CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
In any organization, the need to maintain the image of the organization is of great importance hence this study surveys the role of public relations in building corporate image. It set out to find out whether MTN Nigeria Abuja, has in any way established rapport and good will in the course of its dealings with the various publics. It will also identify whether the customers are satisfied with the services of the organization. This study will also x-ray how far the public relations roles has helped or will help to co-ordinate the organization and its various publics. If the publics perception of the MTN Nigeria image when determined is bad, then the researcher would be in a position to advise and make necessary recommendations that will enhance its image. More so the study will contribute to the knowledge of generality of Nigerians in their guest for enhancement of corporate image in government parastatals.
MTN Nigeria is a public corporation and business enterprise and as such is required to succeed. As a public institute devoted to the servicing of the public interest it must have the interest of its publics as a major consideration in the bid to achieve public co-operation and acceptance. As a business institution, the MTN Nigeria must use business principles to operate in such a way that it becomes economically independence against crumbling.
Against this background, MTN Nigeria instituted the public relations department to help foster the activities of the organization in order to achieve its aims and objectives. This is so because no business oriented organization can make any meaningful achievement without the help and use of a public relations practitioner. It is easily identifiable that the basic philosophy underlying public relations practice is of prime importance in all spheres of activities. The public relations man engages himself in doing good and trying to get credit for the good he has done. This involves wining friend keeping them and influencing them as well as others. It also involves looking good by building and sustaining good image or good will through good deeds that will win favourable considerations for MTN Nigeria Abuja among members of the public.
Public relations, by definition according to Frank Jefeckins states that public relations is the process of assessing consumer wants, establishing communication, fostering goodwill so that the consumer wants or needs can be profitably satisfied”.
Another definition according to the editors of public relations news states that public relations is a “a philosophy and function of management, which evaluates public attitudes, identifies the polices of an individual or organization with public interest and execute a programme of actions to earn public understanding and acceptance”
From these definitions, it is obvious that the public relations man blends the public interest with that of the organization for optimal achievement. It also identifies the need for the public relations man to evaluate the public attitude and conception of the organization with the aim of attaining and eliciting favourable actions where necessary.
As a matter of fact, MTN Nigeria Abuja cannot exist in a vacuum. It cannot grow it is neglects the existence of its publics. It must function as an institution ready to communicate effectively with its publics. This include expressing her policies and practices through communication for general awareness.
However, this communication function can best be achieved if public relations manager is given its appropriate place in the management of MTN Nigeria, Abuja. Sincerely speaking, the MTN Nigeria is fast recognizing the enormous function which public relations would perform if allowed into the strategic decision making level of the organization. In this contemporary society. The public scrutiny and accountability is on the increase. It is imperative therefore that good public relation should enhance goodwill and customers satisfaction in the organization.
The image of the MTN Nigeria Abuja depends on her behaviour and financial performance, her marketing polices and the quality of her products or services, the management style, approach and resultant satisfaction. The protection and maintenance of the image of MTN Nigeria Abuja is the fundamental responsibility of public relation. As the conscience of the organization and its publics, it monitors the diffusion of the programmes of the organization to know when it impinges on public opinion and welfare.
George Flangan stated that “if an individual’s contact and experience with a corporation is extensive, his proposed image of the corporation is likely to be strong, positive and relatively stable. If on the other hand, the individual’s familiarity with the corporation is slight as in most of the cases, the image will probably be weak, (negative) and unstable”. The meaning of the statement is that if the level or degree of customer’s satisfaction in any organization is high the customer tends to maintain more cordial relationship and vice-verse. It is the image of the organization that attracts popularity among the potential customers. In this sense, the only image that can last long is the one that its stand is valid, true and authentic.
No organization can satisfy its numerous public without being perceived first by the publics as trusted and dependable. The dependability of the organization depends on the degree of the comfort given to the publics and her goodwill. In relation to this, Walter Lipman asserts, “No administrative scheme is workable without good will and goodwill about strange practices is impossible without education”. In other words, any new development in MTN Nigeria Abuja that is not communicated to the public in clear terms and with clear evidences so as to elicit favourable actions to attain mutual understanding will be an effort in futility.
It is therefore important that MTN Nigeria Abuja should acquaint itself with the publics for cordiality through continuous and systematic public relations practice. It is essential that all public relations activities of the MTN Nigeria within the frame work agree and understand the corporate personality.
The modern business organization recognizing the changes in the environment, has adjusted. It has more comprehensive and positive programmes by responding to community expectations and pressures. This is the springboard of the concept of goodwill and acceptance.
However, the activities of MTN Nigeria and prospects can better be understand when examined from the point of view of its origin. To this end, below is the mark off point of MTN Nigeria.
1.1 THE HISTORY OF MTN
MTN Nigeria is part of the MTN Group, Africa's leading cellular telecommunications company. On May 16, 2001, MTN became the first GSM network to make a call following the globally lauded Nigerian GSM auction conducted by the Nigerian Communications Commission earlier in the year. Thereafter the company launched full commercial operations beginning with Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt.
MTN paid $285m for one of four GSM licenses in Nigeria in January 2001. To date, in excess of US$1.8 billion has been invested building mobile telecommunications infrastructure in Nigeria.
Since launch in August 2001, MTN has steadily deployed its services across Nigeria. It now provides services in 223 cities and towns, more than 10,000 villages and communities and a growing number of highways across the country, spanning the 36 states of the Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Many of these villages and communities are being connected to the world of telecommunications for the first time ever.
