COMMUNICATION AS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR ACHIEVING ADMINISTRATIVE GOAL

1.0 Introduction

Communication is the act or process of using words, signs, sounds or behaviors to express or exchange your ideas, thoughts, feelings to someone else. Communication is one of the import resources in interaction, persuading and establishing of dialogue (Middleton, 1980:32).

The establishment of any organization does not only rely on the critical tasks of bringing theorganization into being, making it work. Articulating the raw materials and transferring them into finished products, but also the use of effective communication system within the organization (Chambers, 1974:84)

Effective communication is critical to any organization and can help it in many ways infact, communication play a role in product development, customer relation, employee, management-virtually every face of business operates. Employee is the key audience because they often serve as the conduct is other constituency is likely to be strong as well. Effective communication builds strong relationship.

Trust and loyalty both are boosted by communication that is focused in meeting individual needs conveyi8ng important information and providing feedbacks positive and constructive strong relationship with enteral audience also builds strong solid communication about products, services and company cultural and values.

Basically, communication touch every sphere of human activity, it informs or better still disseminate information /message to target audience. One of the peculiarities of the human race is communication among the members of the society. Communication is an essential attributes of human behavior indeed, communication is perhaps man's most important singular activity because every other human activity revolves around communication.

Animals and tress also communicate, but it is man's ability to create symbols, ascribe meaning and interpret message that elevate him above the status of the lower animals and gives form and character to his existence. All organizations encourage effective communication by having established channels (formal and informal) of transmitting information to people in all enterprises, regulatory agencies and the general public it is through good communication with business owners, board of directors, management, peers and sub-ordinates that an organization maintains good will grows and waxes.

Communication also serves as an instrument of social interaction. It helps us understand ourselves to keep in touch with their people, to understand them and to predict their response to situation, its means by which power is acquired, exercised and sustained. It is the medium through which relationships are established, extended and maintained, it provides a means by which people in business policies make decision and management and material. In business and industry, communication help to orient workers to work with on another and to achieve the good goals of the organization and it is the means by which such goals can be pursed, attained, sustained and improved.

Effective organization communication will lead to strong team work and the ability of employee of all level of the organization to work together to achieve company goals. In addition, effective organizational communication will provide employee the knowledge structure and positive work environment they need to feel confortable, dealing with conflict and resolving issues effectively.

1.1 Background of the Study

Abia state is a state in south eastern part of Nigeria. The capital is Umuahia and the major commercial city is Aba formerly a British colonial government out post. The state was created in 27th August, 1991 from part of Imo State and its citizens are predominantly Igbo people (95% of the population) it is one of the nine constituents state of the Niger Delta region.

Aba is a city and the main trading center in Abia State. Upon creation of Abia State, Aba was divided into two local government areas namely; Aba South and Aba North. Aba South is the main city center and the heart-beat of Abia State. It is localized on the Aba River. Aba was established by the Ngwa clan of Igbo people of Nigeria as a military post was placed there by the British colonial administration in 1901.

The state government is led by ademocratically elected governor who works closely with an elected state house assembly and it has 17 local government areas which Aba South is one of them. The activities in Aba South local government area, the city center of Aba have drawn the attention of the researcher which led her to use it as her case study for the research work.

Federal state and local government in the country are reputable large organizations that carter for the interest of the citizens. They formulate policies that affect them. They maintain peace and security that create a good atmosphere so people to engage in necessary and viable economic activities.

The important rate Aba South local government area of Abia State plays in administration of the state has capture the interest of the researcher to examine the working of the various arms of government for the welfare of citizens. The problem of transmitting decisions lies on the ability of officers to communicate the required information to the officers expected to deal with the matter. Officers in the service to in adequate provision of necessary input and where those inputs are provided, they are inadequately maintained and worse still treated like no man's property. Also the in availability of good roads and poor maintenance of existing one's are said to affect very largely the communication system.

