THE ROLE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS IN CRISIS MANAGEMENT (A CASE STUDY OF THE ETITI IHITTE-UBOMA, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF IMO STATE)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background of the Study

Public relations play a vital role between an organization and its public. Its practice aims at establishing a two-way communication, seeking common ground or areas of mutual interest and establishing understanding based on truth, knowledge and full information. It is that indispensable bridge that fosters co-operation and understanding. With increasing intensity, the civil society is rather active than passive in the affairs that concern them. Similarly, organizations are more socially responsible in their business undertaking in reference to public opinion. The reason is not far fetched. Today’s organizations, no matter how pretentious they are, are aware that they need to build dependable relationship with their publics. However, it is obvious that no matter how hard an organization attempts to project her image, occasions arise when crisis develops and threatens the very foundation of the organization concerned.

Public relations have myriad of definitions. The British Institute of Public Relations (1994) defines it as deliberate, planned and sustained effort to establish mutual understanding between an organization and the public. The Mexican definition which was as a result of International conference held in Mexico City in 1978, says, Public relations practice is the art and social science of analyzing trend, predicting their consequences, counseling organization leader, and implementing planned programmer of action which will serve both the organization and the public interest.