The Impact of Knowledge Management on Organisational Performance, A Case Study of Four Selected Firms in Lagos - www.danikingconsulting.com/projects

The Impact of Knowledge Management on Organizational Performance (A Case Study of Four Selected Firms in Lagos)

Research Project

By

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

In today's highly competitive and demanding business world, an organization's competitive capability is a function of how effective and efficiently it deploys its corporate assets. This asset resides in the human capital and is knowledge. The practice of managing them is known as knowledge management. Knowledge Management can be defined as any structured activity that improves an organization's capacity to acquire, share, and utilize knowledge for its survival and success. Every organization is made up of a crop of Intellectual Capital, which are divided into Human capital (Knowledge that employees possess), Structural Capital (Knowledge embedded in systems and structures), Customer Capital (Value derived from satisfied customers, reliable suppliers and others) (Edvinson 1997).

Organizations are facing ever increasing challenges, brought on by market place pressures or the nature of the workplace. Many organizations are now looking to knowledge management (KM) to address these challenges. Such initiatives are often started with the development of a knowledge management strategy. Knowledge is the only sure source of competitive advantage. Successful firms consistently create new knowledge, spread it through out organization and manifest it into new technologies, products and service offerings. It is no doubt that successful organizations are learning organizations which allows Personal knowledge to pool into organizational knowledge; Such organization is skilled at creating, acquiring and transforming knowledge and at modifying its behavior to reflect new knowledge and insight. While most business leaders appreciate the strategic value of knowledge and the need to manage their knowledge assets, many of them seem unable to derive real benefits from their efforts. There are reasons for this, including their persistence in viewing knowledge management (KM) as a supply-side issue, namely their belief that the acquisition of the right knowledge automatically produces benefits.

Other reasons why benefits don't materialize include a lack of focus on KM initiatives; a staggering over reliance on technology to provide both the solution and the benefit; structures that are inappropriate for capitalizing on an organization's knowledge assets, and lastly a lack of proper ownership. (Murray 2002) According to Mohammed (2000) .Knowledge management refers to the process of managing and leveraging the stores of knowledge that reside within an organization the objectives being to add value , improve efficiency , increase productivity and /or revenues. As a strategy that turns an organization's intellectual assets -both recorded information and the talents of its members into greater productivity, new value and increased competitiveness.

Knowledge management must add value to the bottom line. Organizations must map knowledge activities to define the following strategic goals:
• Innovations
• Responsiveness
• Productivity
• Competency

1.2 Background of the Study of Knowledge Management
There is increasing awareness and adaptation of Knowledge Management by organizations. This is on the realization of important benefits organizations can derive there from. Effective management of organizational resources are key to organizational success (Banjoko, 1996). Often times managers make key decisions without having access to information to make such decisions. Having adequate relevant information will improve the chances of successfully achieving organizational objectives.
The world we presently live in is a world of knowledge. Through Knowledge acquisition and use, organizations now experience product, innovation, process and technological innovation and improvement which have no doubt contributed to organizational efficiency and effectiveness.

Knowledge has been defined in various ways. Some authors see Knowledge as valuable information from human mind that includes reflection, synthesis and context. Thomas Davenport and Prusak (2000) defines Knowledge as "what happens at the moment in time when Information becomes valuable to the individual seeking it" Effective use of Knowledge has been crucial to the organization's survival and success in competitive global markets and has a strong potential to problem solving, decision making, organizational performance enhancements and innovation. Effective use of Knowledge is Knowledge Management. Knowledge management is a conscious strategy of getting the right knowledge to the right people at the right time and helping people share and put information into action in ways that will strive to improve organizational performance. Knowledge management is a process that helps organizations find, select, organize, disseminate, and transfer important information and expertise necessary for activities.

1.3 Statement of Problem
The business environment we live in presently is constantly changing. The modern business manager operates in a dynamic environment. The change in the environment has been complex both in form and impact on business practices. Consumers and clients have been showing complex behaviors both in local and international markets. Competitors have been applying one strategy or the other to adapt to the dynamic and unpredictable business environment. To achieve organizational success, organizations are now adopting various strategies to achieve organizational success. Knowledge Management is one of these approaches and strategies organizations are using to achieve organization success.

In Knowledge Management, organizations are faced with various problems which include the following:
- Lack of adequate knowledge about knowledge management and its process.
- Lack of resources to acquire the technology that support effective knowledge management.
- Reluctance among employees to share information in the organization.
- Poor working environment that inhibits knowledge transfer among employees.
- Industrial politics, competition and rivalry that inhibit knowledge transfer among organization's membership.

