CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 INTRODUCTION TO THE
STUDY
Marketing planning is a very vital and important
management function in every organization in Nigeria.
Simon
(2000) asserted that marketing process can be realized by the marketing mix and
the last of all the proves is controlling what have been planned. Establishing
targets or standard in an organization in terms of marketing of its products
and service is done in the marketing functions.
Marketing planning is inter- woven into the
management function in the organization to ensure effective and efficient
maximization of profit which of course is the most important aim of any
organization. Marketing planning can be define as a management function which
involves setting goals and developing specific activities, procedures and
schedules for meeting the organization marketing target. Marketing planning is
and important aspect in business organization because it land down ways in
which the profit maximization of the business organization. It is also process
on how a very good arrangement is to be made regarding effective and efficient
distribution of goods and services for consumers to be reached satisfaction and
for substantial profit to be made by the organization, marketing activities
must b properly planned. The marketing plan could be short term medium and long
term. A business tape of planning to be se: term of the periods it will cover.
Marketing planning may be port of an over all plans
business plan or may be separate from every all plans and assign to a specific
segment or department in an organization. (Usually marketing department) so as
to ensure effective and efficient realization of marketing objectives. In sales
oriented organization marketing planning function designs incentive pay plans
to not only motivate and reward frontline staff fairly but also to align
marketing activities with corporate missions.
Marketing planning also involves collection,
classification, analysis and interpretation of information observed through
consumer’s feeling concerning the organizational product. The marketing manager
goes market to gather information regarding competitor’s actions and what were
the views held by the consumers of the organization so as to be able to plan
and forecast on how best to achieve the organization objectives. The marketing
planning is used to determine how the members of the public should be aware of
organization product coping with trade promotion and improvement of sales. Marketing
planning is used to chance effective achievement of the organization goal which
includes profit maximization, organization growth, etc.
1.2 STATEMENT OF
PROBLEM
The focus of the research is to identify marketing
planning as a strategy for business performance in the organization using
unilever Nigeria plc as a case study.
Hence
in the course of the study effort has been made to find solution to the
following research problem:
•
What is the relationship between marketing planning and business performance?
•
What are the aims and objectives of marketing planning?
•
What is the marketing strategy used in planning?
•
Contribution of marketing planning to business process?
1.3 AIMS AND OBJECTIVE
OF THE STUDY
The aims and objectives of marketing planning as a
strategy for efficient business performance in an organization in Nigeria as
the following:
•
To enable the organization achieve its sc objective
•
To has a perspective of the future and provides the basic direction guidance
for marketing activities
•
To set of controllable variable that a firm uses to influence the buyer
response.
•
To creation of a metrics frame work to monitor marketing performance and then
develop and utilize marketing dash boards to manage marketing performance.
It
enables the organization goals to be realistic through necessary performance
made against future challenges.
•
It enables provide opportunity to beat competitors.
1.4 SIGNIFICANT OF THE
STUDY
The study will be beneficial to student of finance
and management courses who intend to carry out similar research work on the
subject matter. It will be useful to business organization to understand what
marketing planning is all about and to afford them the knowledge on the
challenges faced in marketing planning and ways to over come those challenges.
It is also useful to the government as it will make them understand better the
way marketing activities is been carried out for them to really ascertain their
tax liability.
1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The research focus on marketing as a strategy for
efficient business performance in an organization in Nigeria using unilever as
a case study.
The research is case study in nature so that scope
was established for the study to ensure proper investigation.
The entire department in unilever Nigeria plc Lagos
will be involved in this research work.
The
study also covers the various measures that have been taken and the measure
that are being taken in the present in solving the present challenges and
offering solution to them.
This
research work will also cover Lagos metropolis like Oregun, Ikeja, Victoria
island, Oshodi, Ketu, etc. as a strategy for business performance in the
organization in Nigeria using Unilever as a case study.
1.6 LIMITAITON TO THE
STUDY
No matter how one try to put all effort on a
research study, there will be some constructions which will limit the proper
attainment of the research objectives. This study is no exception.
The
major constrain is the time available for the study is so limited that is not
enough for the study of sufficient finance also have effect on the write up.
However
despite all this limitation effort has been made to ensure that limitation did
not hinder effective completion and quality of the research work.
SOLUTION TO THE
LIMITAITON
Due to the importance of research work, marketing
planning as a strategy in Nigeria, most especially to the case study unilever
Plc, Lagos
The financial constraint need to be tacked with
urgently, which lead to raised funds through borrowing from friends and also
some additional contribution from one of my relative who stay in Ibadan, Oyo
state.
Also, the information gathered by the researcher
from the respondent are not sufficient, some information are obtained from internet
also some textbooks was consulted from the library in order to get some facts about the
importance of marketing planning as a strategy in Nigeria which later be reference.
Despite all these challenges, the research believes
that this research work will achieve the desire objective.