CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0
Introduction
Today’s
world of business is characterized by the wave of information technology.
Seeking information about your environment and competitors is vital for
business survival. No one single variable can guarantee success, but rather
will contribute to overall organization performance. Information leads to
better decision making especially in this era of fast changing consumer
preference, for this reason management need to do a lot to acquire, process and
transmit accurate and timely marketing information for better decision making
which will make them gain distinctive advantage, thereby contributing to their
organizational performance. Harmon
(2003) defined marketing information system as a computerized system that is
designed to provide an organized flow of information to enable and support the
marketing activities of an organization. Marketing information system prepares
data and makes them available when the need for such data arises for better
decision (making better alternative course of action). Companies employ
professional who handles their information need and reports the available data
to help managers make better decision that is tailored toward business growth
(Perreault & McCarthy, 1993). Marketing information system harnesses data
from a set method and procedures designed by organization in looking at
critical information need of the organization like: information on market trend
and sizes, information on the changing need of customers, information from
competitors and the information on government policies that affect business
operations. These information is basic in identifying , measuring, forecasting
and analyzing various market segment as regard to any economic state be it boom
or recession.
Marketing
intelligence is primarily external data collected and analyzed by a business
about markets that it anticipates participating in with the intention of using
it in making decisions. Marketing intelligence can be used to assess market
entry opportunities and to formulate market development plans and penetration
strategies (Business dictionary, 2013). Marketing research involve information
obtained from observation, interview, to enhance effective decision making and
performance. The use of information technology dramatically increases the
benefits of companies in their attempts to gain the fundamental competitive
advantage, also, information technology, supports marketing function through
the development and application of marketing information systems.
1.1 Theoretical Background
Marketing information is the lifeblood
of marketing process, marketing decision won’t be taken in the absence of
marketing information. Marketing decisions are affected by many internal and
external environmental variables, so the marketing decision maker needs a great
deal of information related to these variables, to predict their directions and
their expected effects on the internal activities of the organization and the
market, in order to make the rational marketing decisions in an uncertainty
environment facing the marketing administration. The marketing success in the
organization depends basically on the availability and the accuracy of
marketing information from its multiple sources. All marketing organizations
trying to find out and determine the nature of the markets and their trends,
needs and changes that occur in these markets, as well as trying to know the
competitors, prices, options and other marketing information which is the key
to success for any marketing decision. The components of marketing information
system (internal records, marketing research, and marketing intelligence) are
the most important sources in obtaining marketing information.
One aspect of
Information Technology (IT) impact on the organization is the use of new
organizational structures which leads to the reduction of the number of
administrative levels, and expand the scope of supervision and control,
supervision in this way is based on staff confidence and less direct contact
between supervisors and subordinates and relies on e-mail and software in
achieving coordination between the individuals who perform common tasks, and
increase managers delegation of decision-making responsibilities to lower
levels, making the organization more responsive to its customers and its competitors.
1.2 Statement of
the Problem
Most organizations do not have computerized
marketing information systems to record marketing information. The consequence
of this is that there are unable to monitor their performance and this also
brings about limited growth as competitors that are aware of the usefulness of
computerized marketing information systems will gain more profit as the
information will enable them to forecast the trend of market. Many business
organizations lack information on market trend and sizes, information on the
changing need of customers, information from competitors and the information on
government policies that affect business operations. Inability to monitor daily
income and expenses to know their performance affects business management and
growth. It is therefore imperative that investment be made in the area of
marketing information systems as it is linked to business growth.
1.3 Aim and
Objectives of the Study
The aim of the study is to design and implement a computer based
marketing information record system.
The objectives are:
a.
To implement a
system that will capture marketing information of daily income and expenses.
b.
To analyze daily sales income and expense to
determine performance of business.
c.
To capture the marketing
information to a database for future retrieval.
1.4 Significance
of the Study
The significance of the study is that it will aid
Guinness Nigeria Plc to obtain vital information pertaining the results of
their marketing by analyzing their income and expenses. It will facilitate
their growth and enable them put in more effort. The study will also serve as a
useful reference material to other researchers seeking information on the
subject.
1.5 Scope of the
Study
This study covers Design and Implementation of a
computer based marketing information record system a case study of Guinness,
Nig plc, Ikot Ekpene. It is limited to income and expenses marketing
information.
1.6
Organization of the Research
This research work is organized into five
chapters. Chapter one is concerned with the introduction of the research study
and it presents the preliminaries, theoretical background, statement of the
problem, aim and objectives of the study, significance of the study, scope of
the study, organization of the research and definition of terms.
Chapter two focuses on the literature
review, the contributions of other scholars on the subject matter is discussed.
Chapter three is concerned with the system
analysis and design. It presents the research methodology, analyzes the present
system to identify the problems and provides information on the advantages and
disadvantages of the proposed system. The system design is also presented in
this chapter.
Chapter four presents the system
implementation and documentation. The choice of programming language, analysis
of modules, choice of programming language and system requirements for
implementation.
Chapter five focuses on the summary,
conclusion and recommendations are provided in this chapter based on the study
carried out.
1.7 Definition
of Terms
Marketing: The promotion, distribution and selling of a
product or service, includes market research and advertising.
Information: Knowledge which is gathered as a result of
processing data.
System: A whole composed of relationships among the
members.