1.4 Purpose of the Study
To compete and become successful in their own market, organizations must define how to use their ultimate assets, which is 'Knowledge ' and this practice is generally known as Knowledge Management or Business Intelligence. The main objectives of the study are:
1. To critically examine the competitive advantage that knowledge management provide for organizations.
2 To assess the impact of knowledge management on organization's performance.
3 To find how Knowledge Management can improve on employees performance.
4. To find how if Support and Collaboration have any relationship with knowledge Management practice

The Effect of Teenage Pregnancy On Girl Child Education in Amuwo Odofin Local Government, Lagos Nigeria - www.danikingconsulting.com

 

The Effect of Teenage Pregnancy On Girl Child Education in Amuwo Odofin Local Government, Lagos Nigeria

                                                                    Research Project

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

The roles that women play in every family and society cannot be over emphasized. Women occupy pivotal positions in every society. The ability of women to contribute to the survival of families and national development to a great extent depend on the quality of educations that were given to such women especially at their early years of their live on earth. Child education is essential towards enabling a child contributes her quota to the well being of her immediate family and the society as a whole.

According to Adu-Gyamfi, E. (2014), access to education has been acknowledged as a human right, ever since the incorporation of article 26 in the Universal Declaration of Human rights in 1948:‘Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit’ (un.org, 2009). However, girl-child education can greatly be inhibited by teenage pregnancy.

According to Gyan, C. (2013), teenage pregnancy is one of the social ills that affect society. The existence of teenage pregnancy do not auger well for the development of the girl-child. This is attributable to the girls’ age and the absence of any consistent means of support to care for the children and themselves when they should have been in school. It is alleged that teenage pregnancy and its associated motherhood are characterized with shame, disgrace, and school dropout and sometimes end of the individual’s dreams of achieving higher pursuits.
Gyan, C. (2013), while referencing Cunningham and Boult (1996) asserted that teenage pregnancy has a lot of social consequences which include school drop-out or interrupted schooling, falling prey to criminal activity, abortion, ostracism, child neglect, school adjustment difficulties for their children, adoption, lack of social security, poverty, repeated pregnancy and negative effects on domestic life.

According to a United Nations report – UNFPA (2013), pregnancies among girls less than 18 years of age have irreparable consequences. It violates the rights of girls, with life-threatening consequences in terms of sexual and reproductive health, and poses high development costs for communities, particularly in perpetuating the cycle of poverty. Existing evidence strongly disputes the rationale of traditional cultural practices such as child marriage. It supports immediate action to enforce laws protecting the rights of children and particularly of girls; guarantee education and health needs; and eliminate the risks of violence, pregnancy among girls less than 18 years of age, HIV infection, and maternal deaths and disability.

According to the UNFPA report, in 2010, 49 per cent of adolescent girls lived in only six countries: China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan and the United States of America. India (20 per cent) and China (16 per cent) together account for more than one-third of the global total. India will retain the biggest national adolescent girl population, with hardly any net change from 2010 to 2030 (93 million to 95 million). China, in contrast, will experience a sharp decline from 72 million to 55 million. It will only account for 11 per cent of the global total by 2030 This report further stated that Adolescents aged 10 to 19 are of school age, officially defined at the country level for secondary and tertiary education. Unfortunately, many are either out of school or are enrolled in or attending school at levels that do not correspond to their ages. In 2007, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Institute for Statistics (2010) estimated that “approximately 71 million out-of-school adolescents of lower-secondary school age (are) excluded from any level of education.” UNFPA (2013) Almost two-thirds of them live in South and West Asia or in sub-Saharan Africa. In both cases, they represent an important proportion of the adolescents of lower-secondary school age (28 per cent and 38 per cent, respectively). Almost one in three adolescents of secondary school age in sub- Saharan Africa and South and West Asia are out of school.

The situation of adolescents is further aggravated by the fact that many attend school at a grade that does not correspond to their age. In 2007, 17 per cent of lower-secondary school age adolescents were enrolled in primary education (about 67 million, of which 35 million were girls). Evidence also indicates that once a child or adolescent starts attending grades behind the one indicated for her or his age, the probability of dropping out of school increases substantially.

