CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Marketing concept, according to Ngwuma (2006:18) is a customer-oriented business approach. It articulates the needs of the customers monitors it and packages the products in acceptable way back to the customer. Osagie (2006:113) notes that marketing concept is the newest of all the concepts in marketing which came into being because dynamism is put into marketing by arranging production to utterly satisfy customer needs.

According to Shultz et al (1999:10) the Marketing concept is essentially communication of what the customer needs to the production department. What the customer needs is in many ways obtained from detailed marketing research. In the service sector, the feelings of customers are articulated by their responses to the quality of services previously provided. Improvements are meant to build the clientele from previous experiences.

Marketing concept is about marketing communication, noted Innocent. Shultz, et al (1992:200) argues that marketing communications often present the only real differentiating feature that can be offered to potential consumers. By recognizing the fact that everything a company does, is part of the communication, which takes place between itself and its customers, it becomes aware of the increasingly important role of marketing communications as a strategic tool.

Just as the premise of the new ‘marketing’ places the consumer at the centre of all activity, so marketing communications must be considered from the essential perspective of understanding consumer behaviour. Also that can be offered to potential consumers.

The idea of marketing research; deals with finding the acceptability of a product and the factors that would, makes or made it. Target marketing streamlines a particular line of customers, which patronize a product more, is very useful in moving the market Garden, Enugu forward.

This study looks at the applicability of the marketing concept to the activities of the market garden, Enugu. As a garden, very many goods are marketed which entail much communication.

In Marketing Garden, Enugu the following help in the distribution of their products.

1. Agriculture information: this is responsible for sale of chemicals and plant protection for customer.

2. Small produce unit: deals with palm trees and cassava stems.

3. Ornamental section: educates people on how to treat their compounds and plants flower for them. This is called landscaping.

4. Orchard section sells seedlings: They deal with different types of seeds for cultivating e.g. organs, Guava and many other seeds that are big and sweet.

5. Engineering section: Hires out tractors and can use them to cultivate for people or ever teach them how to use them to make-work easy for them.

Furthermore, market Garden needs to be advertising their products and works in the media as well as move into rural areas to introduce their works through extension services.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

It would appear that many companies have not come to terms with the prevailing marketing concepts. The situation appears more severe in government owned companies; such that most of those companies are not making the required profit. This makes the need to survey the applicability of the concept in government owned business such as market garden, Enugu.

Of worry is the fact that many people have not come to terms with the various services offered by the organization due to inefficient communication mix.

Beside, price fluctuation, promotion and distribution factors have negative implication on the smooth marketing of agricultural product. The prices of the products of market garden are not always widely made known to customers. This tends to limit the patronage by customers.

Also, the bureaucratic nature of the establishment appears to hinder quicker communication and quicker decision. Thus slowing down the operation of the business and application of new concepts.

1.3 The Objectives of the Study

The study seeks to achieve the following objectives

1. To determine the nature of communication mix adopted by the Market Garden Enugu.

2. To determine how the Marketing Garden, Enugu sets prices of their products.

3. To assess the effect to pricing on the marketing of goods in Market Garden, Enugu.

4. To know the influence of environment and location on the activities of market Garden Enugu.

5. To survey the extent, if any, information Technology has impacted on the activities of Marketing Garden Enugu.

6. To help educate and enlighten farmers on the necessary make, principles and practice that will enable the garden prosper in its farming career.

1.4 The Research Questions

The following research questions guided this study:

1. What is the nature of communication mix adopted by Market Garden Enugu?

2. To what extent does pricing affect activities of Marketing Garden Enugu?

3. What influence has environment and location on the activities of Market Garden, Enugu?

4. What effect, if any, has information Technology had no the activities of Market Garden Enugu.

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5. How does the Market garden Enugu set prices for their products?

6. How are the farmers educated and enlightened on the make, principles and practice that will enable the garden prosper?

1.5 The Research Hypothesis

The following null hypothesis were tested:

Ho1: The management has not properly addressed the lag in communication between the Garden and its Customers.

Ho2: Prices of the products of the garden do not significantly attract customers.

Ho3: Environment and location have not impacted significantly on the activities of the Market Garden Enugu.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The study covers Enugu State Market Garden located at Abakaliki Road Enugu. It is an Enugu State Government parastatal. The cadres of personnel interviewed were: managers, supervisors, clerks, sales personnel and security.

1.7 The Significance of the Study

At the completion of the study, the following shall benefit in the following ways: The authorities of Market Garden Enugu is seeing the need to employ modern technology in their activities. They will also find out that enough Marketing Mix have to be applied to relate with the public. The management will yet discover that information Technology that is holding sway in very many organizations.

Will immensely benefit the growth of the firm.

The management will see the need to make competent Sales Personnel and to retain them periodically to match what the needs of customers are.

The public also would see the better ways of assessing Performance of the Garden; the products of the Garden will be better packaged to meet the customer’s needs.

Researchers will find this work very useful in accessing the various techniques of Marketing Mix.

REFERENCES

Sampson Peters (2006) Marketing London: P & T

McDons Adams (2004) Communication Mix in Marketing Oslo: Polar Sea Press Innocent Jonah (2000) Marketing Management Aba: Ngwaland Press.

Shults, Tannenbaum and Lauterborn (1992) Strategic Marketing Communications

Helsinkl: Chapman and Hall