ABSTRACT
Public relation is a deliberate planned and sustained effort to maintain mutual understanding between an organization and its public. Big business no doubt recognized albeit hard way the importance of public relations in the day to day running of their business. However, there is the nation in many quarters that public relations does not yield any tangible result. This notion informed by the study was certainly not true nevertheless, public relations serves as a stimulus for increased productivity in business organization.
The Anambra motor manufacturing company (ANAMMCO) Enugu, was used as a case study and consequently, five hypothesis were formulated the first bordered on preventive public relations practice and promotions of mutual truest and confidence. The second sought to know whether communication the workers for increased productivity. The 3rd sought to explain or focus on the free flow of information and promotion of harmonious working relationship in the organization. The forth (4th) hypothesis lay emphasis on the implementation of meaningful public relations programme stimulates workers, for increased productivity. While the fifth, focus on the relationship between effective public relations practice and increased productivity. The chi-square statistical approach was used to test the hypothesis after the questionnaire after the questionnaires administered on 70 respondents form ANAMMCO was collected in the survey.
The entire hypothesis received empirical support showing that public relations practice does not simulate employees for increased productivity. The project has five chapters in al, the first two chapter are mainly the theoretical framework in which the principles and practice of public relations were discussed. Chapter three explained the methodology of research adopted in the study, while chapter four and five are based on empirical finding and recommendations.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
This study is aimed at establishing whether public relation practice promotes increase in output in business organization .BY Citing the Anambra Motor Manufacturing Company LTD ANAMMC O Enugu, in this work explores the importance and roles of the public relations practice in motivating the employees for greater productivity. Over the years business organization and indeed other organization have come to recognize the importance and enormous roles of effective public relations practice in their survival and growth .One of the world’ renowned business man Henry Ford 11, Chairman of the ford motors acknowledges this when he said that During the past twenty year Business has learned that however legal and proper action to act in terms of profit and loss alone is not quite good enough , something more is required as positive awareness of national goals and objective social as well as economic and efforts to make actions Conform as much as possible with preventing tides of public opinion. Irving Smith Kogan expanded on the statement ,He said that ‘Before a responsible organization takes pain to explain its actions and motives it should be aware of and concerned about public opinion and attitudes for unless a business organist an is responsive to its publics it should not be able to make itself understood” 2
The above quotation have no doublet in thrown some useful light on what public relations is all about. Public relations has a common place term in the language and thoughts of 20th century society it is a apart of our daily conservation and lit has come to realize that business can continue to thrive only by virtue of counting public support and approval.
According to the former president of Nigeria institute of public relations (NIPR) Chief Kanu Offionly. In the face of disturbing cynicism about the relevance of public morality and disenchantment, with disapproving the role of most leaders every organization whether in the public or private sector needs to consider relations with the society. This mead that in the key areas of interpretation, commutation, presentation and revaluation public relations is concerned with telling the truth explaining the organizing to all those who need to know about it and vic vers. In an impartial and objective manner” 3
The above quotes by these eminent scholars an public relations experts have shown how important public relations is in the day to day activities of every organization. But what to do we mean by the term public relation Webster dictionary defined public relations as “the promotion of report and good will between a person, firm, or institutions and other persons, special publics or the community at large through the distribution of interpretative materials, the development of neighborly inter-change and the assessment of public relations”.
Rex Harlow, an emeritus professor of stand ford university USA gave a broader definition according to him “public relations is a distinctive management function which helps establish and maintain mutual line of communication , understanding, acceptance an co-operation between an organization and its public which involves the management of problems or issues helps management to keep informed on and emphasize the responsibility of management to serve the public interest helps management to keep abreast of and of effectively utilize charge, serving as and early warming system to help anticipate trends and use research and sound and ethical communication techniques as its principal tools”
This definition laid more emphasis on public relations as a management function. One of these definitions of public relations came from the British institute of public relations.
According to the institute” public relations practice is the deliberate, planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding wean an organization and its public” it is important to note that this definition emphasized on public relations programmes which is distinct from public relations attitude. Public relations as an attitude is quite essential for an organization here, every member of the organization from the president down to the newest office boy should be a public relations man.
