Problems And Prospects Of Social Marketing In Nigeria Manufacturing Organisation

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

Social marketing according to Onyeke and Nebo (2003) is the systematic application of marketing, along with other concepts and techniques, to achieve specific behavioural goals. Social marketing can be applied to promote merit goods, or to make a society avoid demerit goods and thus promote society well being as a whole. Examples of social marketing include the use of campaigns to encourage people to use seat belts, follow speed limits, or not to smoke in public.

The primary aim of social marketing is “social good” while in “commercial marketing” the aim is primarily “financial”. This does not mean that commercial marketers cannot contribute to achievement of social good.

Increasingly, social marketing is being described as having two parents- social parent; including social science and social policy approaches, and marketing parent; including commercial and public sector marketing approaches (Kotler and Armstrong, 2003)

Ifezue (2009) noted that social marketing has two defining features.

A drawing concerned with developing robust understanding and insight into the customer and a clear focus on achieving and sustaining specific measurable behaviours associated with promoting a social good.

However, it is increasingly recognized by Onyeke (2008) that social marketing can and should be applied at the policy level for example rather than assuring a mass media campaign required, it is helpful to use marketing which seeks to inform policy formulation and strategy development.

Strategic social marketing seeks to examine all of the potential interventional options and assess them based on what customer insight indicates which would be most beneficial and effective in terms of a programme of action.

Social marketers find that they have somewhat inadequate good secondary data about their consumers, more problems obtaining valid and reliable measures of relevant variables, more difficulty sorting out the relative influence of determinants of consumer behaviour, and more problems getting consumer research funded than marketer in the commercial sector. They tend to have less flexibility in shaping their products and in formulating product concepts. Problems associated with establishing, utilizing and controlling distribution channels comprises another major difference between social and more conventional forms of marketing. Berkowitz, Roger and William (2007) also noted that social marketers also find out that their communication options are somewhat limited as a result of problems associated with the use of paid advertisements. Also, pressures are on them not to use certain types of appeals in their messages, and the need to communicate large amounts of information in their messages. More so, social marketing must function as organizations where marketing activities are poorly understood, underappreciated and inappropriately located. Finally, they face problems trying to define effective measures or estimating the contribution their program has made towards the achievement of certain objectives. These enumerated problems affect the ability of a marketing organization to adequately satisfy its customers which invariably impact on their patronage. It is in view of this that the study is focus on the problems and prospects of social marketing in Nigeria manufacturing organizations.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Ineffective design and implementation of marketing programs aimed at increasing or enhancing the acceptability of a social idea or practice in a target group is a major problem associated with social marketing concept in Nigerian manufacturing sector.

This makes it difficult for them to increase individual and societal well-being. Lack of in-depth understanding of social marketing by its practitioners in the manufacturing sector makes its adoption difficult and it also ends up not achieving its aims in aiding in the marketing of diverse goods and services.

Also the adoption of ineffective tools in the social marketing practice affects its practice by Nigerian manufacturing sector.

To investigate whether the Nigerian manufacturing sector has an in-depth knowledge of social marketing practice.

To investigate the problems encountered by Nigerian manufacturing sector in their social marketing practice.

To examine whether the Nigerian manufacturing sector has effective secondary data on its target market for efficient social marketing practice.

To investigate the effect of social marketing as practiced by Nigerian manufacturing sector on its patronage.

To examine the effect of marketing research on the social marketing practice of Nigerian manufacturing sector.

1.3 Research Questions

This study was undertaken to assess the Social marketing Practices of Nigerian manufacturing sector
More specifically, possible solutions are provided to the following basic research questions.

What is the Nigerian manufacturing sector’s contribution to society’s health and Safety development?

How does the manufacturing companies’ marketing practice take into consideration societal expectation?

How manufacturing companies’ marketing practice complies with applicable code of conduct and is coherent with standards of behaviour?

Whether manufacturing companies in Nigeria have any further future plans to take better role in Social Marketing Practice?

1.4 Objective of the Study

1.4.1 General Objective

Assessment of the Social marketing Practices of Nigerian manufacturing companies; challenges and prospects.

1.4.2 Specific Objectives

Identify Nigerian manufacturing companies’ Social marketing practices in relation:

To investigate marketing practice’s contribution to Health & Safety Program

To examine whether Nigerian manufacturing companies’ marketing practice consider Societal Goals

To investigate whether Nigerian manufacturing companies’ marketing practice complies with applicable code of conduct and standards of behaviour

To Investigate any future plan to better Social marketing Practice

1.5 Significance of the Study

This research study will be of immense significance to the following groups of people. The management and staff of diverse firms in the Nigerian manufacturing industry. It will go to a great extent in enlightening them on the concepts of social marketing as well as the diverse problems encountered in the practice or use of social marketing. It will also broaden their view on the prospects of this marketing concept. The general populace will as well benefit from this research study in that they will not just be enlightened on the concepts of social marketing but will also be enlightened on the roles it play in the marketing of diverse goods and services. Finally, students and researchers will as well benefit from this study. They will widen their scope from the information contained in this research study.

1.6 Scope of the Study

This study on the problems and prospects of social marketing in Nigerian manufacturing organization is focused on Innoson Technical Company, Enugu and Emenite PLC, Enugu which are manufacturing firms in Enugu state.

1.7 Definition of Terms

Marketing:

This is a total system of business activities designed to plan, promote and distribute want satisfying

products to target market to achieve organizational objectives.

Social Marketing:

This is the systematic application of marketing, along with other concepts and techniques, to achieve specific behavioural goals for a social good.

1.8 Organization of the Study

The research work is divided into five (5) chapters.

Chapter one concerns itself with the general introduction grouped under the following headings; Background of the study, Statement of the problem, Objectives of the study, Significance of the study, Research questions, Scope and limitation of the study and Organization of the study.

Chapter two involves the review of various related literatures on the relevant subject under the study.

Chapter three includes the various methods used for collecting the data for the research work. These methods include administration of questionnaires, interviews and review of documents.

Chapter four presents discussions and representation of results and provides analysis of the data gathered for the study.

Finally, the fifth chapter provides summary, conclusions and recommendations.