1.0. Introduction
1.1. Background of the Study
Communication is basic to an organization existence. It is one of the most common activities people engaged in, infact, feeling and idea must be communicated before meaningful decisions can be made and it must continue if the objective of the organization is to be achieved. Managers spend more of their time communicating to coordinate human and physical element of the organization into an efficient and effective working unit.
Communication is so important that without it an organization cannot function. Since an organization is a group of people associated for business, political, religious, social or other purposes. It's activities require human being to interact and react to exchange information, ideas, plans and proposal, to coordinate and to make decision, both within and outside the organization.
Communication is the life wire of every organizations and its effectiveness determines the extent of success in the organization, business come as well in the managers personal life. When communication fail, organized and coordinated activities also falls. in the view of random and Hatherman (1968) by communication, it means the flow of materials, information machinery may cripple the activities of an organization. The study is therefore aimed of finding out how effective communication contributes to organization performance.
The Imo state is located in the south Eastern Region of Nigeria, it was created on February 3rd 1976, when the former east central lies between Latitude 4o45, and 6o15, North, longitude 6o30, and 8o09 east. It is bordered on the North by Anambra state, on the south and west by rivers states and on the east by cross rivers state.
The head of government ministry is the civil commissioner, he is also the political head of his ministry. The permanent secretary is the administrative head (a civil servant) he is also the accounting officer for the ministry.
The ministry of health is responsible for the two entry-one government hospitals including a civil service and three dental centres.
Health service in Imo state are controlled by the state ministry of health, it is the statutory function of that ministry to inspect, approve and register hospitals and other health institutions in the state. The ministry also disburses government's grant in aid to joint and voluntary agency hospitals.
The Imo state ministry of health is responsible for implementation the state policy on health which is to provide a comprehensive, assessable, affordable health care delivery system that is efficient and effective for a held and productive for Imo population, the ministry of health achieves this purpose through eight (8) main departments.
- Administration department
- Accounts and supply department
- Planning, research and statistics
- Primary and public health department
- Vector control and labouratory service department
- Nursing service department
- Medical services department.
- Drug administration department
Besides the (8) eight department of the ministry also helps to implement the state policies, through the hospital management, but which provide secondary care services through the nineteen (19) state general hospitals in the state. The ministry of health also implement government policy through health institutions were Amigho school of health technology, school of midwifery Awomamma and school of nursing Owerri and school of public health Owerri.
The midwifery school: six hospitals in the state run midwifery school. They are General Hospital, Aba, they Holy Rosary Hospital Emekuku etc.
The school of nursing: They are four hospitals in the state approved for the training of nurses according to the stipulations of the nursing council of Nigeria. The hospitals are; the General Hospital Aba, Afikpo, Umuahia, and Mater Miseri Cordac Hospital etc.
The ministry of health has the helm of the permanent secretary, director and hos of professional and non professional who sited to run day to day activities.
1.2 Statement of the Problems
Basically, there are problems that occur when communication is not effective in the running of an organization some of this are.
- Poor communication in some cases has led to breakdown of laws and order in an organization.
- Poor communication may affect harmonious industrial relationship between employee and management.
- The cost of poor communication are various and include misunderstanding, west inefficiency poor moral, feeling confusion and many other negative consequences.
- Poor communication might lead to breakdown in labour relation, which might caused industrial actions and disruption of production runs.
The problem posed by poor communication shall be studied with a view to improving communication in organization, hereby reducing the degrees associated with gaps in information flows.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The purpose of this study is:
- To establish the importance of communication in an industry.
- To examine the dangers posed by poor communication in organization.
- To identify various ways to improve organization performances.
- To examine the nature of pattern of managing communication and its effect in industry.
- To identify ways of checking poor communication in an organization.
- To investigate how organizational policies and communication establishment by Imo state ministry of health Owerri.
This is very important to examine the organization structure in relation to channels of communication.
1.4 Research Questions
- How can the performance and effort of the effective communication improve the objectives of the organization?
- How can the head of government ministry become the civil commissioner and also the political head of his ministry?
- What are the qualities one should apply before communication could be achieved in an organization?
- What are the achievements of the ministry of Imo state?
- Who is responsible for health care delivery in the state both in the public and private sector?
1.5 Statement of Hypothesis
- Ho: There is no significant relationship between effective communication and organizational objective.
- Hi: There is a significant relationship between effective communication and organizational objective.
- Ho: Poor or distorted communication does not hinder organizational efficiency.
- Hi: Poor or distorted communication hinders organizational efficiency.
1.6 Significance of the Study
The project work shall be relevant in various ways:
- The outcome of this project shall be useful to the management of ministry of health Imo state.
- The project work shall also serve as reference material to other researchers wishing to examine the finding of this research work more critically.
- The student of public administration will also find this research very useful.
- The research work would also help other firms in the communication sub-sector to know the importance of communication in the modern world.
1.7 Scope of the Study
The study was carried out to find out the role of effective communication in improving organizational efficiency. The study focused on Imo state ministry of health.
1.8 Limitation of the Study
There are some short comings in this research work which makes it not really easy for me. The major shortcomings are:
Time:
The time was not enough, also the project was carried out with other academic assignments.
Finance:
Money was major factor that constructed research work, since most students did not find it easy to raise money for all materials needed.
Transportation:
Transportation was not easy because of the increase in the price of petroleum product, the transportation fare change making it more expensive for me to achieve the research work.
1.9 Definition of Terms
Communication:
It is a process by which information is passed between an individual and a group
Organization:
This consist two or more people coming together for a purpose. It is also a group of people who form a business e.g. companies, hospitals, churches, government agencies, ministry organization and institution.
Information:
This means message conveyed which services as a source of decision making in an organization.
Downward Communication:
This is a system in which communication flows the upper level of an organization to the lower level. It can also be said to be communication from superior to the subordinate.
Upward Communication:
This refers to information that flows from the lower to upper levels in the organization.
