CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
The growth and survival of every organization depends on effective management. Management is effective and efficient if it is able to accomplish objectives through the use of people (human resources), Capital (finance), and equipment (materials). Effectiveness is the ability to choose appropriate goals at a specific time frame. According to Pinprayong and Seingtha (2012), organizational efficiency reflects the improvement of internal processes of the organization such as organizational structure, culture and community. In the light if this, it is pertinent for an organization to engage the services of public relations so as to ensure effective and efficient management. Public relations serve as a unique management function which creates mutual understanding as well as a two way flow of information between an organization and its publics. This unique management function of public relations is critical to the success of any organization that engages people in its operation, whether they are shareholders, employees or customers.
According to Public Relations Society of America PRSA (2015), “Public Relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics”. Public relations is seen as a vital part of maintaining the organization’s image and of communicating its message to its customers, investors and the general public. A positive perception of a company or non-profit organization can increase its sales and improve its bottom line. Coombs and Hollanday (2015), note that public relations as a form of public communication is associated with special responsibilities and the need to practice ethical communication as well as the concomitant emphasis on two-way communication and dialogue in the public arena. Public relations practitioners can be communication managers who organize and integrate communication activities, or they can be writers who primarily write and construct messages that will attract public attention and support.
Esuh (2012) notes that some of the goals of public relations are to create, maintain, and protect the organization’s reputation, and also enhance its prestige and present a favourable image. Image building is essential in the eyes of an organization’s publics: internal or external. According to Skinner (2010:5)
“In a modern democracy, every organization survives ultimately only by public consent, as such, public relations enable an organization to influence public opinion, judgment and behaviour, with the obvious implication that an organization is dependent on the moral and financial support of its various publics in other to survive”. Public relations is obviously about communications. It is about persuading people to accept an idea, a product, and a company and perhaps take action along the specific lines required”.
Therefore, how an organization relates to its publics can make or demean it. Richard Campbell (2011), says that public relations is a total communication strategies conducted by a person, government, or organization attempting to reach and persuade an audience to adopt a point of view. Public relations is a practice of managing communications between organizations and its publics, gaining exposure to their audience using topics of public interest and news items that do not require direct payment. The Public Relations Society of America, PRSA (2009), notes that the management of institutions needs to understand the attitudes and values of their publics in order to achieve institutional goals. The goals themselves are shaped by the external environment.
The management has to apply the service of a public relations practitioner so that communication link can be created between the management and staff of an organization as well as its publics. Also, the public relations practitioner acts as a mediator, helping to translate private aims into reasonable, publicly acceptable policy and actions. Daymon, (2010) explains that a Public Relations Officer with the knowledge in the aspect of counseling, psychology as well as education would help the management of an organization in making decisions that would affect the organization positively.
Kotler and Armstrong (2009), opines that good public relations are developed with companies various public audiences by obtaining favourable publicity, building up corporate reputation and handling of unfavourable rumours, stories and events. Public relations practitioners promote the personality of management as well as good reputation through their activities and the use of pertinent tools such as print and broadcast media. It may not be an over statement to say that when public relations practice is organized, it brings about a harmonious adjustments in reputation between an organization and its publics. The imperative for public relations is seemingly widening in many organizations. Almost all large organizations either have a public relations department or outsource their public relations needs to a company.
Whether an organization is a profit- making or non-profit making, government-owned or privately-owned, it needs the services of public relations in order to maintain a favourable image between its internal and external publics. Al-Janaibi (2012), states that public relations is used to build relationships with employees, customers, stakeholders, voters, or the general public. No wonder many organizations engage in public relations practice to help build, polish, and maintain their reputation in the public sphere. It is a truism that an organization cannot function effectively where there is no public relations practitioner working in such organization. As such, it will be harmful to reputation if an organization like Champion Breweries Plc Uyo, does not engage in public relations practice. Public relations is the backbone of every organization that is ready and willing to accomplish its goals. Therefore, this study will examine Public Relations and Organizational Management in Champion Breweries Plc, Uyo.
1.1.1 History of Champion Breweries Plc. Uyo
Champion Breweries Plc. Uyo is a Nigerian brewing company located in Akwa Ibom state. The company is the producer of Champion lager beer and Champ Malta. It was established as a publicly funded commercial enterprise in 1974 and began manufacturing in 1976 with a capacity of 150,000 hecto litres of Champion beer and 10,000 hecto litres of Champ Malta. At formation, the firm patronized a plastic manufacturing company to produce crates for holdings the products instead of paper cartons, a precedent other beer producers later followed. In 2014, Heineken International acquired majority equity in the company. While ownership structure has changed over the years, Champion Breweries Plc is today under the technical supervision of its controlling shareholders, a global beverage giant Heineken NV, and this has put the Company in good position to even surpass every previous achievements on sales, consumer satisfaction and community engagement. (www.championbreweriesplc.com.org.)
In addition, the organization’s Food Safety Statement (2015) , states that Champion breweries Plc. Uyo, as a responsible corporate citizen and operating company of Heineken international in conformity with the relevant legislation and regulations is committed to the production and marketing of safe and high quality beverages. Champion breweries Plc. Uyo provide adequate resources to establish and maintain food safety management systems. This system is based on Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles and ensures that their products fulfill customer/ consumer food safety expectations through:
Implementing and sustenance of effective good manufacturing practices.
Prevention or elimination of food hazards.
Establishment of measurable food safety objectives.
Establishment and maintenance of a food management safety system certified by an internationally recognized certifier against food safety standards.
Continuous internal and external communication regarding food safety with all parties from primary production to consumption.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
It has been observed that in so many organizations, management neither recognizes nor appreciates public relations efforts in building and enhancing a good image and reputation for the success of the organization. The management attitude is unenthusiastic towards public relations practices and as such, they contribute little or nothing to public relations activities. The erroneous and selfish belief by management that public relations efforts brings little or no benefits to an organization has brought failures in achieving organization goals.
Some organizations discuss whether or not they should have public relations unit. One then wonders if an organization can function effectively without public relations practices. Thus public relations being so pertinent for the effective running of the organization should be embraced by the management of every organization. Therefore, it is yet to be revealed whether or not there exists public relations practice in Champion Breweries Plc. Uyo, and it is for this reason that this study is conducted in order to provide answers to Public Relations and organizational management in Champion Breweries Plc. Uyo.
