Obstacles to the Empowerment of Public Relations as a Strategic Management Function in the Niger Delta Development Commission

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the main impediments to the empowerment of public relations as a strategic management function in Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC so as to make recommendations that will enhance the status of the profession and practitioners. The methodology was a case study using mainly self-administered questionnaires as the quantitative data collection method.

The survey revealed that there are 11 widely-accepted obstacles to the empowerment of public relations as a strategic management function in NDDC. Most of the identified obstacles pertain to expertise, skills, knowledge, abilities and competencies in a wide range of areas within and outside the field of public relations. The study suggests that public relations practitioners owe a responsibility to themselves and a duty to the profession to take the lead in boosting those factors and characteristics that enhance inclusion in the dominant coalition of their organizations.

Keywords: Strategic communication, dominant coalition, public relations, empowerment