ABSTRACT
This project work is designed
to enlighten firms who have not yet understood this very well and those
who are still ignorant of this fact that marketing research is
inevitable in product planning process. if a firm will succeed, survive
and grow in this competitive environment and in this era of marketing
concept. This entire project is logically arranged in five chapters one
contains the introduction of the company, statement of problem,
objectives of the study, research question, research hypothesis,
significance of the study and definition of terms, chapter two contains
the literature review of selected authors and researchers works, chapter
three contains the research methodology, which are the research design,
the sources of data, population of study, sampling technique,
instrument or method of data analysis and tools used for hypothesis
testing. Chapter four contains the presentation and analysis of data
collection the discussion of finding and test of hypothesis. Then the
chapter five has the summary of findings, conclusion and
recommendations, the bibliography and appendix. This work will be
beneficial not only to firms in manufacturing industries but also to
possible entrepreneurs and lecturers in the higher institution of
learning for lecturing students....
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title
page
Approval
page
Dedication
Acknowledgement
Abstract
Table
of contents
CHAPTER ONE
1.0
Introduction
1.1 Background of the study
1.2 Statement of the problems
1.3 Objective of the study
1.4 Research question
1.5 Statement of hypothesis
1.6 Significance of the study
1.7 The scope and limitation of the study
1.8 Definition of terms
CHAPTER TWO
2.0
Literature review
2.1 Introduction
2.2 What is product
2.3 Major level of product (concept of product)
2.4 Classification of product
2.5 Meaning of product process
2.6 Why planning product planning process
2.7 The scope of product planning process
2.8 Product policy guide to product planning process
2.9
Marketing research in product planning
Process
2.10 The
effect of marketing research in product planning process in relation to product
innovation development
CHAPTER THREE
Research
methodology
3.0 Introduction
3.1 Research design
3.2 Method of data collection
3.3 Population of the study
3.4 Sampling techniques or method
3.5 Determination of sample size
3.6 Method of questionnaire distribution
3.7 Validity and reliability
3.8 Method of data analysis
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0
Presentation and analysis of data
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Presentation of data
4.3 Analysis of data
4.4 Test of hypothesis
4.5 Discussion of findings
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0
Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Summary of findings
5.3 Conclusion
5.4 Recommendations
Bibliography
Appendix
Questionnaires
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
OF THE STUDY
These
areas of marketing orientation or concept has firms to look at customers’ needs
in designing their offer product by market concept, we mean that marketing
philosophy which holds that the key to achieving organizational goals consist
of being more effective and efficient than competitor in integrating marketing
activities towards determining and satisfying the needs and wants of markets.
This
is in contrast with product concept which holds that consumers will value those
products that offer the most quality, performance or innovative features. The
emphasis is on superior product quality and improvement over time. Because the
consumers have become the central focus in the marketing concept, it becomes
pertinent that firms should embark on marketing research in the tenet of
product planning to offer the consumers.
Thus,
marketing research is inevitable in product planning process and its effect is
highly a positive one, because it is by the use of marketing research a firm
knows the each needs of the market it intends serve and characteristics of the
target consumers. Marketing research is one of the tools used by firms or
marketers in improving the quantity and quality of decision making and being
understanding of the market place of dynamic environment. A marketing research
model studies who my customers are, where they are, what they want and how to
get them with what effects. A marketing that builds a product, creates a
service and then sits back and wait for thing to be happen and usually
discovers that not much happen. They remains that after you have produced the
best product packaged it brilliantly, priced it rightly, distributed it
magnificently, and positioned it to best meet the need of the customers you
would have wasted all these market effort, if nobody knows you have done all
these things such is the essence of marketing research. This finding will
enable the firm to appropriately plan the right price, deliver the products to
the right place to reach the consumer and communicate them through the
appropriate means as well.
Marketing
research is seen as a systematic gathering, recording and analyzing of data about
problems, relating to the marketing of goods and services which includes
investigation of market segments, product differentiation, channel
relationships, effectiveness of salesmen and advertising, pricing practices and
so forth. This means that marketing research is a problem solver which ranges
from market potentials and market shares studies to assessments of customer’s
satisfaction and purchase behaviours studies of pricing, product, promotion and
distribution.
This
justifies Kalu’s view about marketing as the process of researching into, and
identifying customer’s needs and wants for the purpose of creating goods and
services and facilitating their transfer into the hands of customers through
the specialized functions of pricing, promotion and distribution.
