ABSTRACT
This study sought to evaluate the
crisis management strategies used by the Public Relations departments of
Nigerian universities in handling crisis situations and also the effectiveness
of these strategies. These objectives were born out of the prevalence of crisis
in Nigerian universities which has become an issue of concern. The study was
anchored on one theory (Human Relations Theory of Management) and one model
(Public Relations Transfer Process Model). In meeting the research objectives,
the study adopted the explanatory mixed method. The purposive and proportionate
stratified sampling techniques were used in selecting the sample for the study.
A sample size of 399 was used for the questionnaire while a sample size of 20
was used for the in-depth interview. The study was divided into two phases.
Whereas data for the first phase were collected through questionnaire from
undergraduate students and staff of selected Nigerian universities in the
South-East (ABSU, EBSU, IMSU, NAU and UNN), data for the second phase were
collected through in-depth interview with the PROs, ASUU and SSANU chairmen and
SUG presidents of these universities. Data obtained were analyzed
quantitatively and qualitatively. Data obtained through questionnaire were
analyzed using frequency tables, percentages and ANOVA while data obtained
through interview were analyzed qualitatively. It was found that the Public
Relations departments adopt good strategies such as communicating to staff and
students and involving staff and students in management decision making. Yet,
further finding revealed that these strategies have not helped in reducing the
rate of crisis in universities, based on the fact that these strategies are not
often used. Other factors that hinder the effectiveness of these strategies
were revealed to be inability of the management to accord Public Relations its
rightful position, inadequate fund and staff to carry out PR functions. It is
based on these findings that the study recommends that the strategies such as
prompt listening and response to the needs and welfare of staff and students, participatory
communication and involvement of staff and students in decision making should
be strictly adopted and adhered to by the management and PROs of universities.
The study further recommends that the management should accord great importance
to Public Relations by recognizing it at the top management level.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page
Table of Contents
List of Tables
List of Figures
Abstract
CHAPTER ONE:
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
1.2 Statement of the Problem
1.3 Objectives of the Study
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Significance of the Study
1.6 Scope of the Study
1.7 Definition of Key Terms
References
CHAPTER TWO:
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Focus of the Review
2.2 Conceptual Review
2.2.1 Definition and Meaning of Public Relations
2.2.2 Public Relations as management function
2.2.3 The concept of crisis
2.2.4 Conventional Crisis Management Plans or
Strategies
2.2.5 History of students’ crisis in Nigerian
Universities
2.2.6 Staff Unions and University Administration
2.2.7 Public Relations in crisis management
2.3 Empirical Review
2.4 Theoretical Framework
2.4.1 Human Relations Theory of Management
2.4.2 Public Relations Transfer Process Model
References
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research Design
3.2 Population of Study
3.3 Sample Size
3.4 Sampling Technique
3.5 Measuring Instruments
3.6 Method of Administering Instruments
3.7 Validity of Instruments
3.8 Reliability of Instruments
3.9 Method of Data Presentation and Analysis
References
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
4.1 Quantitative Analysis
4.1.1. Demographic Data
4.1.2. Psychographic Data
4.1.3. Research Question One: What type of crisis is most
common in Nigerian Universities?
4.1.4 Research
Question Two: What have been the causes of these crises and how often do they
occur?
4.1.5 Research
Question Three: What are the various strategies used by the Public Relations
units of Nigerian universities?
4.1.6. Research
Question Four: How effective are these strategies used in ameliorating crises
in universities?
4.1.7. Research Question Five: What control measures
could be used to handle future crises in Nigerian Universities?
4.2: Qualitative Analysis
Part 1: Analysis of data obtained from the Public
Relations Officers of
selected universities
4.2.1. Research Question 1:
What type of crises are most common in Nigerian Universities?
4.2.2. Research Question 2:
What have been the causes of these crises, and how often do they occur?
4.2.3. Research Question 3:
What are the various strategies used by the Public Relations Units of Nigerian
Universities in managing crises?
4.2.4. Research Question 4:
How effective are these strategies in ameliorating crises in the university
system?
4.2.5. Research Question 5:
What control measures could be used to handle future crises in Nigerian
Universities?
Part 2: Analysis of Data
obtained from selected universities ASUU Chairmen
4.2.6. Research Question 1:
What type of crises are most common in Nigerian Universities?
4.2.7. Research Question 2:
What are the causes of these crises, and how often do they occur?
4.2.8. Research Question 4:
How effective are these strategies used in ameliorating crises in the
university system?
4.2.9. Research Question 5:
What control measures could be used to handle future crises in Nigerian
Universities?
Part 3: Analysis of responses
obtained from SSANU chairmen of selected Universities
4.2.10. Research Question 1:
What types of crises are most common in Nigerian universities?
4.2.11. Research Question 2:
What have been the causes of these crises and how often do they occur?
4.2.12. Research Question 4:
How effective are these strategies used in ameliorating crises in the
university system?
4.2.13. Research Question 5:
What control measures could be used to handle future crises in Nigerian
Universities?
Part 4: Analysis of responses
obtained from SUG presidents of the selected Universities
4.2.14. Research Question 1:
What type of crisis is most common in Nigerian universities?
