CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Crisis emerged in the universe right from the beginning of man and remain a reoccurring variable or decimal but not without effects. Man’s interaction with the environment coupled with the sophistication of the present age, survival of the fittest has become the order of the day. Thus, people get involved in many activities with the prime objective to satisfy their basic or primary needs (psychological and safety) and secondary needs (social, esteem and self fulfillment).

In the process to achieve these needs crisis always emerge either between employee and the management of an organization and groups strive to win a bigger scheme of the market as to make profit than rivals which will result in intensive competition and finally to crisis.

Presently, hardly is there any day without news of crisis from our media, whether religion, political or industrial crisis. Of a truth, crisis has been with us for centuries but the spate of current violent crisis in organization, government and communities portent great anger and threaten the growth and stability of the mention areas and the society in general. This situation requires appropriate measures and structures to manage properly these evil called crises.  

1.2     STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

From the above background, it’s obvious that crisis is a negative relevant that is highly unwelcomed. Crisis deavelqerate growth and brings instability in politics, it brings about unhealthy competition, destruction of life and property as well as lost of life. This development is critical as foreign and domestic investors will be skeptical that their huge investment wouldn’t be safe, fear and insecurity as well as lack of trust and confidence will prevail.

Thus, for the continuity of development, the country to be guarantee, the need for public relations roles in management of crisis cannot be over stated or emphasized.

1.3     PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The nucleus objective of this research is to investigate how to manage and possibly reduce the frequency and channel crisis to a more productive activity to promote development in the region.

Specifically the research purpose includes:

(i)      To trace the causes of crisis

(ii)     To examine the previous methods that will be employed on crisis in the region

(iii)    To explain why there have been unsuccessful management of crisis and to offer suggested solutions on how to handle crisis.

1.4     RESEARCH QUESTION

The researcher has mapped out vital research a question which needs to be answere as follows:

(i)      Does a public relations strategy play a significant role in crisis management in Rivers State?

(ii)     Does intolerance among ethnic groups cause crisis in the State?

(iii)    Does crisis among ethnic group in the state discourages foreign investment?

1.5     RESEARCH  HYPOTHESIS

(i)      Ho:    Public relations strategies does not play a

significant role in crisis management.

(ii)     HO2: Intolerance among ethnic group does not cause

crisis in the state.

(iii)    HO3: Crisis among ethnic groups in the state does not

discourage foreign direct investment.

1.6     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will benefit many co-operate organization and government officials in crisis management and few work have been done on the subject. Also it will serve as a starting point for other researchers who will be interested in the subject of this research, it will also be beneficial to communities and public relations experts as more knowledge has been gained from the research.

1.7     SCOPE OR DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The scopes of this study covers the entire Rivers State and specifically discuss causes of crisis and the activities of corporate organization on crisis issues and the role of public relations in crisis management.

This researcher faced some obstacles in the course of gathering data among the barriers were few works have been done on the subject matter. Thus, few interactive existed.

Also, the unwillingness of some respondents and government officials to provide information was another problem. Finally the financial constraints made it difficult for the researcher to reach a wider public at the time frame was too short.

1.8     DEFINITION OF TERMS

The meaning of key words that constitute the research work would be defined as a sub-heading to ensure proper and easy understanding of the study.

The following salient concepts have been conceptually defined for the study.

COMMUNICATION; James (1990), defined communication as the channels and visual aids against enemy or unfriendly, interception for intelligence purpose.

Chappen et al (1984) explained it to be the army means by which a thought is transferred.

Eyre (1983), defined communication as the transferring of a message to another part so that it can be understood and acted upon.

       CRISIS: Nwosu (1996) defined crisis as an unstable situation of extreme danger or difficulty. Any life can take on crisis proportion if it is experienced as sudden, intense, unexpected it can also be emotionally.

       CRISIS MANAGEMENT: Black (1991) defined crisis management as the process by which organization deals with any major unpredictable event that threatens to harm the organization, it is responding to unforeseen circumstance with no time to plan ahead.

       MANAGEMENT: Weihrich (1994), defined management as the process of designing and maintaining an environment in which individuals working together in groups efficiently accomplish selected aims through planning, organizing, staffing, leading and controlling.

       PUBLIC RELATIONS: Frank (1987) also defined public relations as the forms of planned communication outward or inward between an organization and its public for the purpose of achieving specific objectives concerning mutual understanding.