PUBLIC RELATIONS AS A MANAGEMENT FUNCTION: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THREE PARASTATALS IN THE NIGERIAN AVIATION INDUSTRY

ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to ascertain the extent to which public relations was practiced as management function by government Parastatals in the Nigerian aviation industry. Among other things, it sought to know the level of public relations personnel’s involvement in major management functions such as planning, policy formulation, decision-making, budgeting, staff recruitment and other staff matters, communication with external publics and so on. The survey research method was used to obtain information from respondents. The unit of analysis is head of Public Relations department of each organization. A sample of three respondents was purposively selected from the major sectors of the aviation industry to cover regulation, airport management and airspace management. All three respondents returned the self-administered questionnaires. Percentage distribution of the value of variables was undertaken. The study found that all organizations have functional Public Relations departments. All Public Relations Practitioners were discovered to be members of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR). Only one out of three reported directly to the Managing Director, while the others were reporting to Director of Administration and Director of Legal/Corporate Services. Only one of them attends management meeting while others are just on the same level as other heads of units. All respondents were not satisfied with their budgetary allocations to effectively cover their PR proposals. Based on these findings, the study concluded that there was no widespread acceptability of public relations as a management function yet in the Nigerian aviation industry. Ultimately, the role of public relations in management is still at a low level.
TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGES Title Page  Certification  Dedication  Acknowledgement Abstract Table of Contents 
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 
CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW 
CHAPTER THREE METHOD OF STUDY 
CHAPTER FOUR DATA ANALYSIS 
CHAPTER FIVE SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION  BIBLIOGRAPHY