4.2.15. Research Question 2:
What are the causes of these crises and how often do they occur?
4.2.16. Research Question 4:
How effective are these strategies used in ameliorating crises in the
university system?
4.2.17. Research Question 5: What control measures could
be used to handle future crises in Nigerian Universities?
4.3 Discussion of Findings
4.3.1: Research Question One: What type of crisis is most
common in Nigerian universities?
4.3.2: Research Question Two: What have been the causes
of theses crises and how often do they occur?
4.3.2: Research Question Three: What are the various
strategies used by the Public Relations units Nigerian universities in managing
crises?
4.3.4: Research Question Four: How effective are these
strategies used in ameliorating crises?
4.3.5: Research Question Five: What control measures
could be used to handle future crises in Nigerian Universities?
4.4 Limitations of the Study
References
CHAPTER FIVE:
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary
5.2 Conclusion
5.3 Recommendations
References
BIBIOGRAPHY
APPENDIX
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
to the study
Crisis as an
inevitable phenomenon in every organisation always emerges between
organisations and their stakeholders. It connotes an event, issue or occurrence
that violates the natural order of things and produces a destructive force or
threat to the organization. Though crises exist in various sectors, the rate at
which they arise in the Nigerian university system is alarming, resulting in
disruption of academic programmes. An instance was the protest led by the
Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and its sister unions at the
University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) on January 6, 2014, which disrupted academic
activities as both campuses at Nsukka and Enugu remained closed at the
beginning of the 2013/2014 academic session, (Nigerian Newsworld Magazine,
Jan 2014).
The goal of university education is pursued through its main
functions and activities of teaching, research, dissemination of existing and
new information, service to the community, and being a storehouse of knowledge
(FRN, 1981). In carrying out these functions, there are always conflicts within
and among the categories of people within the university community, namely
students, academics, administrators, non-academics and their unions. These
categories of people have different purposes and expectations from the
university. The non-academics who perform support- functions might feel
unappreciated by both the superior academics and the potentially more
prestigious students. The administrators might also clash with students and
staff in carrying out their functions of recruitment, admission, examination
and provision of welfare services for the staff and students. Also, the
academics have a complex dual role of teaching and research. These two roles,
though reinforce one another,
Section 46 of the
constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004, asserts that Universities
(and other tertiary institutions) shall pursue educational goals provided in
section 45 through, among others, teaching; research and development; virile
staff development programmes; generation and dissemination of knowledge, to
mention a few. In spite of the laudable goals and objectives which Universities
are expected to perform, the various problems and constraints which confront
them have practically made it impossible for these objectives to be realized.
Arikewuyo (n.d) in
his study confirmed that “the University system in Nigeria has witnessed a lot
of turbulent experiences. The crisis has been characterized by a combination of
chronic under-funding, rapidly increasing student enrolment, inadequacy of
facilities, deterioration of physical infrastructure, a growing culture of
arbitrariness and suppression in managing the institutions, demoralization of
staff and students, incessant student riots and periodic staff strikes”.
Efforts at solving and ameliorating these problems have often led to collision
between the government and staff unions on one hand, and between university
administration and staff unions on the other, (p. 16).
Also, Mbajiorgu’s study (1996, p.1) revealed that “students’
crisis has become a recurrent phenomena in Nigerian tertiary institutions. The
recurrence of this unrest has reached a magnitude that calls for urgent
attention that is needed to rescue Nigeria’s collapsing higher institution”.
The findings from Okpoko’s (2004) work equally revealed that there were no
complimentary channels of communication to the students; and that Public
Relations is not in management level capacity in universities. Similarly,
Adebayo (2009) in his study titled ‘Students-Authority crisis in Nigerian
Universities’ observed that Student versus authority crisis seems to be as old
as the institution of formal education itself. Aina (1977), cited by
Although
crises in Nigerian universities started since the advent of university
education in the country, Mbajiorgu, (1996, p.1) quoting Effiong stated that
the first fatal students crisis in Nigerian Universities was “the University of
Ibadan violent protest of 1960, during which the students clashed with the
police over the Anglo-Nigerian defence Pact”. Nigerian
students aware of the British government’s
intention to establish a military base in Nigeria and by so doing perpetuate a
neo-colonial state, decided to stage a protest against the proposed
Anglo-Nigerian Defence pact in Lagos on November 14, 1960.
The review of some
literature revealed that the main cause of crisis in the university system
however, is the communication gap or information breakdown as well as the
insensitivity of the university authorities to the needs and aspirations of the
relevant stakeholders, which constantly result in misunderstanding and
disagreement between these stakeholders and the university management. Other
contributing factors to crises were found to include: competition for scarce
resources, perceived goal incompatibility, drives for autonomy and academic
freedom, management style of universities, differences in values and lifestyles,
politics and national issues, inadequate infrastructure and poor university
administration among others. In addition to conflicts arising from situations
intrinsic to the university, some arise due to political objectives outside the
university.
Another cause of crisis is the existence of anti-social
organisations in Nigerian universities. The presence of secret cults in our
tertiary institutions has added another serious dimension to the problem of
crisis experienced today in Nigerian universities. Fatile,J.O &
Adejuwon,K.D (2011) in their study were of the opinion that because of the
importance of......
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