Access to good quality education is one of the most effective interventions to empower adolescents with the most basic skills to function and contribute to society. This is of greater relevance for girls to obtain comprehensive sexual education; to know and recognize options; to be able to negotiate reproductive desires, including when and how many children to have; and to be able to demand access to good quality services for reproductive health. All of these faculties could be easily denied to adolescent girls who are out of school and unable to complete their secondary education as a minimum. In sub-Saharan Africa, only 23 per cent of adolescents of lower-secondary school age are attending at this level, with 38 per cent out of school and 39 per cent enrolled in primary education. By contrast, in North America and Western Europe, 95 per cent of lower-secondary school age adolescents are enrolled at that level, with only 4 per cent out of school. (UNFPA, 2013).

1.2 Statement of Problem
The effect of teenage pregnancy on girl child education is significant. Gyan, C. (2013), for instance, noted that teenage pregnancy is one of the social ills that affect society. The existence of teenage pregnancy do not auger well for the development of the girl-child. This is attributable to the girls’ age and the absence of any consistent means of support to care for the children and themselves when they should have been in school. It is alleged that teenage pregnancy and its associated motherhood are characterized with shame, disgrace, and school dropout and sometimes end of the individual’s dreams of achieving higher pursuits.

According to Melissa (2012), teenage pregnancy could lead to incomplete education, unemployment and other numerous emotional traumas. Early motherhood had been linked to effects the psychological development of the child adversely. Beside psychological physical risks cannot be ignored. Teenage girl’s body is not as developed as adult women in term of childbearing. Thus, they are often to face certain complications during pregnancy. Lack of sexual education caused teens get abortions since they realize that they are not ready yet to take responsibility to be a parent at such a young age and they still have many things to chase in life. The chance of maternal death cannot be ruled out in effecting teenage pregnancy by child.    

 According to Marnach et al (2013) medically, teenage pregnancy maternal and prenatal health is of particular concern among teens who are pregnant or parenting. The world wide incidence of premature birth and low birth weight is higher among adolescent mothers. Teenage mothers between 15-19 years old were more likely to have anemia, preterm delivery and low birth than mothers between 20-24 years old physiologically for the child as well as the mother. The mother can become easily frustrated and find violence is the way to overcome grief. She might become distraught thinking that she is a failure as a parent when seeing the reaction of her after being beaten. The teen mother might become depressed and consider suicide. The percentage of teenage pregnancy in the society is growing at along rate. It is perceived that lack of adequate knowledge about sex education to teenage girls make them to be sexually active which eventually leads to pregnancy. Teenage pregnancy has been found to have negative and social long lasting effects on the life of the adolescents. It is in the efforts of the researcher to contribute towards the eradication of the ills associated with teenage pregnancy and its effect on the girl-child’s education that motivated the researcher to carry out this study.

1.3 The Objective of the Study
The main objective of this study is to find out the effect of Teenage Pregnancy on Girl Child Education in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area. Other specific objectives of this study include the following:
i. To determine how teenage pregnancy affect girl-child education
ii. To determine the remote causes of teenage pregnancy.
iii. To determine the attitude of the society towards teenage pregnancy
iv. To determine measures taken so far by the government to curb teenage pregnancy
and its associated ills on a girl child education.

1.4 Research Questions
i. How does teenage pregnancy affect girl-child education?
ii. What are the remote causes of teenage pregnancy?
iii. What are the attitudes of the society towards teenage pregnancy?
iv. What are the measures taken so far by the government to curb teenage pregnancy
and its associated ills on a girl child education.
1.5 Research Hypotheses
1. H0: Teenage pregnancy negatively affect girl-child education
H1: Teenage pregnancy does not negatively affect girl-child education

2. H0: Decrease in moral and social values causes teenage pregnancy
H1: Decrease in moral and social values do not cause teenage pregnancy

1.6 Significance of the Study
With one year after the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), governments and their partners should recognize that many of the goals are directly and negatively affected by the prevalence of adolescent-girl pregnancy. Urgent investments to end this harmful practice should be part of national strategies for poverty reduction and social justice. Teenage pregnancy, stands as a barrier towards the attainment of millennium development goal of ending hunger and extreme poverty, achieving universal primary education for all, and promotion of gender equality and women empowerment. This is because adolescent pregnancy abruptly limits and ends girls’ potential because they are taken out of school to be mothers. Children of mothers with little education are less likely to be educated. Girls often get pregnant without any say in the decision, and often with much older men or husbands. Large spousal age gaps also mean huge power differentials between girls and their partners/husbands. Girls who get pregnant before age 18 are more likely to experience violence within marriage or a partnership than girls who postpone child-bearing.

