COMPLETE SCHOOL PROJECT TOPICS & MATERIALS :
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
It is stated that for any organization to remain viable, it must be responsive to the changing environmental variables. These variables are economic social, culture, legal, and technological forces.
However, in this work or study our concern is basically the technological environmental forces, hence the topic “influence on online marketing and electronic commerce on public relations practice in Nigeria”. Online marketing is conducted through interactive online computer system, which link consumers with sellers electronically. There are two types of online marketing channels: commercial online services and internet.
Commercial online serviced offer online information and marketing services to subscribers who [pay a monthly fee. The best known online services provider is giants America online, which has more than 21 million subscribers. Microsoft network (MSN) and prodigy trial far behind AOL with 2.45 million and 1 million subscribers respectively.
These online service provide subscribers with information (news, libraries, education, travel, sports, reference), entertainment (fun and games) shopping services, dialogue opportunities (bulletin boards forms, chat boxes), and e-mail.
After growing rapidly through the mid-1990’s the commercial online services have been overtaken by the internet as the primary online marketing channel. In fact, all of the online service films now offer internet accesses as primary services. The evolved form a network created by the defense department during the 1960’s, initially to link government labs contractors, and military installations, today, this huge, public computer network links computer users of all types all around the world. Anyone with a PC, a modern and the right software can browse the internet to obtain or share information on almost any subject and to interact with other users.
Internet usage with the development of the user friendly world web (the web) and web browser software such as Netscape navigator and Microsoft internet explore. Today, even novices can surf the internet and experiences fully
integrated text, graphics, images, and access news, food, recipes, arts, and business information. The internet itself is free although individual users usually must pay a commercial access provider to hook up to it.
Although still in their infancy, internet usage and online marketing are growing explosively. Today, some 40 million U.S households are dialing into the internet, up from just 6 million in 1994. The U.S internet, up from just 6 million in 1994. the US internet population is expected to swell to some 60 million house holds by the year 2002, total U.S. purchasing on the web is expected to skyrocket from zero in 1994 and about $130 billion in 19999 to 1.4 trillion by 2003.
The explosion of internet usage heralds the dawning of a new world of electronic commerce. Electronic commerce is the general term for a buying and selling process that is supported by electronic means. Electronic markets are “market spaces” rather than services electronically, and buyers search for information, identify what they what, and place orders using a credit card or other means of electronic payment.
The electronic commerce explosion is all around us. Here are just a few examples:
- A reporter went to buy a 35mm camera. She turns on her computer, logs onto the shopper’s advantage web site clicks on cameras, then click on 35mm cameras. A list of all the major brands appears, along
with information about each brand. She can retrieve a photo of each cameras and reviews by experts. Finding the camera she wants she places an order by typing in her credit card number address, and preferred shipping mode.
- An affluent investor decides to do his own banking and investing. He signs onto discount brokerage Charles Schwab company’s Schwab now web site www.schawb.com checks the current status of his investment account, and obtains reports on several stocks he is considering buying. After completing his research, he review current stock price and place his buy and sell orders. An executive is planning a trip to London and wants to locate a hotel that meets her needs. She sign onto the travel city web site (www.travelocity.com) and inputs her criteria (rate, locations, amenities, safely). The computer produces a list of appropriate hotels, and she can book a rook once she made her choice. Eventually, videos giving a “guided tour” of each hotel will be included in the programme.
According to Kotler and Armstrong (2001) nearly 60 percent of all internet users have the web to shop, a 15percent increase over just a year ago. Whereas business to consumer e-commerce is growing rapidly, business to business
internet commerce is exploding. Business buyers are far and away the largest web users, accounting for more than 90 percent of all e-commerce.
When people envision the typical internet users, some mistakenly envision a pasty faced computer nerd or “cyber head” other envision a young, teaching, upscale male professional. Such stereotypes are sadly outdated.
The internet population does differ demographically from the general population. As a whole, the internet population is still younger more affluent, better educated, and more male than the general population.
Internet consumers differ in their approaches buying and in their response to marketing. They are empowered consumers who have greater control over the marketing process. People who use the internet place grater value on information and tend to respond negatively to messages aimed only at selling. Whereas traditional marketing targets a some what passive audience, online marketing targets people who actively select which web sites they will visit and which and banners they will click on. They decide what marketing information they will receive about which products and services and under what of the interaction sources, making them better informed and more discerning shoppers. In fact, online buyers are increasing creators of products information, not just consumers of it. As grater number of consumers join internet groups that share product related information, “world of web” is joining of month” as an
important buying influence. Thus, the word of e-commerce will require new marketing approaches.
Public relations on the other hand is the art and social science of analyzing trends, predicting their consequences, counseling organization leaders, and implementing planning programme of action, which will serve both the organizations and the public internet.
