An Evaluation of Public Relations Practice of Selected Tertiary Institutions in Benue and Nasarawa States in Relationship Management

Abstract

This paper entitled: "An Evaluation of Public Relations Practice of Selected Tertiary Institutions in Benue and Nasarawa States in Relationship Management" has examined whether public relations is effectively applied in managing relationships between the selected institutions and their publics or not. The design adopted by the study was survey. The Social System Theory was adopted. Data were collected through questionnaire. The questionnaire was administered on the institutions' students, staff and host community members as key publics. To complement data obtained through the questionnaire, the study further collected data by conducting oral interview with eighteen key staff of the selected institutions. Data collected were analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively. Findings revealed that although the studied tertiary institutions in Benue and Nasarawa States recognise public relations, they do not apply it effectively in managing relationships with their publics. Due to the inability of the institutions to effectively apply public relations, they do not cultivate and sustain a very healthy and strong relationship with their publics. The study, therefore, concluded that public relations is not well understood by the managements of the selected tertiary institutions. The study recommended among others, that awareness programmes should be organised for managements of tertiary institutions by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, that managements of tertiary institutions should create independent departments for public relations and employ only trained and certified public relations personnel in them to carry out public relations activities.