ABSTRACT
This project examined the
Effect of Marketing Intelligence on Organizational Performance, using
Unilever Nigeria Plc, Agbara, Ogun State as case study. The objectives
of the study is to critically examined the effect of marketing
intelligence and evaluate its impact on organizational performance, to
examined the problems confronting organizational performance in the area
of marketing intelligence and to recommend possible solution to the
problems confronting organizational performance in the area of marketing
intelligence. The research make use of primary and secondary sources of
data to obtain the needed information from the respondents, the total
population of the research consist of top management of Unilever Nigeria
Plc which is one hundred and eighty five (185), out of which a sample
of fifty (50) were selected. Fifty (50) copies of questionnaire was
sent to the selected staffs of the company. The copies of the
questionnaires were dully filled and returned, the returned copies were
analyzed using descriptive and statistics methods to analyze the data.
The findings shows that Marketing intelligence is a vital instrument for
an organization that aims to survive in the marketplace and has
business competitive advantage, and also, marketing intelligence is the
systematic collection and analysis of publicly available information
about consumers, competitors, and developments in the marketplace. Based
on the findings, it is recommended that the management of firms should
take keen interest in safe keeping all items of information about the
operation system, sales data, core competence and other strategies
including their strength, weakness, opportunities and threat, as well as
firms should frequently measure or assess the risk of competing in a
particular market, under which information should be gathered and proper
market research should be conducted towards assessing the implications
of competing head to head with major competitors in the marketplace....
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
A Marketing Intelligent System (MIS) is a set of
procedures and sources used by managers to obtain their everyday information
about pertinent developments in the environment in which they operate. The
Marketing Intelligence System (MIS) supplies data about the market. Other
definition of marketing intelligence system is a system for capturing the
necessary information for business marketing decision making (Mochtar,
2011). If a company utilizes Marketing Intelligence Systems
(MIS), the output can result in sound marketing decisions which can be one of
the best sources of competitive advantage (Grieve, Herman & Sandisiwe, 2010).
When a company is able to accurately assess the competition by gathering
competitive information, it is in a better position to build differentiation
for their company.
The ever changing marketing environment requires that
marketers continuously gather and disseminate information for timely decision
making and improved organizational performance. Developments in information,
communication and Technology (ICT) have revolutionized the way organizations
gather relevant market information to position themselves appropriately.
Marketing knowledge is the key essential of any business technique and is the
strategy for transforming crude data into profitable data, transforming that
significant data into methodology, and transforming procedure into business execution
which can keep up an organization's marketing intelligent (Agarwal, 2006).
(Luecal and Dahl 1995) trust that marketing insight is data and learning to be
picked up and used to figure systems to keep up compelling managing three
elements: contenders, clients and controllers.
As a global concept, marketing information can best be
understood by its decomposition into marketing research and marketing
intelligence. Although, both activities aim at collecting and providing
information to management for better and more timely decision-making purposes,
marketing research and marketing intelligence differ in three key aspects: the
flow of information, the type of information provided and the use of
information (Bon
and Merunka, 2006). Marketing intelligence is viewed in its
totality as a continuing and interacting structure of people, equipment and
procedures to gather, sort, analyze and distribute pertinent, timely and
accurate information for use by marketing decision makers to improve their
marketing planning, implementation and control (Tan
and Ahmed, 1999). In other word, marketing intelligence is
the product of collection, evaluation, analysis, integration and interpretation
of all available information that may affect the survival and success of the
company (Trim
and Lee, 2008).
1.2 Statement of the Study
Nevertheless,
the specified importance of intelligently participating salesforces in
marketing affair and their vital role in the collection and transferring of
information cannot be over emphasized because of regard to sales force,
marketing intelligence concept contributes worthy at marketing activities in
organizations and corporations and it provides growth and sublimity. The main
question of present research focuses on recognition of managerial and personal
factors that can explain sales force behavior shifts related on information
collection and transfer.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The aim
of this research is to find out the effect of marketing intelligence on
organizational performance using Unilever Nigeria Plc, Agbara, Ogun as a case
study. The objectives of the study include:
i.