This study shall therefore in no small way contribute to the attainment of the millennium development goals of the United Nations. The suggestions that this study shall provide shall avail policy makers with information on what to do to curb the teenage pregnancy. The information that this study shall provide shall be made accessible to all and sundry by hosting this study on the internet. The local government that is being used as the case study shall also be provided with a copy of this study to enable the Chairman of the local government and other interest groups device measures to help their citizens realize their dreams of being educated.

1.7 Scope of the Study
This study shall focus on the effect of teenage pregnancy on Girl Child education in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area. The researcher examined the causes of teenage pregnancy, how teenage pregnancy affect Girl Child education, how indirectly decrease in societal morals and values causes teenage pregnancy, and how teenage pregnancy could be reduced to the barest minimum. The setting of this study is Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State.

1.8 Operational Definitions of Terms.
Adolescent: A young person between age 10 to 19 years
Child: A child means every human being below the age of eighteen years.
Formal Education: This is a form of learning that corresponds to a systematic, organized education model, structured and administered according to a given set of laws and norms, presenting a rather rigid curriculum as regards objectives, content and methodology.
Learning This is the process by which an individual can acquire new skills or know new things that will improve the person’s potentials.
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs): These consist of eight developmental goals agreed by the members of UNESCO to be achieved in 2015.
Peer: Someone of the same age group, social class etc.
Teenager: Someone between age 13 and 19
Teenage-girl pregnancy: Any pregnancy that occurs to girls before age 18 is therefore considered an teenage-girl pregnancy
Universal Primary Education: This is a model or method of education that was introduced in Nigeria in 1976 aimed at achieving grass root primary education for all Nigerians.

REFERENCES
1. Adu-Gyamfi Ernest (2014), Assessing the Effect of Teenage Pregnancy on Achieving Universal Basic Education in Ghana: A Case Study of Upper Denkyira West District, Ghana, Journal of Education and Practice, Vol.5, No.17, 2014, www.iiste.org

2. Gyan, Charles. (2013), The Effects of Teenage Pregnancy on the Educational Attainment of Girls at Chorkor, a Suburb of Accra, Rome, Journal of Educational and Social Research, Vol. 3 No. 3

3. Marnach, E F, Forrest, J. D; and Goldman, N. (2013) teenage pregnancy in industrialized countries, Yale university press, New Haven Connecticut.

4. Melissa, F. (2012), Teenage pregnancy from http://wwerarly Symptoms of pregnancy.

5. UNFPA (2013), Adolescent Pregnancy : A review of the evidence, New York

The Impact of Brands Promotion on Organisational Performance (A Case Study of Cadbury Nigeria Plc)

THE IMPACT OF BRANDS PROMOTION ON ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE

 (A CASE STUDY OF CADBURY NIGERIA PLC)

 

 

RESEARCH PROJECT

 

 

WRITTEN BY

BENJAMIN IBE

 

                                        

 

 

 

Nov 2017

 

 

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

 

1.1 Background of the Study

Contemporary marketing calls for more than developing a good product or service, pricing it adequately, and making it available to the target customers or clients. Organizations should also promote their goods and services to present and potential customers.

The Elements of marketing promotions mix include the following:- Advertising, Sales Promotion, Personal Selling, Public Relations and Publicity. The combination of these marketing promotions elements is called Promotional Mix. In their various ways, these elements are involved in communicating information to customers, clients or potential users about goods and services on offer. Their fundamental aim is to prompt customers, clients or potential users to take positive action by placing orders, making enquiries, and purchasing on a continuous basis.

The consumer before he makes his purchase decision passes through the following stages: Awareness, Interest, Desire and Action or what we popularly refer to as the AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire and Action) process of making a purchase. At each step in the purchase decision, the probability that a purchase will result is enhanced through the use of efficient and effective marketing promotions, and ending ultimately in the purchase of the goods or service being promoted.

Marketing Promotion is the art of transmitting information for marketing purposes. It is the process of establishing communication relationship. Under marketing communications, an organization would be aiming at a deliberately differentiated audience for a commercial purpose, and would employ such means of communication as advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, public relations and publicity.

According to Achumba (2000) a marketing promotion strategy is concerned with the role to be played by each of the promotional mix elements towards effective and efficient dissemination of information to customers, clients or potential users. As Achumba further noted, the suitability of any particular promotional mix is a function of such factors as the type of product or service (i.e. industrial or consumer), the age of the product (i.e. the time for which the product/service has been in the market and its sophistication as compared to competing products/services), and the contribution which it is felt that the other marketing variables can make to the demand-influencing process.

