Ekanem, Thelma Ededet (2021) CORPORATE COMMUNICATION AND NEW MEDIA USAGE IN SELECTED UNIVERSITIES IN SOUTH-WEST NIGERIA. ["eprint_fieldopt_thesis_type_phd" not defined] thesis, Covenant University Ota..
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Abstract
Corporate communication is an essential tool for organisational management and employed by universities to engage both the internal and external publics. The emergence of the new media has reshaped communication channels and modified strategies for information gathering, processing, dissemination and utilisation. This has however created tension between stakeholders in universities. Therefore, this study sought to identify the dominant organisational structure of corporate communication units in universities; investigate the extent of involvement of corporate communication officers in strategic planning processes of administration and corporate events in universities; and the extent to which new media are utilised by corporate communication units in selected universities in South-West, Nigeria. The study adopted Systems theory, Technological Determinism model and Uses and Gratification theory as explanatory tools. The descriptive survey research design was adopted, involving the use of questionnaire and interview research instruments. The sample size of 415 respondents was selected from six universities in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo States. The sample was made up of 150 respondents who were employees in the corporate communication units and academic staff in Departments of Mass Communication and 265 students in Mass Communication Departments of the selected universities. The purposive and simple random sampling techniques were adopted. Interviews were also conducted with the heads of corporate communication units and Mass Communication Departments. The study found that the organisational structure of corporate communication units in the selected universities varied from simple to complex organograms. Each university’s corporate communication unit was structured and operated based on the communication needs of each of the university. Corporate communication officers were not fully involved in the strategic planning processes of university administration because they were not incorporated into university management; however, corporate communication officers organised, coordinated and served more in corporate events and protocol management functions. Moreover, the study revealed that although selected universities combined both the traditional and new media to enhance communication processes, new media technologies, particularly, the social media were also utilised by universities with WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter as the dominant platforms. The result of the tested hypothesis revealed the R-value as 0. 769, which suggests that the functionality of internal communication significantly influences employees’ level of satisfaction with the new media usage in selected universities. Thus, the alternate hypothesis (Ha) was accepted. The study, therefore, proposes a uniform organisational structure for corporate communication divisions in universities in Nigeria and the need for university management to invest more in corporate communication to align with global best practices in the field. Finally, the study recommends that all stakeholders in communication management in universities should join hands in formulating policies, structure, and functions that will help to improve corporate communication practice in the appropriate units in universities.
| Item Type: | Thesis (["eprint_fieldopt_thesis_type_phd" not defined]) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Corporate Communication, Corporate Communication Units, New Media, Public Relations, Universities |
| Subjects: | T Technology > TP Chemical technology |
| Divisions: | Faculty of Law, Arts and Social Sciences > School of Social Sciences |
| Depositing User: | Mrs Patricia Nwokealisi |
| Date Deposited: | 31 Mar 2021 10:45 |
| Last Modified: | 31 Mar 2021 10:45 |
| URI: | http://eprints.covenantuniversity.edu.ng/id/eprint/13948 |
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