There has been a meaningful contribution by researchers on this subject; public Relations. So this project developed after a series of consultation and research. In order to put to rest the about is the mind of many as to whether public relation is necessary in an industry or organization, I strongly believe that the industry is the means through which public relation is mostly propagated. More so, the industry as a corporate body has an image to protect thus the need for an effective public relation unit in an industry.

I have my case study as construction industry in Enugu state.

The structure of the material is family simple. I have five chapters in this project. Chapter one deals with the introductory aspect of the research work, chapter two deals with the review of literature, which explains the functions and importance of public relation unit in an industry. Chapter three is all about the research methodology, chapter four is the analysis and interpretation of data while chapter five deals with the conclusion and recommendations for further study.

TABLE OF CONTENT

TITLE PAGE II

APPROVAL PAGE III

DEDICATION IV

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT V

ABSTRACT VII

TABLE OF CONTENT IX

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY 1

1.2 STATEMENT OF RESEARCH PROBLEM 3

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF STUDY 4

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY 5

1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS 6

1.6 FORMULATION OF HYPOTHESIS 7

1.7 CONCEPTUAL AND OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS8

1.8 ASSUMPTIONS 9

1.9 LIMITATIONS OF STUDY 9

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE; 11

2.1 SOURCES OF LITERATURE REVIEW 11

2.2 THE REVIEW 11

2.3 SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW. 12

CHAPTER THREE

3.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 22

3.1 RESEARCH METHOD 24

3.2 RESEARCH DESIGN 25

3.3 RESEARCH SAMPLE 25

3.4 DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS 26

3.5 EXPECTED RESULT 26

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 ANALYSIS OF DATA/INTERPRETATION; 28

4.1 INTERPRETATION OF DATA 28

4.2 CONFIRMATION OF HYPOTHESIS 31

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY; 32

5.1 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS 32

5.2 CONCLUSION. 33

5.3 RECOMMENDATIONS. 35

BIBLIOGRAPHY 36

APPENDIX/QUESTIONNAIRE 38

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY

It is the responsibility of every industry to have a cordial relationship with their employees and their external environment ie the general public. With reference to relationship as regards the employees, it involves a harmonious co-existence between the employees and the management for external environment ie the general public, it is done by feeding the public with the necessary information they need about the industry as well as making their polices and programmes clearly understood.

According to British institute dictionary; “ public relations is defined as a liberate, planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain understanding between an organization and it’s public”. Again, another definitions was put forth by Philip Leslay. According to him, public relations is a thing that helps an organization and it’s public accommodate each other”. Moreso, the American association of public relation practitioners defined public relations as “Doing the right thing and letting people know about it ie applying the golden rule in our every day activities.

From the above stated definitions, it is worthy of note that the importance of public relations department in an industry cannot be over –emphasized. Thus, it aids in the sustenance of understanding and harmony amongst the employees of an industry as well as that of the general public. Moreso, it makes much for industrial harmony especially during a period of crises and depression. Furthermore, there is need for public relations department in both public and privately owned industries. This is because this department acts as a link between the industry and the audience in that it monitors the feedback process and applies the necessary tools and techniques needed towards the achievement of mutual understanding through constant communication.

This research is aimed at working into the importance of public relations department in an industry, the practice, activities and objectives of public relations in an effort to maintain industrial harmony amongst the industries and the general public the problems encountered by this department and the possible solutions to those problems.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM;

In third world countries of which Nigeria is amongst, public relations have been mistaken for publicity, product promotion, advertising, marketing and even propaganda in both public and privately owned industries. But it is quite clear that public relation is a combination of all of the above and even more.

Again many people think that public relations involves a parade of pretty, elegant and sophisticated ladies with either diploma or university degree in any discipline in order to earn attention. This is very wrong because public relations and the messages they carry are all based on truth and carrying out research.

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF STUDY

This research work is aimed examining and recommending suggested solutions to the problems encountered by the public relations depart. In the light of this, the objectives of study are:

- To find out the problems encountered by this unit in an industry and proffer solutions to the problems where necessary.

- To sensitize participants on many approaches for effective communication, capable of maintaining hormonal coordination in an industry.

- To educate the chief executive officers on the importance of this department and how to treat the employees in this department to achieve the very best for themselves.

- To ascertain whether public relation practitioners are on the right track towards achieving their set objectives.

1.4 SIGNIFCANCE OF STUDY;

As earlier stated, public relations has been defined by experts as a “ deliberate, planned and sustained efforts to establish and maintain mutual understanding between an organization and it’s public. It is based on this that public relations can be viewed from the following perspectives and terms;

- The enhancement of the idea of dispute settlement through non-violent means if it is in a welfare industry.

- The goals of the general welfare of the industry and the entire population.

- The advancement at the grass roots of the aim to change a particular product if in a product industry.

- The advancement of the idea of clean and healthy environment, if it is in a sanitary industry.

- The goal of rural agricultural and infrastructural development, if it is an agricultural sector.

The work of a public relation practitioner in this context is the totality of concerted efforts by the industries to establish appropriate and effective communication system that will enable it’s various public to develop a common definition of the meaning and goal of these programmes. Moreso, it is expected of each functionary to successfully execute the programmes and most importantly the acceptance of these programmes by the public which are the ultimate beneficiaries of the programmes.

1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS;

Do you think that public relations is really an important tool for industrial harmony?

- Do you feel that the establishment of public relations department in an organization will help the organization in achieving their set objectives?

- Do you agree with this statement; efficiency of an industry depends

1.6 FORMULATION OF HYPOTHESIS

HO> Represent null hypothesis

H₁- H₄ > Represent alternative hypothesis.

Hypothesis (1)

H₁ > public relations is a tool for industrial harmony.

H_o > public relation is not a tool for industrial harmony.

H₂ > public relations has positive effect on the overall performance of an industry.

H_o > public relations does not have positive effect on the overall performance an industry.

H₃ > public relation is a tool for modifying the publics’ attitude and executing programmes to earn public acceptance.

H_o > Public relation is not a tool for modifying the publics’ attitude and executing programmes to earn public acceptance.

H₄ > public relations practitioners are on the right track towards achieving the aims.

H_o > Public relations practitioners are not on the right track towards achieving their aims.

1.7 CONCEPTUAL AND OPERATIONAL DEFINTIONS;

- PUBLIC RELATIONS;

This is a communication function that evaluates public attitude, identifies the policies and programmes of an organization and execute those programmes and policies to earn publics, acceptance and support.

- Industry;

This is a collection of organizations that engage in the same line of production.

- Public relation tools;

These are the strategies and techniques used by public relation practitioners in the execution of their duties.

- Industrial harmony;

This involves mutual understanding and cordial relationship between the industry and the general public or amongst the employees of the industry.

1.8 ASSUMPTIONS;

It is assumed that this research will serves as an sys opener for those who mistaken everyone for a public relations practitioner. This is because everybody is expected to behave well though not all does so.

1.9 LIMITATION OF STUDY;

In the course of this research, the researcher encountered so many difficulties among which are financial constraint time constraint and lack of enough reference material to fall back on for literature review.