APPLICATION OF MARKETING CONTROL TECHNIQUES IN MANUFACTURING FIRMS
ABSTRACT
The topics of this research work are the application of marketing control techniques in manufacturing firms in Enugu east local government: A case study of Emenite Limited Emene Enugu. In order to peruse this investigation property, the following research objectives were formulated namely: To investigate to what extent manufacturing firms have forma plans for their activities. To determine whether the application of marketing control has any effect on the achievement of the corporate goals and objectives of their organizations. To find out the specific areas where the application off marketing control are necessary, etc. The researcher adopted the survey technical in carrying out this research work. A total number of one hundred and eighty (180) respondents formed the population of this study. This number was however statistically reduced to a sample of one hundred and twenty four (124) respondents using the Yaro Yamane sample size formula. The data were gathered mainly through questionnaires, interviews and direct observation. A total number of one hundred and twenty four (124) questionnaires were printed and distributed to the selected respondent but only one hundred and two (102) of such questionnaires were properly filled and returned and final analysis was based on this figure. To analyze data collected, the researcher made use of simple percentage as well as tables. Based on the analysis, the researcher discovered among other that: Apart from the other control, techniques, sales analysis, market share analysis, marketing audit and profitability checks are the most frequently used techniques in Emenite Limited Enugu. The Female workers at Emenite Limited is fewer in number than the male counterparts. This should be employed. Emenite Limited does not sell their product to customers directly but make use of middlemen in the distribution of their products, etc. Based on these findings, the researchers recommended among other that Emenite limited should Endeavour to sustain its current effort to apply marketing control system in their operations. Apart from the techniques. Listed above, the company should try new ones like ratio analysis, sales variance, etc. Emenite should revisit their employment policy to create room for more woman to be employed. Emenite should open an avenue for customer to buy some of their products directly. Conclusively, the importance of applying marketing controls in manufacturing firm cannot be overemphasized; and the goals of the company will be achieved if the recommendations made are utilized.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1: 1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Marketing plays a dominant role in the successful management of business in the world of Drucker [1973; 9] business enterprises have two basic functions, marketing and innovation. Only marketing and invocation produce results; all the rest are cost. Marketing as the only revenue generating functions; must make plan attempts to implement and control such plans to the extent that its objectives are achieved.
Developing good strategies and tactics, after analysis the marketing environment are only the beginning toward the successful managing of the marketing efforts, usually surprise occurs during the implementation of marketing department therefore must engage in marketing control system and essential in making sure that the company operate efficiency and effectively. As a plan implementation and control are related. All resource available to any business whether human or otherwise must be mobilized into a daily; monthly, yearly and even annual activities that will cause the strategic plan to work well. Management should develop its basics control process along the following step as suggested by Koontz and Weihrich [1988; 540
-establishing standard
-measurement of performance and
-correct of deviations
Standards may be in the form of short term goal and long term objectives which should be measured against actual result and corrective action should be taken when necessary. When actual performances deviates greatly from annual plans, the corrective plans may be to adjust objectives and long term objectives which should be measured against actual result and corrective actions. Would be taken when necessary. Where actual performance deviates greatly from annual plans, the corrective action may be to adjust objectives and goals by making them realistic and attainable.
A number of techniques have been developed overtime and these are readily used in marketing management across the globe kotler[1980;640-644]broadly classified marketing control process into four categories namely;
1. Annual plan control; sales analysis; marketing ratio analysis; market share analysis and consumer attitude tracking.
2. Profitability control; consisting of effort to determining profitability of different products, territories, trade channel and consumer groups.
3. Efficiency control; means determining more efficient ways of managing sales force advertising, sales promotion and distribution.
4. Strategies control; consists of efforts aimed at periodically examine whether a company basics strategratics marched to its opportunities.
Marketing control techniques as a component of the marketing information system must be able to provide information to management about performance. Interestingly, a good management will like to know which product sales and highest and why, whether the product is profitable; what is selling and at what cost. very often; the traditional accounting report are usually of little help to the manager ;a company account might be showing an overall profit arising from the business. Without specifying which of the centre is doing very fine and which is not?