On arriving at certain conclusions reached in the achievement of effectives and efficiency of communication system in the state civil service. They did not rely on existing literature in communication but carried out research work in five ministries four parietals, and one Local Government Headquarters officers because Abia Sate has a large civil service which Aba South is one of it and the researcher choose Aba South for the research.

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1.2 Statement of the Problem

All organizations set their goals and work towards achieving them but the achievement of organization goals would depend on the working attitude of management and its staff through the operation of effective communication system. Most business organization today have failed in their bid to satisfy their potential customer, not in quality or quantity of such goods and services provided but in terms of creating adequate awareness and enlightenment to its customers, the kind of communication system adopted in the service are written, oral or face to face discussion. Transportation, telephone, intercom and committee meeting. Type downward and upward and literal flow and the media have been formal to present some problems in acquiring effective communication.

The problem that impede effective communication in Aba South local government Abia Sate have been traced to:

1. Organizational structure of ministries and department which case result in conflict between officers with consequent effect on communication system from one scheduled officer to the other.
2. Inadequate resources: These has barely affected effective communication equipment and sound transport system to transmit massage to offices in the seventeen (17) local government areas from the state capital are not adequately provided and where they are provided. They become unserviceable and therefore serve no effective purpose.
3. The bureaucratic system of the service: This implies that traditional legal authority arise out of the office or position of the person in authority as bounded by Max Weber, while to the present day is regarded as an effective management system for a large organization.
4. Human factors, the attitude of all cadres of serving officers in the executive of their duties particularly at this period of minimum wage issue.

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1.3 Objectives of the Study

The purpose of the study is to:

1. Know the important of communication in Aba South Local Government Area in particular and Nigeria at large.
2. Identify the problems that impede effective communication in the State public service and make recommendations on how remedy the situation.
3. Identify the causes why some senior officer keep secret to their subordinates for their personal benefit thereby delaying unduly information intended to reach the public and to treat the problems.
4. Encourage the senior officers in the state civil service to establish an environment and a chain or relationship with the staff which encourages the transmission of suggested changes in procedure, problems to be resolved, and difficulties encountered and proposed solution.Since the importance of communication in the Nigeria civil service cannot be over emphasized.

Information are expected to move from the line of operations up to the top in order that senior officers and policy making may be sound, and decisions at the top flows to the very root of the organization if well planned productive action results.

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1.4 Research Question

• Does the kind and types of communication system used, seriously affect communication system in the service?
• Does lack of adequate training of officers handling communication gadgets poor selection and placement of officers impede effective communication?
• Is communication delayed in the services when the schedule officer is not around?
• What do civil servants need in other to work effectively in the Nigeria public service?

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1.5 Significance of the Study

This study intends to find out the impact effective communication has on the organization and how it aids in achieving administrative goal. The study is also important to managers to know how to achieve business objectives though the implementation of an effective communication system.

The research work offers researchers the opportunity of finding out how the public think of the Abia state civil service bureaucrats and the sometime to portray one of the root caucused mismanagement in the system in order to achieve some self-set dysfunctional objectives. The research is also important because it is a requirement for the award of higher national diploma(HND) in mass communication department federal Polytechnic Nekede Owerri.

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1.6 Scope of Study

The broad topic of this project is on communication as an effective tool for achieving administrative goal. The main focus however is on effective communication in Aba south local government area of Abia state.

The study will therefore, cover all the avidities engaged by the Aba south communication system.

There are other related co-operation where relevant data in relation to the above topic can be gotten but the researcher decided to restrict the study with in the boundary of Aba south local government of Abia state.

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1.7 Limitations of the Study

The research is limited to some departments and parietals in Aba south local government, Abia state civil service due to some problems which include.

• Financial constraint
• Vastness of co-operation from respondents
• Time factor

In the process of understanding this research work, the cost involved in transporting data for processing information, and the production of materials that are needed cannot be over emphasized. Inadequate time is another factor owing to give to the fact that officers of the company have little time to give me attention while others pay no attention at all. In view of these few selected ministries and perastatals were chosen by the researcher for effective research.