The underlying emphasis and consideration for management is to know the extent to which advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, public relations and publicity will help in achieving the objectives of the marketing promotions programme. Aspects to consider include the objectives of the marketing promotions programme, the budget allocation for it, and the means and tools for disseminating information to customers or clients.

1.2 Statement of Problem

Most organizations, including Cadbury Nigeria Plc has failed to realize the vital roles that marketing promotions can play towards organizational success. They failed to implement effective promotional programmes and strategies that will offer competitive advantage towards their brands and therefore enable consumers have brand preference for their products which is hard to overcome by other competitors.

In most cases, promotional programmes are. not given their right places. Promotional programmes are not usually being handled by experts. Also, in most instances, promotional programmes are not properly planned and executed. The promotional budgets are just conceived and dished out without mapping out appropriate strategies for its implementation and execution tailored towards achieving organizational success.

Advertising programmes are usually targeted at the mass audience instead of focusing on a little market segment. Advertising, sales promotional, publicity and public relations programmes’ objectives are not properly stated. In several instances, the advertising themes are not appropriately conceived. Wrong media for communicating the promotional messages are often been selected. In most cases, there is usually wrong timing of advertisement messages. The sales personnel are often not well trained to carry out their personal selling functions effectively.

The overall consequence of all these anomalies is that promotional objectives in most cases are never realized.

 1.3 The Purpose of the Study

It is against this backdrop that the study set out to

·        determine the impacts of Promotion on organizational performance,

·        determine whether advertising improve corporate and brand images.

·        ascertain which of the promotional strategies that Nigerian managers use in their organizations to achieve their marketing objectives,

·        examine ways by which promotional programmes can be made more effective,

·        identify various problems that confront Nigerian Managers in implementing effective promotional programme,

1.4. Research Questions

The following questions were asked in this study:-

1.     What are the impacts of promotion on organizational performance?

2.     What are the various promotional strategies that are open to Nigerian Managers to achieve organizational success?

3.     Which of the promotional strategies that are mostly used by Nigerian Managers in their organizations to achieve their marketing objectives?

4.     In what way(s) can promotional programmes be made more effective?

5.     What are the various problems confronting Nigerian Managers in implementing effective promotional programmes?

1.5. Research Hypotheses

1.       H₀: Marketing promotion decreases organizational profitability.

H₁   Marketing promotion increases organizational profitability.

2.       H₀: Advertising does not improve corporate and brand images.

          H_1: Advertising improves corporate and brand images.

3.       H₀: Involvement of experts in promotional programmes does not enhance the achievement of promotional objectives.

H₁: : Involvement of experts in promotional programmes do enhance the achievement of promotional objectives.

4.       H₀: Personal Selling is not more precise in making sales than other promotional mix elements

H₁: Personal Selling is more precise in making sales than other promotional mix elements,

1.6. Significance of Study

Corporate Promotional strategies is among the strategies adopted by organizations to

improve on their revenue generation and profitability. Promotional programs when 

successful shall help organizations to have easy in roads into the market place and 

therefore be able to achieve their marketing objectives. The significance of this study 

can be seen by examining  the various contributions that this study shall make to the 

users of the information of this study which include the organization that is being used 

as the case study of this work. This study shall provide reference point to students, 

marketers and researchers who are seeking avenues to improve their marketing 

promotional programmes. The findings of this study shall be hosted on the internet and 

kept in the Library to make them accessible to other users. It is hoped that both the

organization that was used as the case study of this study and the larger society

shall benefit immensely from this work.

1.7     Limitation of Study

The following limitations were encountered in the course of this study:-

·        There was also a time constraint as the researcher has to combine this project work with her school work.

·        Funds to carry out this study were in short supply.

· Furthermore, there were some of the respondents that were un co-operating irrespective of efforts that the researcher made to convince them and to get their support in obtaining information needed for this study.

·        The resource materials personnel and computer needed for data processing were also not available. Consequently, the researcher resort to using calculator and the manual process of data analysis.

 

1.8  Scope of the Study

This study focused on the Impact of Promotion on Organizational

Performance – A Case study of Cadbury Nig Plc. This study

investigated on the impact of Promotion on Organizational Performance.

