Abstract
The
purpose of this study was to know the effectiveness of public relations in
service industries. A case study of the Enugu state university of science and
Technology (ESUT) Enugu.
To guide this study, three hypotheses were formulated. A review of
related literature was done to expose the researcher to what has already been
done to ensure solid conclusion for the study. A structural questionnaire was
developed and administered by the researcher to respondents comprising of the
students and staff/management of the institution. The data collected were from
both primary and secondary sources and were duly analysed and presented in a
manner in which they could be easily be understood and applied by whosoever may
be interested in the work and its findings.
From the
analysis, the following findings emerged
a. Majority of the students are not aware of the
services provided by the public relation school of the institution.
b. Public relations activities of ESTU has led do
industrial harmony, this is evidenced by the fact that there has not been major
strikes that lasted for a long time.
c. Public relations activities of ESTU also led to
impact positions on student’s patronage of the institution.
Based on the above findings, the researcher made the following
recommendations that:
a. ESUT public relations department should be well
funded to enable them acquire more sophisticated equipments to improve public relations
activities.
b. ESUT should up grade the quality of the service
they provide by creating awareness so that all may know about them.
c. Public relations functions should be clearly
defined to avoid confusion in the institution.
From this, the researcher concluded that public relations is a
potent tool for marketing of goods and services, ESUT must embrace it for the
satisfaction of its numerious publics.
Table
of Content
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background of the study
Statement of the problem
Objective of the study
Research Hypothesis
Significance of the study
Scope of the study
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
CHAPTER
THREE: DESIGN OF THE STUDY
Population of the study
Determination of sample size
Sample size for staff/management
Sample size for students
Instrument and method of data collection
Questionnaire design
Method of data analysis
Administration of Questionnaire
CHAPTER
FOUR: PRESENTATION
AND ANALYSIS OF DATA
Test of Hypothesis
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY,
RECOMMENDATIONS
AND CONCLUSIONS
Summary of findings
Recommendations
Conclusions
Bibliography
Appendix
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Public
relations has become a potent marketing tool in modern business management in
recent times. Its influence is being felt on both big and small firms with the
influence of even greater expansion. It is important for management
organization including tertiary institutions to understand its potential and
limitations.
Nwokoye
(1984:212) defined public relations as the activities of co – operations,
union, government or other organisations in building and marketing sound and
productive relations with special public such as customers, relations employees
or stock holders and with public at large so as to adopt itself to its
environment and interpret itself to the society.
Bush and
Houston (1995:200) noted that public relations is management functions which
evaluate public attitude, identifies policies and procedures of an individuals
or an organisations with the public interest and execute a programme of action
to earn public understanding and acceptance.
Chukwu
(2000:3 – 4) stated that public relations practice is a management philosophy
aimed at doing everything possible to create good relationship between one
organization and its publics.
Public
Relations is aimed at making friends for the organization and building internal
and external good will on the reasonable assumption that these are 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
are affected by these activities of the organization becomes more imperative.
An organization while wanting to remain liable, need to have good relations
with its employees, consumers of its products and services, future investors,
stock – holders and infact that is the general public. As an organization
specialized in manufacturing to potential customers that is up to date, forward
looking concerned to produce and offer the best goods and services for the rice
it charges and make sure that its customers are really satisfied.
Edoga and
Ani (2001:287) noted that a company should deliberately plan and execute a
continuous public relations programme to develop a good relation between it and
that various publics, amongst sought with public relations.
Stressing
the position of public relations 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.
Enugu State
University of Science and Technology (ESUT) as an institution or organization has
the students, members of its staff, parents- teachers association, the
management, the host society, the state and the federal government, Nigerian
Universities commission (NUC) etc. as its relevant publics. This implies that
the activities performed by ESUT in one way or the other affect those
aforementioned various public. Therefore, in order to maintain its public
relations with those bodies, ESUT must at all time try to create a rapport and
understanding or goodwill with all those bodies. This it will do through proper
information circulation between itself and those various relevant publics to
it. This can be done by allowing the free flows of information, paying of
salaries as and when due to its staff, engaging in proper and standard academic
work, abiding by the rules and regulations of NUC in the performance of its
activities.
Manufacturers and producers of goods and service are now aware that public
relations does not only ensure good relations with the public but can strive
towards profit making through increased customers patronage. It is in the light
of the importance attached to public relations that the researcher seeks to
appraise the effectiveness of public relations in service industries in Enugu
State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) as a case study.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
A good
corporate image is usually regarded to be essentials for the existence of an
organization. The success or failure of a corporation depends on its
relationship with its publics, consumers, employees, stock-holders, government,
community, distributions, supplies and others. A favourable corporate image
create confidence in an organisations or institution.
There has
been occupational troubles in tertiary institutions as become the order of the
day. But ESUT as always remained in sector despite the occasional occurrence of
these ugly incidents. The questions that called for answer are:-
Why has this problem of internal wrangle in our tertiary
institutions?
Why has ESUT not witness the major break down of law and order
despite the increase in school fees?
Why has ESUT been able to maintained peace despites the facts that
there are some polities that do not go down well with the staff, lecturers and
the students of the institute?
To what extent has public relations contributed in maintenance of
peace and harmony in the institutions these and many more are the central task
of this research work.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
To give focus to the study the following objectives are formulated:-
1. To find out the level of
attention given to the publics in Enugu State University of Science and
Technology (ESUT).
2. To find out whether the
institution have good relationship with the press.
3. To examine the level of
students, lecturers, staff and management relations in ESUT.
4. To know how public
relations help in improving communication between people and the organization.
5. To recommend solution to
problems on public relations identified.
6. To determined the impact of
public relations on consumers (students) patronage
7. To appraise the public relations activities of
Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT).
RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
Public
Relations activities of ESUT
Ho: Public Relations activities of ESUT does not
lead to increase the awareness of their services
Hi: These lead to increase the awareness
of their services.
Ho: Public Relations activities of ESUT does not
give
attention to the student of the institution
H2:
Public Relations activities of ESUT gives attention to the student of the
institution.
Ho: Public Relation activities of ESUT does not
lead to increase (students) patronage.
H3:
Public Relation activities of ESUT lead to increase (students) (students)
patronage.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The most
outstanding hope of this study is that, its finding will be of immense benefit
to students, lecturers and staff of management of tertiary institutions. These
will help to minimize conflicts in this institutions.
The study
also gives an insight into the problem and practice of public relations in
Nigeria Institutions of higher learning. This study by its objectives will not
only assess the effectiveness of classified public relations, 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 organisations on ways of using public relations.
Finally,
public relations practioners have been deprived of excellent performance in the
operations because of scanty and insufficient data and adequate literature
availability in this area.
This study
when successfully completed and adequately supervised will be an addition to
the essentials literature needed in public relations. Practitioners and
consultants will therefore use it extensively for reference.
Based on forgoing, it becomes indisputable that the need for this
study is worthwhile.
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study
covers public Relations activities in service industries and it will equally
cover an over view of public relations in service industries. The role of
public relations activities in improving the image of service industries
especially tertiary institutions. Due to limited time and other constraints,
emphases was placed on Enugu State University of Science and Technology
(ESUT). Despite the fact that Enugu State University is the only
institution use as a case study, but the researcher believes that whatever
happens to Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) will equally
apply to other institutions in the state.
Department | Marketing |
Project ID Code | MKT0086 |
Chapters | 5 Chapters |
No of Pages | 105 pages |
Methodology | Chi Square |
Reference | YES |
Format | Microsoft Word |
Price | ₦4000, $15 |
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Contact Us On | +2348039638328 |
Contact Us On | +2347026816414 |
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