THE ROLE OF PUBLIC RELATION AS A TOOL FOR ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS IN POWER HOLDING COMPANY OF NIGERIA (PHCN) UYO OFFICE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0     Background of the Study

In contemporary business world, both public and private sectors want to succeed. To achieve this feat, public relations is necessary and must be part of the senior management since decision and policies are usually taken at the top. Adekunle (1994), uploads public relations practitioner as the EARS and often as the MOUTH of the organization, whose input has the greatest effect.

In other words, it is the function of public relations to advise management in determining policies and good-will for an organization with its public, since it can detect the problem areas between them.

However, why most organization fail in their business pursuits is because managers misconceive public relation to mean advertising, sales promoting, press agency, propaganda, lobbying, publicity, and or press relation therefore placing public relations below senior management level. They feel to be mentioned in the media often, can solve their problems. The fact is that a public relations practitioner may employ the above mentioned techniques in the practice for his client and all. These techniques are aspect of public relations. So, not every problem could be solved through these method or mere press exposures. Public relations as a functional concept of management is far more widespread in scope than these techniques and among other things serve to?

1. Protect organizations corporate image and
2. Help determine for organizations what they should do to gain the good-will of its publics.

According to (Ogunsaya, 1991) organizations can only fulfill the basic conditions of earning a favourable image through the three essential management qualities of its public relations personnel which are, strategic vision, effective management, and good leadership and social acceptance.

The philosophical dimension of public relations however sees organizations as social institutions which apart from maximizing profits have some social responsibilities to the community it operates or the entire society at large. According to the social system theory of management, organization is viewed as an “open system” which constantly interacts with its constituent publics. This inter-relationships helps to create a conducive business climate, good-will, public understanding and support through communication on the whole public relations, on an idealistic nation, is the moral aspect of business, an acknowledgement of the right of society to corporate relationship and benefits, and a striving to achieve satisfaction and happiness of not only an organization’s public but other people as well-Taiwo (1995).

Although public relations is viewed by many as an effective “apparatus” of management in today’s world, the power holding company of Nigeria, established as a federal government parastatal by degree 24 of June 1, 1972 with the amalgamation of Nigeria (ECN) and Niger  Dams Authority (NDA), mandated to maintain an efficient. Co-ordinate and economic supply of electricity to all parts of the country including Uyo, seems to fall short of public relations obligations.

1.2     Statement of the Problem

It is generally accepted that public relations is a management function and good policy formulation for progressive organization, be it public or organized private sector. However, this priority role in enhancing organizational effectiveness could be obtained through a deliberate planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding between an organization and the public. This seems to be lacking in PHCN going by the observed promiscuous public criticism due to observed inefficient performance and gross insensitivity to public yearning by PHCN staff in Uyo. It is therefore necessary to assess the public relations performance of this corporation.

• Objectives of the Study

1. To find out if PHCN uses public as a management tool.
2. To find out public relations objectives of PHCN and the strategies and evaluate their effectiveness.

• To evaluate PHCNs community relations activities in Uyo.

1. To assess the public perception of PHCN’s image and how this has affected its organizational effectiveness.
2. To seek ways public relations could be used to improve PHCN’s performance.
3. To evaluate PHCN’s communication climate with its publics.

1.4     Research Questions

The following are the research questions for the study;

1. Is public relations employed as a management and functional tool in PHCN?
2. What are the public relations objectives of PHCN and strategies are adopted for its effectiveness?

• What is the nature and scope of public relations work in PHCN and to what extent is PHCN’s public relations functionary efficient and capable of containing the challenges facing PHCN in Uyo?

1. Is there any mutual relationship and understanding between PHCN and its public?
2. How could public relations be used to improve the PHCN observed performance in Uyo?
3. What is the public perception of PHCN’s image and how it affected it’s performance.

1.5     Research Hypotheses

Ho:   Public relation does not have an impact on organizational effectiveness.

H₁:    Public relation has an impact on organizational effectiveness.

Ho:   Good public relation practice combined with other necessities cannot increase productivity in an organization.

H₁:    Good public relation practice combined with other necessities, increase productivity in an organization.

Ho:   There are no problems of public relation in Nigeria.

H₁:    There are problems of public relation in Nigeria.

1.6     Significance of Study

The rationale of this study is to examine how public relations can promote organizational effectiveness in today’s business, and to also attempt whether some of the problem of PHCN in Uyo could be attributed to poor public relations. However, this research tending should enable the management of PHCN in Uyo to solve some of its problems relating to general management.

The study shall also serve as an “eye opener” to public and private sectors of our economy to adopt public relation as an all-important functional concept in the promotion of effective business performance. It will also enable management to realize the importance of public relations in business and develop interest in it and finally serve as a reference material for further academic research.

1.7     Scope and Limitations of the Study