ABSTRACT
This research work is centered on the
Problems and Prospects of Marketing in Small-Scale Business in Nigeria.
The study was aimed at identifying and
examining the problems militating against the effective operations of
small-scale business. Also the study
was focused on analyzing and assessing the marketing activities of small-scale
business, with a special reference on Aqua Rapha (God’s Healing Water)
Company.
The data for the study were collected
using questionnaires and oral interviews.
The hypothesis of the study were
tested using chi-square. After analyzing and testing the hypothesis, the
researcher made the following findings:
·
Firstly, that Aqua Rapha (God’s Healing
Water) Company practices marketing concept.
·
That Aqua Rapha (God’s Healing Water)
Company does not carryout marketing research.
It was also discovered that the company promotes their product through
personal selling.
·
Furthermore, the researcher discovered
that the customers of Aqua Rapha (God’s Healing Water) Company are satisfied
with their distribution systems.
·
Based on the findings the researcher made
the following recommendations.
i)
That Aqua Rapha Company should adopt and
practice marketing concept.
ii)
That the firm should always-carryout
marketing research.
iii)
That it is imperative for the company to
carryout a proper blending of the marketing mix.
iv)
That Aqua Rapha should employ a marketing
professional.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title
Page
Approval
Page
Dedication
Acknowledgment
Abstract
Table
of Contents
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background of Orientation of Problems
1.2
Statement of Problems
1.3
Historical Background
1.4
Objective of the Study
1.5
Statement of Hypothesis
1.6
Limitation of the Study
1.7
Definition of Terms
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1
The Meaning of Marketing
2.2
An Over view of Small-Scale Industrial
Development in Nigeria.
2.3
Definition and Characteristics of Small-Scale
Enterprise.
2.4
The Importance of Small-Scale Industries
for Economic Development
2.5
The Strategy for Marketing in Small-Scale
Business
2.6
General Problems Encountered by
Small-Scale Business in Nigeria
2.7
The Practice of Marketing Concept in
Small-Scale Business.
2.8
Marketing of Product in Aqua Rapha
(Healing Water for Every Body)
2.9
Prospects and Viability for Promotion
CHAPTER THREE:
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1
Research Design
3.2
Source of Data
3.3
Population of the Study
3.4
Research Instrument used
3.5
Sample Size Determination
3.6
Sample Technique
3.7
Method of Data Treatments and Analysis
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION AND INTERPRETATION
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY OF FINDING
5.1
Recommendations
5.2
Conclusion
BIBLIOGRAPHY
QUESTIONNAIRE
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
After about a decade and a half of
adopting an industrialization strategy based on large-scale industries, mostly
of the assembly type, Nigeria has failed to achieve industrial
development. The large-scale industries,
which were setup, tended to be capital intensive and in appropriate, given the
country’s resources endowment. Their
capital equipment and technical manpower have continued to be largely imported. As a result, the triple objective of setting
up large-scale industries namely:
1.
Achievement of high level employment
2.
Local sourcing of raw materials.
3.
And saving of foreign exchange
acquisition materialized.
In response to the weakness of large-scale manufacturing
government has sought to promote small-scale industries as a strategy for
self-reliant industrialization. In
Nigeria economy, attention has been drawn to the fact that small-scale
enterprises have received very little attention where as it is providing
employment for approximately triple the number engaged in large-scale
manufacturing as well as playing their role which is crucial importance to our
developing economy.
This is why it is important to reconsider the problem
hindering the growth of his sector.
Such problems the researcher has classified into managerial and
financial inhibitions as well as some of the government policies, which do not
favour small-scale industries.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS
For the period under review, the
country’s economic objective were centered on reducing the level of important
and promoting the expansion of domestic production especially in the
small-scale manufacturing sector.
However, small-scale industries in
Nigeria today are faced with a lot of problems.
These problems go a long way to hamper
their prospects and growth in the country and thereby limiting their potential
contributions to the development of the economy.
Such problems are as follows:
a)
Many small-scale industries do not
possess a visible feasibility study of their projects.
b)
There is also the problem of loan
misapplication and non-repayment of loans.
c)
They keep poor accounting and business
records, and
d)
Because of the low capital outlay
involved, experts are not often employed.
The researcher will therefore, focus attention on the
problems and prospects of parts company limited and what the company should do
to alleviate these problems hindering it’s prospects and opportunities
available to it.
1.3 HISTORICAL
BACKGROUND OF AQUA RAPHA INVESTMENT LTD.
The Aqua Rapha (God’s Healing Water) was
established on 15 December 2004, by it’s sole owner Rev. Father Ejike
Mbaka.
His ability to generate money out of
little or nothing and his interest in business as whole made him engage in
small business partnership dealing on the distribution of household goods.