Irving smith Kogan quoting an consultant threw more light on this . He said that “public relations is the shine on sales man’s shoes the mile on his face, the vigour of his handshakes, it is also the receptionist who give a warm and friendly greeting when you visit the home office, it’s the telephone operator who put your call though.
On the part of the public relations practitioner Nwosu (1986) said that what may not be so well known is that most of the time PR practitioner contributes to this most unfortunate situation by not being positively assertive, forceful, professionally ineffective and respectable enough to assume their rightful place in the management team”
The above views suggest that in the other for public relations to yield tangible and fruitful results-management must realize the importance of public relations and the public relations department adequately and utilize the advice of PRO. The PRO on the other had must assume his rightful pace in the management cadre from when he will be in a position to advice management and at the same time be an “answer man” to question being raised by public of he organization. I want to conclude the background of this study with a quotation from Irving Smith Kogan which runs thus” public relations in essence is a point with an ultimate goal, it is not department not a person, not a publicity campaign. Although it may include any or all of an attitude towards, anybody who comes in contact with the enterprise”
1.2 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The objective of this study is to establish that effective public elations practices in ANAMMCO contributes to increase in the company.
1.3 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study is significant in several respects it will height the knowledge of public relations practitioner and the public alike on the crucial roles of public elations practice in the quest for increase in the output of any organization.
The study will also enable the management of any organization (business or otherwise) to understand the roles of public relations office and departments better and there for fund them properly. It is also hoped that this study will be a significant addition to the efforts being made to improve public relations practice business organization To scholars and students of public relations this study will serve as other reference material.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTION
This study hinge around the following question.
1. is public relations practices necessary for increased productivity in business organizations.
2. Does effective communication helps in stimulating the employees for greater productivity.
3. Does preventive public relations practice promote mutual trust and confidence between the management and employees?
4. Does the for emulation and implementation of meaningful public relation practice stimuli the employees for greater productivity.
5. Does free flow of information between management and the employees promote harmonious relationships between them
1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
These reseach hypothesis derived directly form the research question Ho preventive public relations practices promotes mutual trust and confidence thus does not lead to increase in productivity. H1 communication expressed to the employees stimulate the workers for greater productivity. H2 communication expressed in positive action from management relationship between them. H3 free flow of information between management and employees does not promote harmonious relationship between them. H4 the formulation and implementation of meaningful public relations programme does not stimulate workers for increase productivity. H5 the greater the use of public relations practices, the greater the increase in productivity. H6 there is no relationship between public relations practice and increased productivity.
1.6 DEFINITION OF TERM
1. Public Conceptually, the word public means people as a whole operationally, it means the employees of ANAMMCO
2. Public relations
Conceptually, pubic relations is a deliberately planned and sustained effort to maintain manually understanding between organization and its public operationally, public relations refers to the planned and sustained efforts by the management of ANAMMCO to maintain mutual understanding between it an its workers
3. Public Relations Practices.
4. Business
5. Organizations
6. Output Conceptually, public relations practices is a professional exercise involving the identification of the various public relevant to the survey and growth of an organization monitoring and everlasting their opinions sending out appropriate communication evaluating feed back from them. Operationally public relations practice means the identification of ANAMMCO
Works by their closest publics. The monitoring and evaluation of the workers opinions sending out appropriate communication to them and evaluating feed backs from them.
Conceptually, business means transaction involving buying and selling, operationally is buying of raw materials and selling of finished products by ANAMMCO Enugu.
Conceptually, output is quality of materials produced within a specific time, operationally, it means the quantity and quality of business assembled by ANAMMCO, Enugu.
1.7 ASSUMPTIONS 1. This study assumes that there are public relations practices and
functions performed by public relations officer in ANAMMCO. 2. It is also assumed that ANAMMCO uses public relations practices to
foster good will between it and its workers. 3. Another assumption is that there is a public relations department in
ANAMMCO
4. And yet another one is that public relations practice leads to increase in output in business organization.
