The Role of Public Relations in Crisis Management (Etiti-ihitte-uboma Local Government Area of Imo State)
CHAPTER ONE
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The nucleus objective of this research is to investigate how to manage and possibly reduce the frequency and channel crisis to a more productive activity, to promote development in the society.
Specifically the research objectives include:
- To trace the causes of crisis
- To examine the previous methods that will be employed of crisis on the society.
- To explain why there have been unsuccessful management of crisis.
- To offer suggested solutions on how to handle crisis.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Generally, public relations (PR) play many responsibilities in building the image and reputation of an organization. According to (Hsu, Shyu and Tzeng, 2005:12), it provides the opportunity for the organization to successfully monitor, interact, and react with other key groups within the organizational environment. Thus, it is defined as: “…the communication and action on the part of an organization that supports the development and maintenance of mutually beneficial relationships between the organization and the groups with which it is interdependent” (Grunig 2002:54). # Further, it is a “management function that identifies, establishes and maintains mutually beneficial relationships between an organization and the various publics on whom its success or failure depends” (Hill, 2000:23). PR can be seen as a function motivated by desires to understand or control the environment and to gain understanding from those in the environment, or alternatively, motivated by desires for mutual understanding (Grunig, 2002:32). Also, PR is not merely making a good impression, but more closely about fashioning and projecting credible renditions of reality itself. The services, policies, practices and products of an organization may be excellent, but unless the public understands these, and recognizes them for what they are, they will be neither used nor appreciated (Skinner 1994:26). Basically, the reality that public relations credibly render is the reputation of the company. Almost all PR practitioners agree that reputation is one of the keys for organizational success. It should be maintained because once it is tarnished; it could be very difficult to regain (Grunig 1992), though regaining reputation is one of the PR man’s job. (Gray, 1998:23) stated: “A company’s reputation affects its ability to sell products and services, to attract investors, to hire talented staff, and to exert influence in government circles” . Organizational reputation reflects employee attitudes and beliefs, customer perception, vendors and business partners as well as the community at large (Dozier and Lauzen, 2000). The PR man’s job is to publicize all those attributes and traits to the public and to the target people or organization. Many companies have gained enough positive reputation because of effective PR. For instance, Pepsi-Cola is respected for its moral and ethical values established all over the world. The corporate as well as the social responsibilities of the company contributed to their eventual popularity. Those facts about them do not just go out to the public with just mere benchmarking results. Rather, they are carefully publicized by public relation tactics (i.e. disseminated to broadsheets, tabloids, televised press conferences, etc.) That is why PR is closely related with corporate branding and governance. The management does the cultivation of the corporate brand, and then PR distributes the improvement and handles issues that are handful to the company’s image and reputation (Gray, 1998:67). Corporate brand refers to the overall characteristic of the organization, which provides: marks denoting ownership; image-building devices; symbols associated with key values; means by which to construct individual identities; and a conduit by which pleasurable experiences may be consumed (Cutlip, 2006:54).
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
The researcher used descriptive research survey design in building up this project work the choice of this research design was considered appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the study as the study sought the role of public relation in crisis management in Etiti Ihitte-Uboma local government area of Imo State
Sources of data collection
Data were collected from two main sources namely:
(i)Primary source and
(ii)Secondary source
Primary source:
These are materials of statistical investigation which were collected by the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment; the researcher has adopted the questionnaire method for this study.
Secondary source:
These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various other unpublished works and write ups were also used.
Population of the study
Population of a study is a group of persons or aggregate items, things the researcher is interested in getting information the role of public relation in crisis management in Etiti Ihitte-Uboma local government area of Imo State. 200 staff of Etiti Ihitte-Uboma local government council in Imo State was selected randomly by the researcher as the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION OF DATA
Introduction
Efforts will be made at this stage to present, analyze and interpret the data collected during the field survey. This presentation will be based on the responses from the completed questionnaires. The result of this exercise will be summarized in tabular forms for easy references and analysis. It will also show answers to questions relating to the research questions for this research study. The researcher employed simple percentage in the analysis.
DATA ANALYSIS
The data collected from the respondents were analyzed in tabular form with simple percentage for easy understanding.
A total of 133(one hundred and thirty three) questionnaires were distributed and 133 questionnaires were returned.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain the role of public relationships in crisis management. In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of public relationships in crisis management
Summary
This study was on the role of public relationships in crisis management. Four objectives were raised which included: To trace the causes of crisis, to examine the previous methods that will be employed of crisis on the society, to explain why there have been unsuccessful management of crisis, to offer suggested solutions on how to handle crisis. In line with these objectives, two research hypotheses were formulated and two null hypotheses were posited. The total population for the study is 200 staff of Etiti Ihitte-Uboma local government council in Imo State. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made heads of department, administrative staff, senior staff and junior staff were used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies
Conclusion
Every organization is vulnerable to crises. Used effectively, public relations can prevent a critical situation from resulting in irreparable damage to the business’s reputation and goodwill. Therefore, effective communication is an essential part of trying to control any crisis situation. It is the responsibility of the company or organization to provide information about what is happening, the effects it will have a numerous public, and what the company plans to do to resolve the situation. The questions most asked by the public involved are: What exactly has happened? Why was information about the crisis not released sooner? What could have been done to prevent it from happening? I believe that public relations are backbone of the company because it is the administrative system which cares about the affairs of the company inside and out the company. For instance, when the companies want to improve mental image, they use administration public relations to help and give them some information. Finally, public relations are not easy to work as many people believe, public relations are system and a big task for a company that wants to succeed
Recommendation
(a) Institutions should sustain the service of public relations practitioners to help them create and maintain mutual relationship between them and their enabling publics.
(b) They should co-opt public relations practitioners in their institutions among the key management team to help contribute suggestions and contributions from communication perspective that will be of great value to decision making process. The practitioners should be allowed to play the role of expert prescribers and senior advisors as this will contribute to communication excellence among the dominant coalition.
(c) They should always make resources available to public relations units to help it function properly
References
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