CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Public relation is relatively new corporate function although like corporate function it has its roots in ancient activities Edward L. Berays, one of the fathers of modern public relation posited that the three main elements of public relation are as old as society. Informing people, persuading people and integrating people with people. Bernays E. I. (1960) and he traced public relation from primitive society (in which leaders controlled by force, intimidation and persuasion), to Babylonian where kinds commissioned historians to paint favourable images of them. The renaissance and reformation freed men’s mind from established dogmas, heading institutions to develop more subtle means to influence people. In America, historical milestone for “public relation” include:- Samuel Adam’s use of the press to unite the colonists against the British. The abolitionist movement use of public relations as a political tool to rally supports for block in the north, including the publication of Uncle’s Tom Cabin. P.T. Barnum’s use of public relation to generate news worthiness about an event, the arrival of his circus, by placing articles in newspapers. Corporate public relation involved more recently and passed through the following five stages. First stages, corporation established a contact function to influence legislation’s and newspapers to support position favourable to business. The legislative contact function becomes known as lobbying and newspaper known as press relations. George Westing house is credited with the formal establishment of public relations when he hired two men in 1989 to fight the advocated direct current electricity and to promote instead alternating current. Chlip S. M. (1960:16). The next stage occurred when companies began to recognize the positive value of planned publicity to create customer interest in the company and its products publicity entailed finding or creating events preparing company or product slanted news stories, and trying to interest the press in using them. Companies recognized that special skills are needed to develop publicity and began to add publicist to their ranks. Somewhat later, public relations practitioners began to recognize the value of conducting research into public opinion to develop and launching public relations campaigns. The emerging sciences of public opinion measurement and mass communication theory permitted more sophistication in the conduct of public relation. Forward-looking firms added specialists who could research public opinion. Public relation has become a potent force in modern business management in recent times. Its influence is being felt in large companies and many small ones recognition of the need to explain the activities of an enterprise in order to gain public favour and support is rapidly spreading to different parts of the world.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM A good corporate image is usually to be essential for the existence of an organization. The success or failure of a corporation depends on its relationship with its special public consumers, employees, community. A favourable corporate image creates confidence in an organization. What has been a public relations practice of this organization? What is the corporate image of this organization? What is the state of attitudes and beliefs of their special public towards them? What the public relations objectives of the organization? The researcher is before posed to highlight problems areas and how to improve its public image so as to create a favourable corporate image among their special public i.e. consumer.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The objective of these research works is to know the role of public relations as a management tool for corporate image development in Power Holding Company of Nigeria Ltc. It is the intention of this research work to Investigate or study the image of PHCN whether favourable or unfavoruable. Discover whether the organizations are aware of public relation impact and responsibilities. To know the level of public relation and practices in the organization and other public corporate. Know whether the organization has a public relation department policy and programme molding public opinion to favour its position existence and policies. Know if public relation is being used to achieve corporate identify/image.
1.4 SCOPE OF THE STUDY For the purpose of reliability and convenience the study covers PHCN, Ozoro in particular and other public corporation and companies as well as organized private companies.