The company's digital microwave transmission backbone, the 3,400 Kilometre Y'elloBahn was commissioned by President Olusegun Obasanjo in January 2003 and is reputed to be the most extensive digital microwave transmission infrastructure in all of Africa. The Y'elloBahn has significantly helped to enhance call quality on MTN network.
The company subsists on the core brand values of leadership, relationship, integrity, innovation and can-do. It prides itself on its ability to make the impossible possible, connecting people with friends, family and opportunities.
MTN Nigeria also recently expanded its network capacity to include a new numbering range with the prefix 0806, making MTN the first GSM network in Nigeria to have adopted an additional numbering system, having exhausted its initial subscriber numbering range - 0803.
In its resolve to enhance quality customer service, MTN Nigeria has also introduced a self-help toll-free 181 customer-care line through which subscribers can resolve their frequently asked questions free of charge.
MTN's overriding mission is to be a catalyst for Nigeria's economic growth and development, helping to unleash Nigeria's strong developmental potential not only through the provision of world class communications but also through innovative and sustainable corporate social responsibility initiatives
1.3 STATEMENT OF RESEARCH PROBLEMS
Public relation can be difficult, but it can also be fun. There’s nothing more rewarding than knowing that the people you reach are walking away with valuable information whether they choose to take immediate action or not. A favourable image can help increase a company’s sales, and negative publicity can damage a company’s reputation and decrease sales. The question then is, how far has public relations been able to achieve the set objective over the years in the telecomm industry. Thus is what this research is out to examine.
1.4 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The objective of this study is to identify more efficient and effective identify way of using public relations to enhance the corporate image and good will in MTN Nigeria, Abuja.
The study also sets out to know how the various MTN Nigeria Abuja publics perceive the organization.
The study will analyse the public relations strategies and management polices of the organization in question.
It is much better to identify and know the various aims and objective of MTN Nigeria to see how far the organization has achieved them.
The direct incentives due to the customers, are they really persuasive sales strategy or not.
To analyse critically the customers remarks and responses that shall be made when questionnaires are collected to see whether MTN Nigeria will succeed as a business enterprise and coporate institutions
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
In every organization, be it social or business enterprises, there is need for unity, harmony and peace to prevail between the organization and its publics. Any organization that fails to recognize the existence of its publics will definitely fail. More so if any organization fails to take cognizance of public relations department of the organization, such organization will not accomplish its aims and objectives.
To this end , the MTN Nigeria should always give the public relations manager his proper place in the organization and should also help him function fully by giving him the necessary tools and equipment needed for his operations.
To ascertain customer perception of the image of MTN Abuja, if the perception of the organizational image when determined is bad, then one would be in a better position to advice and make necessary recommendation in order to build or enhance the image .
To know how far public relations roles will help to co-ordinate the organization and its various publics
To know some of the communication barriers faced by public relations department in the organization.
Finally to contribute to the knowledge of mass communicators and indeed to the knowledge of Nigerian in their guest for effect of image building in government parastatals.
1.6 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. Does the image of MTN Nigeria Abuja satisfy its publics so as to help attract and sustain potential customers?
2, Is MTN Nigeria Abuja facing image problem in the execution of its duties?
3. Does the political interference hamper or hinder the public relations department in MTN Nigeria from effective performance of its duties?
1.7 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES/ NULL HYPOTHESES
The researcher will test the following:
H1 The public relations role go along way in building corporate image of MTN Nigeria.
Ho. The pubic relations role does not go a long way in building corporate image of MTN Nigeria
H2. The MTN Nigeria face image problem in execution of her duties
Ho. The MTN Nigeria does not face image problem in the execution of her duties.
H3. The more political interference, the more effective the performance of public relations department.
Ho. The more political interference, the less effective the performance of public relations department.
1.8 CONCEPTUAL AND OPERATIONAL DEFINITION
definition of terms conceptual
1. Public – A particular section of the community
2. Public Relations – The procedure of programmes of activities of ensuring a link between an organization and its publics.
3. Building – This is the construction of houses that gives shelter to people.
4. Image – This is a mental picture, idea of concept of somebody or something. It could also be seen as a sensual thing perceived as an entity or a coherent which does not necessarily have something to do with reality of a situation.
5. Airline – this is an air transport business that runs a regular services.
6. Organization – This is a group with special purpose of coming together as one to operate a business ventures. It could be government or private owned.
1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS OPERATIONAL
1. Pubic The number of people who receive the services of MTN Nigeria Abuja.
2. Public relations : Mutual understanding between MTN Nigeria Abuja and its public, carried out by the public relations department
3. Building – This is the creation of establishment of good will and acceptance between the MTN Nigeria Abuja and its publics.
4. Image – The mental pictures that the publics of MTN Nigeria have on the effect of efficiency of services varied by the number.
5 Organization – Government owned paratatal known as the MTN Nigeria.
1.10 ASSUMPTIONS
It is assumed that after this study, the public relations officer would be in a better position to know the best strategy to promote the corporate image of his organization. He would be in a position to make nice goodwill for the organization as to increase its profits.
However, the management of the organization would be in a positions to equip the public relations officer, so that he can discharge his duties efficiently
1.11 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
This study is limited by the logistics, time and fund problems. This is because the subject matter of this study is one which should have made the study a national one. The topic is one which attracts public attention and interest on a national one. The topic is one, which attracts public attention and interest on a national scale. Unfortunately. It would not be handled on the required scale.
As a result of this, the researcher limited the research work at MTN Nigeria Abuja because of the limited time available. This sampling is done in MTN Nigeria Abuja.
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