Assessment of Public Relations Roles in Stakeholder's Relationship Management in the Ghanaian Banking Sector (A Case of Ecobank Ghana Limited- Head Office)

Abstract

The primary aim of this study was to examine the role of public relations in managing the relationships with organizational key stakeholders with specific reference to Ecobank Ghana. Specifically, the objectives was to identify the PR roles and functions in Ecobank and how it promotes stakeholders' (customers) relationship, the communication strategy that Ecobank uses to engage key stakeholders (customers), the communication methods that Ecobank deploy to manage their key stakeholders (customers), and to describe the challenges of public relations practice in Ecobank in terms of relationship management. The mixed approach (qualitative and quantitative) to research was adopted to collect data from 200 respondents and 2 (in-depth interview) management staff of Ecobank Ghana. Both purposive and convenience sampling techniques were used for the selection of respondents for the study. The findings of the study revealed that management style in term of PR roles and functions had a more significant positive stakeholder relationship with their stakeholders. Additionally, the provision of customer service department to receive complaints and feedback is one of the strategies being employed at Ecobank for customers in order to foster good stakeholder relationship. The study concluded that it is the quest of every organization to see its stakeholders exhibit the best organizational practices and behaviors at all levels as a result proper implementation of PR roles and functions. It was however recommended that Organizations that desire to get stakeholders to exhibit the highest level of good relationship as a result of best PR practices not only encourage the Presence of PR department but must get a highly competent PR manager to steer the affairs of good stakeholder relationship management. It also is therefore recommended that on no account should management appoint another person from a different department to steer the affairs of a vacant PR manager position.