THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS PRACTICE IN THE OIL SECTOR (A CASE STUDY OF AFRICAN PETROLEUM PLC PORT-HARCOURT).

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS PRACTICE IN THE OIL SECTOR (A CASE STUDY OF AFRICAN PETROLEUM PLC PORT-HARCOURT).

ABSTRACT

          African petroleum Plc, a Marketer of petroleum products and chemicals, knows that public support and goodwill as well as good corporate image are very important for business success. Tends to be influenced by their publics which includes, its staff, shareholders, customers and of course members of the press.

          The company is actually very much interested to know its public problem areas and opportunities with the aim to improving the organization’s overall performance to enable them know what their public thinks about African petroleum public Relations programmes and quality of services of the organization to its publics.

The researcher therefore decided to embark on this study with the objectives.

          The objectives of the study are:

To determine the extent of AP’S public Relations messages accessibility to their publics and also find out whether AP’s public relations practices influence the opinion of their publics.

Relevant data based on the scope of the study were collected through primary and secondary data with structured questionnaire as the main instrument administered to two hundred and fifty (250) respondents comprising forty African petroleum staff, sixty share holders, one hundred and twenty customers and thirty members of the press.

The questionnaire was highly structured and open – ended where necessary. The questions and the response were very standard to facilitate comparison of responses and to secure good control of the questions, chi-square (x²) was used to analyse the hypotheses formulated.

Among the findings were that the African Petroleum Public Relations Media Message and quality of their overall services are satisfactory through their mobilization programmes and enlightment campaign but needs more efforts. AP’s Public Relation’s Practice influences their publics to favour her products through persuasive and convincing communication. The following recommendation were made; AP should always engage in a constant evaluation of their public relations practice and its effectiveness to identify any short comings. Media combination should be reviewed to always embrace appreciable coverage.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE:   INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background to the study

1.2        Statement of problem

1.3        Objective of the study

1.4        Formulation of Hypothesis

1.5        Scope of the study

1.6        Significance of the study

1.7        Definition of terms

CHAPTER TWO:  LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1     What is public relation

2.2        Role of public relations executives in

commercial out fit

2.3        Strategy and scope of public relations programmes

2.4        Frame work of public relations programme

2.5        Importance of public relations in all oil industry.

CHAPTER THREE:       RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

3.1     Sources of data

3.1.1  Primary data

3.1.2  Secondary data

3.2     Area of study

3.3     Research instrument

3.4.1 Questionnaire design/ interview questions

3.4.2  Dichotomous questions

3.4.3  Multiple choice questions

3.4.4  Open-ended questions

3.5     Sampling method used

3.5.1 Sample size and sampling techniques

3.5.2 Sample procedure

3.6     Pilot survey

3.7     Validity of the instrument

3.8     Method of investigation

3.9     Validation of instrument

3.10   Method of data analysis

CHAPTER FOUR:          DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS

4.1     Part A. a table of responses to sex

4.2        Indication of free access to AP’s public

CHAPTER FIVE:  SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1     Summary

5.2     Summary of findings

5.3     Conclusions

5.4     Recommendations

5.5     Limitations of the study

Bibliography

Appendix 1

Appendix 11

1.0    INTRODUCTION

1.1    BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

          The history of African petroleum Plc date back to 1954 when the then British petroleum BP company Limited, brought up the assets of Atlantic refining company on the West African coast Ten years later (1964) that company was incorporated in Nigeria as British Petroleum of Nigeria Limited which of course is a subsidiary of the world wide British petroleum Group that marketed petroleum product throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In 1978, the company changed from a private company to a public company, when forty percent (40%) of the shares were sold to Nigerian citizens in compliance with provisions of the Nigeria Enterprises promotions degree of 1977.

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS PRACTICE IN THE OIL SECTOR (A CASE STUDY OF AFRICAN PETROLEUM PLC PORT-HARCOURT).