1.9 Definition of Terms

Advertising:                  To make known to the public, to stress the good                            points of a product with the aim of selling the products.

Billboards:                    Billboards are large structures located in public places                            which display advertisements to passing pedestrians and                                  motorists

Celebrity branding       This is type of advertising that focuses upon using                          celebrity power, fame, and money, popularity to gain                          recognition for their products and promote specific stores or                          products

Coupons:                   A piece of paper which may be exchanged for goods or money 

 Guerrilla marketing:     A recent advertising innovation is "guerrilla marketing" which     involve unusual approaches such as staged encounters in public places, giveaways of products such as cars that are covered with brand  messages, and interactive advertising where the viewer can respond to become part of the advertising message

Informercials:                An infomercial is a long-format television commercial,                              typically five minutes or longer. The word "infomercial" combining the words "information" & "commercial”.  Infomercials describe, display, and often demonstrate products and their features, and commonly have testimonials from consumers and industry professionals.

Mass Media:                  Means of communication information to a large number of people

Niche Marketing:          These advertisements are targeted to a specific group and can be viewed by anyone wishing to find out more about a particular business or practice at any time, right from their home.

Personal Selling:           Personal Selling is a face-to-face oral presentation of information about products and service in a conversation with one or more buyers for the purpose of making sells.

Persuasion:                   The act of bringing someone to do or think something by arguing with them or by advising them.

Promotion:                    Advertising, or an effort to publicize and increase sales of a particular brand.

Publicity:                       Is an unpaid form of promotion appearing in the mass media. It is a non personal form of promotion which may take the form of favourable news presentation for a product or an organization

Public Relations:            Is the deliberate, planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding between an organization and its publics. 

Sales Promotion:          Sales promotions are those marketing activities, other than personal selling, advertising, and publicity that stimulate consumer purchasing and dealer effectiveness. Sales promotions include things like contests and games, sweepstakes, demonstrations, shows and expositions, product giveaways, samples coupons, loyalty programs, and discounts.

Social Network Advertising: This is online advertising with a focus on social               networking sites.

Sweepstakes:                 A gambling system in which those who take part stake money which goes to the holder of the winning ticket     

REFERENCES

1.  Asika N. (2004) Research Methodology – A Process Approach,  Lagos: Mukugamu and Brothers Enterprises, Pages 129-134

 

2.  Fagbohungbe O. (2002), Research Methods For Nigerian Tertiary                       Institutions. Lagos: Kotleb Publishers

 