The owner made the feasibility
study. The report is not too far from
what became the reality. The
feasibility study was good, only that there were few under and over estimations
due to the on-going inflationary trend in the country and reforms in the
economic system of the country (NAFDAC).
The factory is located at 9th
mile opposite. Ama Brewearer Plc in
Enugu State. The factory is located in
this area because f it’s proximity to the source of the raw materials for the
productions. The major raw materials
used in the production of sachet/packaged water are sourced locally. The manufacturer employs the services of
different professionals in manufacturing of the packaged water.
These professionals from different
field/department work together to ensure the success of desired quantities that
will ensure the company’s targets, objectives and goals. The purchasing department plays their roles
by getting all the necessary requirements for the production. The factory men will organize the raw
materials and use it in production of complete products. After production, they will communicate stores
and stores will pack those products and communicate marketing for sales there
by realizing funds what the finance department will keep for the enhancement of
the company.
The programme could have taken of long
before now, but the company has a serious financial constraint. The availability and cheapness of the major
raw materials also effected the choice of products.
Aqua Rapha Investment Company produces
packaged water. Its product capacity is
at minimum of Eight hundred and fifty (850) bags that contains (20) sachets,
per day. Given an effective annual
working period of 240 days the output is modestly placed at 203, 760 (Two
hundred and three thousand, seven hundred and sixty) bags per year.
The management of Aqua Rapha
Investment Company focus attention on the human side of the enterprises. In other words the behavioural aspect of
management is primus. The proprietor of
Aqua Rapha Investment Company believes that by rewarding workers adequately
they tend to work harder and put in their best to achieve the organization set
goals.
1.4 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The objectives of this study are:
1)
To identify and examine the problems
militating against the effective operations of small-scale industries via-the
case of company in areas of finance, marketing, technical etc.
2)
To identify the prospects available to
the case company.
3)
And to suggest ways or solutions of
solving these identified problems.
1.5 STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESIS
Hypothesis I
Ho: Aqua
Rapha (God’s Healing Water) does not practice marketing concept.
Hi: Aqua
Rapha Investment Company practices marketing concept.
Hypothesis 2:
Ho: Aqua
Rapha Investment Company does not carryout marketing research.
Hi: Aqua
Rapha carryout marketing research.
Hypothesis 3:
Ho: Consumers
are not satisfied with the quality of product produced by Aqua Rapha (God’s
Healing Water).
Hi: Consumers
are satisfied with the quality of product produced by Aqua Rapha (God’s Healing
Water)
1.6 LIMITATION OF
STUDY
Research study in Nigeria is best with a lot of problems,
which include mass illiteracy, little supply of reliable secondary data. Prejudice against the researcher
themselves. Under secrecy as well as
time and financial constraints. Many of
these limitations were experienced the course of our study. However, prominent among these limitations
were time and financial constraints. As
final year student we had too short time at my disposal for the study, as I had
to combine it with other academic work.
Some problems were therefore encountered in the conduct of the fieldwork
and it was not quite easy to arrange for personal interviews with the general
manager, proprietor or the production manager of the Aqua Rapha Investment
Company. Our insufficient to financial
resources was also a major constraints in limiting the scope of field work at
Aqua Rapha Investment Company, the National Directorate of Employment as well
as the Nigerian Bank of Commerce and Industry Limited (NBCL).
Other limitations of the study and the inherent short
comings in the research methodology by employed. These limitations not withstanding, it is
believed that the findings and conclusions reached would be useful for better
management of Aqua Rapha Investment Company as well as some other related
small-scale enterprises in Nigeria.
1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS
The following terms used in this study
should be taken to mean the following:
MARKETING:
Marketing is defined as all-important set of creative human activities
aimed at identifying; anticipating and satisfying human needs and wants through
exchange as efficiently and as effectively as possible.
Marketing is located in the realm of
human activities; marketing needs the degree of intelligence possessed only by
human being. Two monkeys cannot
market. It is directed at facilitating
and consummating exchange, it covers both transaction and exchange
relationships. The transaction relationship is a short run affair (transaction
is the unit of measurement of exchanged) whereas the exchange relationship is a
more durable and continuous relationship.
PROSPECTS: Prospect may be defined as a person or
institution who will benefit from your product or service and who can afford to
buy or pay for it.
STRATEGY: Strategy is a process of planning that
involves deciding what the major goals of the entire organization in its
pursuit of their goals.
SMALL
BUSINESS: Small business is any industry which is
independently owned and operated and not dominate in its area of
operation. It is requires at most one
man who is not engaged in any other functional work required.
INDUSTRIALIZATION: Industrialization is the process of
building up a country’s capacity to process raw materials and to manufacture
goods for consumption or further production.
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