In
the view of this, product planning refers to all activities involves in setting
product goals and means on strategies realize within the firm’s framework or
product policy. It is a careful predetermination of future states of nature (or
the environment) and the arrangement of programmes to take advantage of them
from this, it means that marketing research is one of the major activities that
enables firms determine what product to offer to the market, one can say in
this era of marketing concept and as revealed in the above statement that
marketing research is a part of product
planning process and such a
relevant part played that if ignored will render the whole organizations effort
useless and the firms objectives will not be realized or achieved.
One
more, a little understanding of what marketing and marketing research will
again help us appreciate the above statement marketing according to Okafor,
A.I. (1995) quoting in the institute of marketing London, is the management
process that responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying consumer
requirements profitably. Also marketing research in the same Okafor, A.I.
(1995) refers to all human activities scientifically directed towards the
enhancements of the organization’s offerings (products) and the solution to the
marketing problems.
From
the above definition of marketing we can see that marketing is basically
concerned about the future. In order to be able to identify, anticipate and
perfectly satisfy the consumers needs profitability, means that the
organization needs abundant vital information at regular intervals to be able
to produce consumers’ buying behaviour during the short and long term basis.
Supplying this vital information is necessary to aid marketing decisions for the
‘effective and efficient satisfaction of consumers needs now and in the future.
Again,
it has been found that some organizations totally ignored and some paid little
attention to marketing research in their product planning process, due to
ignorance of the beneficial effects or maybe because of cost associated in
running and maintaining the marketing research department. This study is
designed to reveal how inevitable marketing research is in product planning
process its benefits and as well as the consequences of operating without it or
ignoring it, especially in consumer marketing oriented firms knowing the rate
of competition in the market, the rate of change in consumers tastes and
preferences, the nature of the economy and the dynamic nature of the business
marketing environment.
Therefore,
it is the researchers wish to examine the effectiveness of marketing research
in the product planning process in the manufacturing firms, using UNILEVER PLC Aba as a case study.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS
There
are a lot of problems which promoted the urge to carry out this study. In the
first place, the Nigeria business environment has become highly competitive
(especially in soap and detergents industry), for example, major soap industries
in Nigeria. PZ Nigeria Ltd, which produces imperial leather soap, orange drugs
Ltd, produces delta medicated and antiseptic soap, Seville products Ltd. -
Produces Eva classic complexion care soap and Eko supreme resources Nigeria Ltd
- Which produces Soklin detergent in Nigeria. This means that in addition to competition
from these companies Unilever Nigeria plc had faced a new kind of competition
with these companies when producing.
Another
problem is the fact that some companies have taken marketing research necessary
in their company while some never believed that the use of marketing research
in the product planning process can help them in their business operations.
Also, some companies do not have marketing research department in their
organization and even failed to allocate fund for the researching activities.
Finally,
companies believed that marketing research in product planning process is very
expensive and consume a lot of time in the cost of running. These entire
problems hinder business activities in our country in the development of
economy growth and improvements in marketing aid business operations. It is
also discovered that the management of some firms do not deem it worthwhile to
embark on marketing research as often as it appears necessarily in product
planning process.
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The
primary objective of this study is to analyze the comparative use and
effectiveness of marketing research in product planning process using Unilever
Nigeria plc, Aba as a case study, the study is to determine and establish the
following objectives:
i.
The necessity of effective marketing
research in new product planning and development
ii.
The importance and benefits of monitoring
the change in consumers’ tasks and preference well as other environmental
variables such competitor’s activities.
iii.
How marketing research can be helpful in the
management of product mix and line a firm offers to the market
iv.
The fact that marketing research is in
agreement with marketing concept is the chief determinant of a firm’s survival
in this competitive environment
v.
The positive contribution of marketing
research to the success of a new product planning and product development.
vi.
The consequence of ignoring marketing
research in product planning process.
vii.
The importance of marketing research in
goods product packaging and brand design.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The
main research questions of this study are:
·
Does marketing research have any positive
contribution to the success of a new product planning and development?
·
It there any need for marketing research in
product line and mix decision and management?
·
Is marketing research of any importance in
product life cycle as regards to the strategies to adopt at each stage?
·
Does marketing research help in good
packaging and brand design of a product?
·
Is there any benefit of monitoring the
changes in consumers tastes and preferences, and the marketing environment
(among which are competitors activities technological change etc) in order to
know the best to them?