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We can also assist you in writing your own project starting from sourcing for project topic to project defending. So contact us on this number for more discussion of how we can help you. 234-08028177177             Thursday, 5 September 2024 THE PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS OF MARKETING COMPUTER PRODUCTS IN NIGERIA (A CASE STUDY OF THREE SELECTED COMPANIES) CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY The application of Computers or simply information technology has revolutionalized the way organizations are managed. Further more, they have changed production systems and processes in so many corporate establishments. Over the past ten years for instance, our economy had witnessed phenomenal changes hitherto un-experienced in our history. Business complexity and competition have reached unprecedented heights. Think of what is happening in the banking sector for instance. When the Central Bank of Nigeria liquidity squeeze on banks became a major threat to survival, banking as a service took new face. Armchair banking gave way to more aggressive banking services. Gone were the days of “tally numbers” These days, bank transactions and operations are being done with dispatch and with the application of information technology and networkings (Banjoko S., 2002).The same can be said of other sectors of the economy. Consequential to the outbreak of information technology and globalize competition, corporate organizations in Nigeria have embraced information technology including the prospects and challenges it offers. Nigeria with its large population offers very large market for marketing of computer products, especially now that awareness are gradually being created about the immense benefits derivable through the adoption of computerized system. Irrespective of the fact that much awareness is being created especially in recent times, Nigeria is still at the low ebb in adopting computer systems. So many reasons can be adduced to this. This includes the fact that so many Nigerians are still computer illiterate, especially among the older age groups. Furthermore there is increase in poverty level among Nigerian as a result of high level of unemployment and joblessness. So many Nigerians cannot feed themselves not to talk of owning a computer system. Consequently, the benefits that the introduction of computer technology offers to the advanced societies are not fully exploited in Nigeria. So many individuals and organizations are still in the dark about the immense benefits derivable through the adoption of computer system in their work processes. Consequently marketing of computer products are facing much challenges irrespective of the fact that greater awareness in being created about the importance of computers. It is in the face of these challenges that the researcher saw the need to carry out this study titled “The Problems and Prospects of marketing computer products in Nigeria, - A case study of selected three companies” The companies that are to be used as case studies include Beta Computers, Leo Computers and Omatek Computers all located in Lagos. BETA COMPUTERS Limited, incorporated in February, 1989, is an Information Technology Solutions Company that is very active, strong and reputable in the following areas: i. AUTO-ID ii. POS and ACCOUNTING iii.ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING(ERP) iv. SALES AND LOGISTICS AUTOMATION v. NETWORKS- WLAN,LAN,WAN, IP & INTERNET ,ETC vi. IT AND INTERNET SECURITY vii. VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORKs (VPN) viii. VERY SMALL APERTURE TERMINALS(VSAT) ix. VIRTUALIZATIONS x. REMOTE ACCESS CONNECTIVITY xi. IP TELEPHONY and MESSAGING xii. INFRASTRUCTURE AND SYSTEMS INTEGRATION BETA COMPUTERS Limited is Partners to the world's leading brands such as HP, IBM, DELL, ACER, CISCO, INTEL, MICROSOFT and SAGE. They are Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) of SPEEDSTAR range of personal computers accredited by the Federal Government of Nigeria for purchase by all her Ministries, Departments and Agencies. They are Industry Specific IT Solutions provider to varied industries including Industrial, Educational, Distribution, manufacturing and hospitality for all sizes of organizations including Micros and large corporate requiring ERP solutions. They design and implement business critical solutions using Industry leading technologies that deliver efficiency and profitability values to their clients. They working with their clients provide end-to-end solutions in all the above areas and are adequately equipped to design, supply, install, integrate, implement and support ICT solutions from Industry leading brand names that they have partnered with. They don't back out after any sale or project. They are committed to superior Continuing Support, Quality and Excellence (CSQE) in our service delivery. The Company has her Head office in Lagos. Leo Computers was established in 1993 as a division of Leo Computers Business Brokers, Leo Computers has grown consistently to reach the leadership position it has attained today. Leo Computers is a private limited liability company. Leo Computers Limited enjoys a reputation for professionalism and commitment to its customers As the leading provider of total Information Solutions in Nigeria, Leo Computers has continuously developed strong business partnerships with leading International Organizations like HP, Compaq, Dell, LG, Mercury, Bluegate, Cisco, D-Link, Apc, etc whose brand of products and services have earned best-of-breed status. Leo Computers ranges of products comprise industry specific Services and Application Software, Computer Hardware, Intra and Inter-Networking as well as Systems Integration and Environmental Control associated services. These are complemented with required Consultancy, training and maintenance supports to ensure their customers derive maximum returns from their investments. Omatek Computers originally started as a training outfit and progressed into executive training for bank executives and their counterparts from the Oil and Gas Sector. Omatek is especially known to have had a stint training staff of shell petroleum and the NNPC. The transformation continued and in 1990 Omatek Ventures Limited as the company was then known became a vendor of some of the world- class computers such as Dell, Compaq, IBM, ACER etc. As a result of the excellent sales performance achieved by Omatek Ventures, the company was appointed as a premium partner of Microsoft. Omatek was selling these products with annual sales revenue of over $1 million dollars. (Omatek Computers website – www.omatekcomputer.com/profile.htm). In the course of time, Omatek metamorphosed from being a computer selling firm to a computer manufacturer. The need to continue to meet the minimum order quantity requirement of some of the best manufacturers in order to sustain production quality, led to the embrace of the SME scheme in partnership with Zenith Bank and Guaranty Trust Bank to: manufacture Casings, keyboards and Speakers from Completely Knocked Down (CKD) Components; produce the OMATEK brand of Computers, Notebooks and Servers export computers, casings and speakers within Africa and Generate employment opportunities in the IT Industry for youths. Omatek recently (2010 to be precise) exited the SME scheme through a Private Placement which has culminated in its listing on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange-the first ICT Company in Nigeria to be so listed (www.omatekcomputer.com/profile) Today, Omatek has grown into a Group of Companies with the establishment of subsidiaries to strengthen its operations. Omatek Ventures Plc has therefore become the holding company for the subsidiaries namely: Omatek Computers Ltd Omatek Computers (Ghana)Ltd Omatek Ventures (Ghana) Ltd Omatek Engineering Services Ltd Omatek Ventures Distribution Ltd 2. