CHALLENGES
OF MARKETING MADE IN NIGERIA SOFTWARES
INTRODUCTION
Background
to the Study
Made-in-Nigeria softwares are those that are produced within
Nigeria. Nigeria as a third world country needs to produce its own software so
that it will help develop its economy in terms of growth and stability.
The Nigerian government in 1988 took another bold step to
encourage favorable attitudes towards made-in-Nigerian goods in a bid to
actualize the Enterprises promotion Decree. The basis of this decree was to
reduce foreign dominance on the economy, encourage local retention of profit,
and create employment opportunities amidst other objectives. Since independence
in 1960, a lot of changes have taken place in the country economically,
politically and socially which as a result, firms, small and large have gone down
the drain. The cause of this was mainly due to lack of good management and leadership
in the country as well as lack of vision and foresight. The country is plagued with
large scale under capacity resource utilization, power supply that cannot be
used for any meaningful planning purpose and a whole economy that cannot be
forecasted.
Marketing implications of the above scenario will be:
irregular supply of products, supply of lower quality product due to dwindling
income of consumers, fluctuating prices due to product shortages, low
reputation of manufactured goods, low motivation towards advertising, low
marketing orientation and a general consumer discontent with home made goods
(Aire,pp.46-62, 1973:Kalegha et al 1983,p.5). However, with the democratization
of the system and the call to the citizenry to look inward for a sustainable
growth through self-reliance, it is therefore, hoped that Nigerians will
develop favourable attitudes towards made in Nigeria goods.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Previous studies have shown that Nigerians have unfavourable
attitudes toward home made products (Aire, 1973,pp.46-62; Kolegha et al,p.7
1983). The purpose of the
Present study is to investigate the marketability of made in
Nigeria software and the
Current attitude of Nigerian consumers towards made in
Nigerian software. This study aims to;
1. To examine the overall attitude of Nigerians towards
made-in-Nigerian softwares.
2. To find out significant differences between the current and
past studies on purchasers attitude towards made-in-Nigerian products.
3. To examine the possible motivations behind Nigeria attitudes
towards domestically produced softwares.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The main objective of this study is to examine the
challenges of marketing made in Nigeria software .The study also has the
following specific objectives:
1. To examine the components of made in Nigeria software’s.
2. To evaluate the perceptions of Nigerians towards made in
Nigeria software.
3. To highlight the various strategies put in place for marketing
made in Nigeria software’s
4. To examine the challenges in marketing made in Nigeria software.
5. To suggest appropriate strategies for addressing these
challenges
6. To evaluate efforts made by Nigerian manufacturers and
Government towards effective marketing of made in Nigeria software.
1.4 Research Questions
The following questions will be addressed in the course of
this study:
1. What is marketing and
how do Nigerian manufacturers market their
Software?
2. What is the
importance of marketing to the manufacturers of made
in Nigeria software?
3. What are the
major components of made in Nigeria software?
4. What are the challenges confronting
manufacturers of made in
Nigeria software?
5. What are the
strategies that can be adopted to address these challenges?
6.
How do people in Nigeria evaluate the various attributes of domestic
software products relative to similar products of foreign origin?
1.5 Research Hypothesis
The following hypotheses has been developed and would be
tested in the
Course of this study:
Ho: Marketing of Made in
Nigerian software does not have any significant challenge
Hi: Marketing of Made in
Nigerian software has very significant challenges
1.6 Significance of the Study
The
significance of this research study was drawn from the aforementioned
objectives, research questions, and hypotheses such that when tested, they
could assist in the following forms:
i.
Once the challenges of
marketing Nigerian made softwares is understood by the management and
line-managers of multinationals and indigenous companies operating in Nigeria,
they will be able to adopt the findings and recommendations for effective
marketing planning, implementation and control of their operations.
ii.
The operators would learn
and acquire for adoption, better and more viable types of organizational
structure and strategies that will support their operational activities and
strategies. With these structures and strategies in place Nigerian populace
will be better served with more of the software products in every part of the
country.
iii.
Academics would be able to
use the gaps identified for criticisms, and propound further concepts and
theories in the areas of marketing Nigerian made products.
iv.
Marketing consultants and
researchers would be opportune to understand the challenges facing the
marketing of Nigerian made softwares, and possibly carry out further studies on
it.
1.7 Scope/limitations of
study
This work is an attempt to research into the problems and
prospects of marketing made in Nigeria products with particular reference to
computer softwares.
Internal and External factors impair marketing local
products. This study is however, limited to marketing mix elements, product,
price, promotion and place. The study focuses on Nigerian made softwares with
the hope that the result of this work can be generalized to other locally
manufactured products.
1.8 Definition of
Terms
Marketing: A
social and managerial process by which individuals and Groups obtain what they
need and want through creating and exchanging products and value with others.
Perception: The
way in which motivated individuals perceive a given situation that determines
how precisely they will behave.
Value: Consumer’s estimate of the
products overall capacity to satisfy his/her needs.
Market: Consists of all the
potential customers sharing a particular need or want who might be willing and
able o engage in exchange to satisfy that need of want.
Software: is any set of machine-readable instructions that directs a computer’s processor to perform
specific operations.