belong t a large parastatal therefore must have an established and equipped public relations department in order to maintain a mutual and acceptable services to its various publics.

The practice of public relations is based on the simple proposition that is essential for any man, government Institution Corporation etc. to win public acceptance especially in a domestic society for nothing can succeed without the acceptance of the people.

The Nigeria telecommunication plc had at one time or the other experienced one of the following.

1.                  Controversy.

2.                  Competitive challenge from public and private investors.

3.                  Crises

4.                  Aspiration for new image

5.                  Ineffective communication.

So many corporate organizations go through these ugly developments. Under this situation, the need for public relations come in. the workability of the internal public relations departments is put to test. Therefore, this study intends to study the role public relations department of Nitel Plc Enugu plays under this situation.

Most organizations that have internal public relations department also employs the services of public relations consultancy firms in some very adverse situations. Therefore, in any corporate organization, the need for public relations cannot be over-emphasized.

1.2              STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

In this study, it is pertinent to look into:

a.                   Why some co-operate organizations drive into some unmanageable crises.

b.                  Why Nitel Plc Enugu still needs the services of public relations consultancy firms.

c.                   Why bureaucratic bottlenecks are impediments to smooth operations of internal public relations departments of Nitel Plc Enugu.

d.                  Why Nitel Plc Enugu does not train and retain its public relations staff.

1.3              OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY.

Every research work is undertaken for a definite purpose, therefore the objectives of this study are:

a.                   To find out the role of public relations department of Nitel Plc Enugu in maintaining high image profit.

b.                  To find out the public relations techniques and procedures employed by the internal relations department of Nitel Plc Enugu in terms of crises.

c.                   To also find out the rate of interference by the management of Nitel Plc Enugu in the day to day running of its public relations department.

1.4              SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The significance of the studies are:

a.                   Proffer suggestions on how Nitel Plc Enugu can properly handle public relations machineries to achieve the desired results.

b.                  Also cooperate organizations that don’t have internal public relations department would start seeing the need to establish one.

c.                   Also to show that the efficiency or otherwise of a public relations department depends on adequate funding by Nitel Enugu management.

1.5              RESEARCH QUESTIONS

a.                   Can the role of public relations help in a corporate organization?

b.                  Has the public relations department used those roles for uplifting the image of the Nitel Plc Enugu internally and externally?

c.                   Have the external publics embraced the services of the Nitel Plc Enugu?

1.6              RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

H1:      The roles of public relations can help in a corporate organization.

Ho:      The roles of public relations cannot help in a corporate organization.

H2:      The public relations department of Nitel Plc Enugu used the role of public relations to uplift the image of the organization internally and externally.

Ho:      The public relations department of Nitel Plc Enugu did not use the role of public relations to uplift the image of the organization internally and externally.

H3:      The internal and external publics embraced the services of the Nitel Plc Enugu

Ho:      The internal and external publics did not embrace the services of the Nitel Plc Enugu

1.7              CONCEPTUAL DEFINITIONS.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

This is the art of maintaining mutual understanding between and organization and various publics

PUBLICS

These are the people that have anything to do with a particular organization and there are internal and external publics

IMAGES

This is the way an organization sees itself and also how the publics see the organization.

OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS

COMMUNITY RELATIONS

This means the social responsibility status of an organization to the environment where it operates.

CORPORATE ORGANISATION

This is a large firm with a network of branches within the country or even outside.

1.8              SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of the study is the Nigerian Telecommunication Plc located at Enugu.

1.9              ASSUMPTIONS

a.                   It is assumed that the management of Nitel Plc Enugu would see the need for the training and re-training of its staff.

b.                  It is also assumed that the public relations adequate funding

c.                   The image of Nitel Plc Enugu falls under the public relations unit, therefore it is assumed that its activities must present high image profile.

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