Apparently the advent of newer technologies that is, information and communication technologies (ICT) in the past has transformed, the way that information is produced, managed, manipulated, transferred, and received. This industry encompasses telecommunications hardware (computers), software (Computer Applications and Programmes) and service.
ICTs are pervasive, cross-cutting, efficient and global. They foster the creation of networks and sharing of information. Many ICTs have zero or declining marginal costs. They lead new industries and innovative approaches to business and eliminate “Middlemen” (Digital Opportunity Initiative 2001). Throughout the world ICT is changing the nature of information dissemination communication patterns, business practices and economic development.
It is against this background that one would want to know how the ICTs have affected the operations of public relations in Nigeria knowing fully well that public relation as a management functions, want ample supply of
information at any point in time and within the shortest possible time and perhaps on a daily basis.
Perhaps one may ask certain question such as this:
- How have e-commerce and online marketing enhanced the public relations practice in Nigeria.
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How have e-commerce and online marketing influence the public relations practice in Nigeria.
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What percentage of public relation practitioners with access to the barriers faced by public relation parishioners to adoption of the internet and how such barriers can be removed.
1.1. STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
“Technologies in-use” as highlighted by lie and Sorensen (1996) addressed the micro relation between people, networks, and technology and looks at how a society domesticated and object in this process the individual consumer and for user becomes an innovator of sorts as she/he manipulated the technology to serve a specific purpose.
It is against this background that one would want to ascertain whether public relations practitioners make regular use of computer based information and communication technologies are to public relation practitioners. Also to ascertain whether lack of awareness and the required know-how on the part of public relation practitioners to operate computer have contributed to the difficulties faced by public relation practitioners in embracing these newer technologies.
1.2. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
When a technology is acquired and / or utilized? What is the relationship between the individual and the machinery? How is it absorbed and or adapted for use by individuals and communities of individuals? Technology development acts as catalyst for change. Depending on its properties, it either saves time, energy, or replaces some less efficient system for doing things in every life. How do people and institutions derive meaning from their interactions with technology?
It is based on the questions raised above that it becomes imperative to find
our.
1) The extent to which online marketing and e-commerce have affected the practice of public relations in Nigeria.
2) To find out whether accessibility is the major problem being experienced by public relation practitioners.
3) Whether indifference about the newer technologies on the [part of public relation practitioners are the problem.
4) To know the barriers faced by public relation practitioners in adopting the newer technologies.
5) To suggest ways to improve the use of these newer technology by public relation practitioners in Nigeria.
1.3. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The significance of the study is to find the extent to which online marketing and e-commerce have influenced the practice of public relations in Nigeria. Also this study will give insight into how exposed public relations practitioners are to ICTs.
The outcome of this study would be of immense benefit to public relation practitioners on the importance of embracing the newer technology to enhance their day-today activities. Lastly, the findings of the study would be of great importance to public relation researchers, as they would give insight into benefits associated with the use of ICTs to profession of public relation.
1.4. RESEARCH QUESTIONS.
- How have the online and e-commerce influenced the practice of public relations practice in Nigeria.
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Do lacks of access to newer technologies affect the way public relation practitioners discharge their duties?
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Have ICTs improve the way public relation practitioner perform their duties.
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Have indifferent attitude on the part of public relation practitioners contributed to the negative impact online marketing and e-commerce has on public relation practice in Nigeria?
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What are the barriers encountered by public relation practitioners in accessing ICTs in Nigeria in their day to day activities.
1.5. RESEARCH HYPOTHESES.
The hypotheses that will be tested in this study are:
H1 Online and e-commerce have influenced the practice of public relation practice in Nigeria.
H0 online and e-commerce have not influenced the practice of pubic relations practice in Nigeria.
H2 Lack of access to newer technologies have affected the way public relations practitioner in Nigeria discharge their duties.
H0 Lack of access to ICTs do not affecte the way public relations practitioner in Nigeria discharge their duties.
H3 The indifferent attitude on the part of PR practitioners towards ICTs has contributed to the negative impact online marketing and e-commerce have no public relations practice in Nigeria.
H0 The indifferent attitude on the part of PR practitioners towards ICTs has not contributed to the negative impact online marketing and e-commerce have no public relations practice in Nigeria.
H4 Lack of resources is one of the barriers encountered by public relation practitioners in accessing ICTs in their day to day activities.
H0 lack of resources is not one of the barriers encountered by public relation practitioners in accessing ICTs in their day to day activities.
1.6. VARIABLES
The key variables of interest in this study are the influence of online marketing and electronic commerce on the practice of public relations in Nigeria.
1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
This study will be subjected to all limitations associated with survey research. The reliability and originality of any study depends on the quality and quantity of data available. Through the intention of the researcher would have been to cover a longer period of time and a wider scope, but due to constraints of
time, paucity of fund and inconsistencies, the study was limited to Enugu State capital and Awka, Anambra State Capital. Only register member of NIPR will be studied