UNDERSTANDING WORKPLACE COMMUNICATION FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF MANAGEMENT/STAKEHOLDERS' RELATIONS: A DEVELOPMENT APPROACH IN LAFARGE PLC, CROSS RIVER STATE, NIGERIA.

Abstract

From attention to orgall spheres of life, development is a phenomenon that attracts a uniqueness from multiple spectra of human activities, therefore, to achieve development, a lot of human efforts come into play, one of such human efforts is ability to communicate. Communication is the wheel that spins round every human activities, so one area of human endeavours where Communication cannot be downplayed is in the workplaces. Workplaces, all over the world, form the network of economic activities, but most often, there are breaks in Communication orchestrated by the managements of these companies, therefore causing the companies to loose patronage. This study looked at the communication relationship between Lafarge African Plc and its stakeholders. The study was premised on two theories, the Henri Fayol's administrative management theory, where he emphasised on approach to management and increasing productivity by paying anisational structure and human behaviour, and Scudder's communication theory that proposes communication as the essence of life. Two focus groups of management staff and employees at the juniour cadre were interviewed separately. The findings show that there is no effective Communication between Lafarge Plc and its stakeholders because of the absence of a functional professional Communication department in the company. The study recomends, among other things, that the company engages the services of Communication experts to handle official communication with stakeholders.