PUBLIC RELATIONS EVALUATION TECHNIQUES AND MANAGEMENT OF ORGANIZATIONAL REPUTATION IN SELECTED REGULATORY AGENCIES IN NIGERIA.

The study became necessary due to seeming public displeasure on regulation of services in electricity and telecommunications owing to obvious lapses and unsatisfactory service delivery by electricity distribution companies and telecommunication service providers. The study adopted the survey method. The study found that there are knowledge and skill-set gaps in terms of Public Relations evaluation techniques in the Public Relations practices of the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission NERC). The research also identifies financial and budgetary constraints and lack of management appreciation as deriving from these gaps. The research concludes that there is lack of extensive use of Public Relations evaluation techniques in the management of organizational reputation at the NCC and NERC. The Study therefore recommends that specific units for Public Relations measurements and evaluation be set up in the Public relations sections of NCC and NERC while making sure that only practitioners certified by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations are engaged to handle Public Relations and should be trained continuously to acquire modem skills.