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Before the introduction of computer in Nigeria, most activities were carried out manually. Even until late 1980, computer usage and application were still alien to many Nigerian organizations. Even two decades after the introduction of computer among Nigerian organizations, the applicability of computer system in their various processes is still at its lowest ebb. So many Nigerians still prefer the manual processes instead of the use of computers. So many Nigerians are still computer illiterates. So many are still skeptical about the benefits derivable from the application of information technology in their firms. To this end, as at the time of carrying of this report, marketing of computer products among Nigerians is still facing great challenges. It is on this backdrop that the researcher saw the need to carry out this study with the aim of investigating the challenges faced by firms in marketing computer products and finding solutions to these challenges. 3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY The purposes of this study include the following:- i. To identify the various potentials that marketing of computer products can offer to Nigerian organizations. ii. To identify some challenges that firms that market computer products in Nigeria are currently facing. iii. To find ways and means these problems could be reduced. iv. To highlight some benefits that organizations can enjoy by adopting information technology and computerization. 4. RELEVANT RESEARCH QUESTIONS The following questions were asked in this study:- 1 What are the potentials that marketing of computer products can offer to Nigerian organizations? 2 What are the challenges that face corporate organizations in marketing of computer products? 3 How can these problems facing firms in marketing computer products in Nigeria be solved? 4 What are the benefits that organizations can enjoy by adopting information technology and computerization? 5. How can organizations improve the marketing of their computer products? 5. RELEVANT RESEARCH HYPOTHESES Hypotheses that was formulated and that shall be subsequently tested in the course of this study include the following: 1.H0 Low Computer Literacy level among Nigerians does not negatively affect the marketing of computer products in Nigeria H1 Low Computer Literacy level among Nigerians negatively affect the marketing of computer products in Nigeria 2. H0 Lack of awareness about the benefits derivable from computer applications and use among Nigerians is not a major problem affecting marketing of computer products in Nigeria. H1 Lack of awareness about the benefits derivable from computer applications and use among Nigerians is a major problem affecting marketing of computer products in Nigeria. 3. H0 High rate of poverty and unemployment in Nigeria have no impact on the marketing of computer products in Nigeria. H1 High rate of poverty and unemployment in Nigeria impacts on the marketing of computer products in Nigeria. 6. SCOPE OF THE STUDY This study was limited to the study of the potentials and challenges of Marketing of computer products in Nigeria. The researcher examined alternative strategies Nigerian Firms use in marketing their computer products both through the annual trade fair and exhibitions, mega marketing using high powered executives and through other sales promotion programmes. The researcher also talked a little about e-marketing which is a new innovation that firms are currently using to market their computer products. 7. SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY To survive in the present day globalize business and intense competition, organizations have to be resourceful and should always be ready to embrace change. The impact of information technology on corporate profitability can not be over stated. Infact the impact of technological development on corporate survival and strategies include the following – changed the competitive cost positions within a business, it can create new market and new business segments and it can collapse or merge previously independent businesses by reducing or eliminating their segment cost barriers. Consumers have become more sophisticated. Their tastes and preferences are ever changing towards products that meet their expectations in terms of high quality product and service delivery. . This study when completed shall offer a reference point for organizations that want to find the best ways to approach the Nigerian marketing in marketing their computer products in the future. It is hoped that the findings of this study shall be made available to organizations by hosting this work on the net and at the library. The society at large shall also benefit from this work in the sense through this study much awareness would have been created on the best way to eradicate high level of computer illiteracy that are still prevalent in our society even till date. DEFINITION OF TERMS Capability: The ability, potential or skill to do something. Computer: An electronic machine that stores and sorts information of various kinds. Effectiveness: Producing the desired result. The ability to achieve set goals Efficiency: Ability to do things well, the extent resources are used to achieve set objectives. Information Technology This is the term which covers the use of electronic technology for the information needs of a business. Literacy: The ability to read and write in one or more languages Marketing: This is the anticipation of consumers needs and wants and the provision of goods and services to satisfy those needs and wants at a profit to the organization. Poverty: State of living without the basic necessities of life, Living below a recognized standard of life, Destitute, lack of material well-being. Problem: A question to be solved, a matter which is very difficult to deal with. Sales force People that market and sales organizations products Unemployment: State of living without a job to do, Living without a means of subsistence REFERENCES 1. www.omatekcomputers.com/profile.htm 2. Banjoko, S. (2002), Human Resources Management, An Expository Approach. Lagos: Saban Publishers. Page 1. 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