To
explore and describe the effect of marketing intelligence on organizational performance
ii.
To
examine the positive effect of marketing intelligence on organizational performance
iii.
To
find out the negative effect of marketing intelligence on organizational performance
1.4 Research Questions
i.
Does
marketing intelligence have any effect on organizational performance?
ii.
Does
marketing intelligence have any positive effect of organizational performance?
iii.
Does
marketing intelligence have any negative effect of organizational performance?
1.5
Research Hypothesis
Ho: there is a relationship
between marketing intelligence and organizational performance
H1: there is no relationship
between marketing intelligence and organizational performance
H0: there is positive effect of marketing
intelligence on organizational performance
H1: there is no positive effect of marketing
intelligence on organizational performance H0: there is negative effect of consumerism on
consumer purchase behavior
H1: there is no negative effect of marketing
intelligence on organizational performance
1.6 Scope of the Study
In the course of this study, the researcher uses senior, middle, and junior staff of Unilever Nigeria Plc.
· Time: - The time allowed for this research work is not enough for intensive study of the project.
· The Firm: - This research work will help the Unilever Nigeria Plc to identify the problems involved in the development of a new product and also suggests the everlasting solution to them. It will also help the firm to increase its sales volume, profit and market share.
· The Society: - This project work has gone deep to assist the economy by increasing Job opportunities for the young graduates. It will also help to develop marketing in the economy environment both domestic and international.
1.7 Significance of the Study
Sales
force of an organization is the most important factor that is responsible for
entering data and information to marketing intelligence system while others are
responsible for staff role (Lee and Trim, 2006). It is estimated that, between 70% and 80%
of the intelligence a company typically needs resides with employees who
collect it while dealing with the company’s suppliers, customers and other
industry contacts. The challenge for companies is to create a way of collecting
and analyzing the useful information that resides with employees (Tan and Ahmed, 1999). Collecting and transmitting environmental
information is a specific and important assignment of the selling function.
Salespeople may notice changes in customers’ needs, the test or launch of a new
product on the market or a price modification by competitors.
Marketing
research is the systematic and objective identification, collection, analysis
and dissemination of information for the purpose of assisting management in
decision making related to the identification and solution of problems and
opportunities in marketing (Tan and Ahmed, 1999) Market research activities are devoted to
the collection and analysis of data linked to precise research questions such
as new product acceptance or advertising effectiveness. Therefore, information
is continuous and planned. A piece of market research information corresponds
to a defined goal and focused objectives. Information collected needs to be
precise, carefully measured, controlled and analyzed and the results obtained
should enable managers to reduce decision-making uncertainty (Bon and Merunka, 2006).
1.8 Limitation of the Study
As this research work is focused on the marketing
intelligence on an organizational performance, with particular reference to Unilever
Nigeria Plc, In the course of carrying
out this research work, certain limitations were encountered, they include the
following: The following factors serve
as limitation during the course of writing this project
i.
Inadequate
Material: the researcher was unable to
execute the work more effective due to inadequate materials such as journals,
newspapers seminar papers
ii.
Attitude of
Respondents: Most of the respondents
were reluctant in giving out credible information about the subject matter.
iii.
Lack
of access to certain materials needed for the research.
iv.
Certain
libraries did not have contemporary materials for the researcher to work with.
1.9 Definition of Terms
Marketing: Marketing is the totality of business activities which
encompasses the production, distribution & exchange of goods, services for
the purpose of satisfying customers for a profit.
Intelligence: Intelligence has been defined in many different ways to include the capacity for logic, understanding, self-awareness, learning, emotional
knowledge, reasoning, planning, creativity, and problem solving.
Organizational: An
organization is an entity comprising multiple people, such as an institution or an association, that has a collective goal and is linked to
an external environment
Performance: Performance is completion of a task with application of knowledge, skills and
abilities. In work place, performance or job performance means good ranking
with the hypothesized conception of requirements of a task role, whereas citizenship
performance means a set of individual activity/contribution (pro-social
organizational behavior) that supports the organizational
culture.