·
Does marketing research have any benefit to
organizations if applied as often as the need arises in the product planning
process?
·
What things impede firms for embarking on
marketing effectively as often as it appears necessary in the product planning
process?
1.5 STATEMENT OF HYPOTEHSIS
The
following research hypothesis formed the basis of study.
HO:
Marketing research does not have positive contribution to the success of new
product planning and development
HA:
Marketing research has positively contributed to the success of a new product
planning and development.
HO:
Marketing research does not help in good packaging and brand design of a new
product.
HA:
Marketing research helps in good packaging and brand design of new product.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
A
study of this nature is of immense significance. It is of great importance to
all business organizations whose objectives are to grow and survive by
critically identifying consumers’ needs and tailoring her product to meet such
needs. Since the Nigerian market is highly competitive, it helps in place each
producer in a position to seek and gain a high market share that belongs to its
arrivals. Effective marketing research in product planning process ensures
this. Therefore, this study will actually be of great benefits to all firms who
have the above as their objectives, also to all students in the field of
marketing and business management, possibly enter entrepreneurs. It is hoped to
awake firms who are still sleeping in the dark room of trial and error methods
of operation.
Finally,
apart from these above, marketing executives in various companies in Nigeria
have problems in electing the right research technique and most often those
managers relied on the guess works or they simply follow their competitors
foolishly without the considerations to their research objective their product
life cycle positive in the industry or the target marketing which they are
aiming at. This study will provide insights to those managers who are having
these problems and serve as source of reference.
1.7 THE SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
Due
to financial and time constraint, the researcher would have covered the entire
plc in the entire Unilever plc in the country and other firms that are relevant
for the study. So, this study was limited to the firm used as a case in this research
work that is Unilever plc Aba in Abia State.
Although,
the study was limited to Unilever plc Aba but
the results will benefit as many firms as are marketing oriented companies and
all consumers, which are made up of all households in Nigeria.
However,
many problems hindered the researcher from attaining the peak of this research.
Therefore, the researcher encountered the following problems in the course of
study, which affected the research work not quite favourable among them are:
·
Academic
programme at the time of study: At this study, there were
a lot of disruption more than what have been ever experienced by the researcher
before. As a result of this, the researcher never stayed at a place while
writing this project.
·
Time:
Time has always been a constraint to any project work both academic and
non-academic projects. As a student with a lot of academic work, the researcher
did not have enough time to source for information. At the end there were
conflicting interests on whether to abandon academic works and face project or
vice visa.
·
Costs/financial
involvement: The total accomplishment of the objectives
of researcher had at her disposal the researcher as a student, have limited of
this, she was not able to travel to the company of the study as many times as
supposed. However, she was able to utilize the much she can do to carry out a
meaningful research in this project works.
·
Attitude
of respondents: The general attitude of Nigerians towards
researchers is a discouraging one. In the course of gathering information of
this study, many of the selected respondents (both company staff and
individual) with held information about themselves while some gave wrong
information. Therefore, the company under study which is the main source of
primary data did not give sufficient information as desired and required
through the survey study due to the nature of activities going on in the
company which did not allow the respondents give the desired contribution to
the research work. Even the secondary data used were not sufficient, through
the researcher tried to elicit the appropriate information from the available
ones. All these factors acted as limitation to the study.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
To
enhance the understanding of this project, the researcher has taken her time to
explain the following terms as they related to marketing.
ANALYSIS:
Means to get the meaning of a data.
CONSUMERS:
An individual who is the final uses of a product or service. He may or may not
buy, but has the capacity to consume.
CONCEPT:
An idea or a principle relating to something.
INEVITABLE:
Impossible to avoid
MARKETNG:
Marketing is any human activity directed at satisfying needs and wants through
exchange process.
MARKETING CONCEPT/ORIENTATION: A
managerial philosophy that an organization should try to satisfy customers
needs through a coordinated set of activities, more effectively than its
competitors at the same time allows the organization to achieve its goals.
PERTINENT:
Relevant to something
PHILOSPHY: A
particular set or system of beliefs resulting from this research for knowledge
on a set of belief or an attribute to life that is a guiding principle for
behaviour.
SYSTEMATIC:
This is a step by step method of finding a solution to a problem. It is
scientific.
RESEARCH:
This is serious study of a subject that is intended to discover information by
a person or group and forming part of a large system of belief.