A detailed breakdown of firm’s sales records can be very useful and informative such breakdown can update marketing executives who have been out of touch. Additionally, routine sales analysis prepared weekly; monthly or even yearly may show trend thus permitting marketing executing to check their basics assumptions about performances, [kotler1986].
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE STUDY
The important of marketing control techniques in the efficient management of companies cannot be over stressed.
Thus in the word of Mocker [1972:2] marketing or management control is a systematic effort to set performances standard with planning objectives, to design information feedback system, to compare actual performances with those per-determined standard, to determine whether there are deviation and to measure their significance, and also to take any action necessary to ensure that all corporate resources are being used in the most effective and efficient way possible in achieving corporate objectives.
This view was also supported by Udeagha (1999:281) when he defined management control as consisting all the measures undertaken by an organization to measure performances against standard to ensure that the planned organization activities objectives and goal are achieved.
Notwithstanding the positive views; expressed by these two authors above, evidences abound that most of the companies do not apply marketing control in their day to day operations.
This view was expressed when Kotler (1980:729) argued that in spite of the need for effective marketing control; many companies have inaugurate control procedures. He recent further to argue that many companies fall to compare them price with competition to analysis warehousing and distribution costs, to analysis the cause of returned merchandize, to conduct formal evaluation of advertising effectiveness, and to review their sales-forces reports.
The negative attitude of some companies towards the application of marketing techniques control for their operations as pointed in one of the major factors that stimulated to researcher to embark on this study. The ideas was to find out whether Enemite Limited as a roofing sheet manufacturing company based in Enugu applies the concept of marketing control in its operation and the findings of the study to make some recommendations.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The researcher work was embarked upon to achieve the following objective
i. To investigate to what extent manufacturing firm time formal plans for their activities.
ii. To determine whether the application of marketing control has any effect on the achievement of the corporate goals and objectives of their organization
iii. To find out the specific area where the application of marketing control are necessary.
iv. To determine the various marketing control techniques available in their company.
v. To determine whether the application of marketing control techniques enhance a firm’s competitive position.
vi. To ascertain the most frequently used marketing control techniques among manufacturing firms.
vii. To make recommendation based on the findings of the researcher work that will ensure improved productivity and efficiency.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following research question is formulated by the researcher in line with the objective of the study. The researcher questions includes
1. To what extent has manufacturing firm made formals plans for the activities?
2. What effect has the application of the marketing control on the achievement of the corporate goals and objectives of the manufacturing firm?
3. In what specific areas do your companies apply marketing control?
4. What are various techniques used by the manufacturing firm in the marketing control activities?
5. In what ways can the application of marketing control techniques enhance a firms in the manufacturing firms?
6. What are the most frequently used marketing control techniques used by the manufacturing firms
1. 5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The main purposes of this study is to investigate the application of marketing control techniques in manufacturing firms in Enugu east local government area and determine whether it’s one is prevalent among firms. The study will also attempt to find out it control techniques which will be made between the firms based on their types and size defined by the annual sale level or turnover. Information generated in this study will be immensely helpful to marketing executives of Emenite Limited Enugu in the control of marketing programmers in terms of sales goal and objectives, cost and the exploitation of opportunities available, marketing manager should be able to check their basics assumptions about performance.
Furthermore marketing manager will be in a position to determine problems area which would have been submerged and this proffer solution that will improve performances. It will also benefit the researcher as it is a partial fulfillment for the award of an ordinary b.sc degree in the field of study. It has also added to the existing literature in the field.
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The scope of the study is the research boundary emphasis is laid on the application of marketing control techniques in manufacturing firms in Enugu east local government area with a view of finding out how this concept has been applied’ it has on productivity. And so on. The scope of the study is limited to manufacturing firms in Enugu east local government area; especially Emenite Limited a leading roofing sheet in manufacturing firms.
1. 7 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
Hardly would a research study be concluded without the constraints in a country such as our where bureaucracy and redtaplism act as constraints in the flow of information, and where there is inaccuracy of constraint related to the data system would includes
– Low quality data and inadequate recording devices
– Lack of standardization in data recording and formats
– Lack of incentives and motivations
– Budgetary limitation
– Privacy of information consideration
– Inadequate data collection and handling procedures.
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