THE EFFECT OF MARKETING IMPLICATION OF PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE MANAGEMENT IN UNILEVER NIGERIA LIMITED

ABSTRACT

Product life cycle  management  has become a major heartache to market in the  manufacturing  industry. This is because  of  numerous  problems confronting  the  realization of marketing objectives as the  product passes through its stages of the life cycle.

This encouraged the researcher to carry out a  study on marketing  implication of product life cycle  management in Unilever Nigeria Plc. In the  research process the researcher adopted a population of 400 from which 220 samples were drawn using the which was use to compute a method  using judgmental sampling method. The data collected were later analyze using simple percentage and  later presented in details. However  the research  hypothesis  stated  were tested using  correlation model  where the option of respondents  were captured against the number of responses. However the study conclude that product life cycle  management  contributes to the product life strategy and marketing  objectives of Unilever  PLC Aba. This product life cycle management should be adopted to enhance not only the achievement of  marketing objectives to decline competitive advantages in the  consumer goods marketing     

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE

1.1     Background of Study

1.2     Statement of Problem

1.3     Objectives of the Study

1.4     Research Questions

1.5     Research Hypothesis

1.6     Signification of the Study

1.7     Definition of Terms

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1     Concept of Product Life Cycle

2.2     The  Three  Patterns  of Product Life Cycle

2.3     The three Reason Approach to Product Life Cycle

2.4     Two Measures Version of  Product  Life Cycle  

2.5     Stages in Product Life Cycle

2.6     Marketing Significance of Innovation

2.7     Product  Life Cycle  and Marketing Strategies

2.7.1 Introduction Stage

2.7.2 Growth  Stage

2.7.3 Maturity  Stage

2.7.4 Decline Stage

2.8     Marketing Strategies

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1     Research Design

3.2     Study Area

3.3     Population of Study

3.4     Sampling Method

3.5     Sample Size  

3.6     Data Collection

3.6.1 Instrument

3.6.2 Sources of Date

3.6.3 Validity and Reliability

3.7     Data Analysis

3.8     Model Specification

CHAPTER FOUR

Data   Analysis, Interpretation and Presentation

4.1     Questionnaire Administration

4.2     Personal Data

4.3     Hypothesis Testing

4.3.1 Testing Hypothesis One

4.3.2 Testing Hypothesis Two

CHAPTER FIVE

Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation

5.1 Summary

5.2 Conclusion

5.3 Recommendation

REFERENCES

APPENDIX: Questionnaire

CHAPTER ONE

1.1  Background of Study

 An important  concept in the product planning and development process is that of the product life cycle. No product last forever, product are developed and launch (Baniface et al, 2007)  comparing  the associated industry limited (AIL) which produce appuo detergent soap at Aba and the Peterson  Zochoms industry Nigeria limited (PZ) that produce elephant  power blue detergent, in Lagos  and a  company like lever  Brothers  Nigeria limited also successful and withstood competition.

In other  to understand this  concept  (product life  cycle) comprehensive and to fully appreciate it s implication to the marketer as discussed in the  literature review  this study defines the concept  as representing the unit sales trend or come for some product intending from firm it is first placed on the  market until  it is removed (Okafor, 1995)  in other  words, the concept describes the evolution of a  product over-time as measured by its sales or percentage saturation, and  explains its stages with models, as  exemplified by lever  Brothers Nigeria limited. Some  companies  more through the cyu very rapidly, others never make it through the introducing  stage  to the growth period but lever  Brother  Nigeria limited has more steadily and. Predictably gone through each stage to the maturity stage (Ben, 2000) lever Brothers Nigeria limited produces a lot of product but a super Blue cmo” will be   studied for the purpose of this research.

There are four stages in the cycle. Each stages in the  cycle  is a  particular stage in the  market  acceptance of the  product and the term “cycle  of acceptance” can  be advanced as substitute for “life cycle” these stages are:

i.           Introducing

ii.          Growth

iii.        Maturity and

iv.        Decline  stages (fox, 1997)

Sales of a new  product usually rise slowly during the introducing stages then increases at a  rapid  pace (Growth) eventually  levels off (maturity) and finally dclines.

The length  of each stage varies of recently from product to product. A  product  sales position and profitability is expected to change overtime, since the principle  generally thought to underline  product life cycle  is that of diffusion  accordingly  knowledge  about a  new product offering diffuses overtime in an experiential fastion, creating  step growth patterns in sales for many products district  stages in the sales  stages are opportunities  and problems with respect marketing  strategies and profit potential (Aker, 1998).

The diagrams in fig. 1 shows  the sales and profit levels of Omo Blue detergent  in lever Brothers Nigerian  limited the  diagram below shows  ano in the  maturity stages genuine from a product  into several different forms with a   view to increasing adoption of the  product by segments of the market which have not  found  the original  form of the product selected to  their needs (Njoku, 2003).

1.2 Statement of Problem

New product development and related product life cycle  management is usually one of the dynamic of innovation in marketing. It involves strategies management of the  other three PS of the  enterprise (Binface 2007).

The major problem facing an enterprise in the management of  innovation as refuded in the product life cycle is new product strategy decision. A  new product strategy is the  objective which  a new  product  seeks to achieve in a target  market is relation to profit salty target market shares cost reduction an several customers  satisfaction  (Kofler and Ann string , 2006). This  study is posed  to investigate in to these problems and to find solution to gurd against the problems  that may result to the failure of innovation in the in the product  life cycle they are:

1.  Lack of proper planning  

2.  Excessive cost of operation

3.  Poor  positing

4.  Poor  distributions

5.  Poor differentiation

6.  Poor competitive strategies (Boniface et al 2007).

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The major  objectives of the  slucty is to  carryout analysis of the  marketing implication of product life cycle  management  in unlever Nigeria  PLC. However  the study  seeks to investigate into the following specific objectives

i.           To analysis the impact of socio-economic characters of the  target  respondents.

ii.          To investigate into the problem militating  against the effective actualization of  new products strategy and  innovation

iii.        To identify the effective  strategies for product  differentiation and strategy

iv.        To  evaluate  the impact of product life cycle management in the marketing efficiency of the  firm.

v.          To make  recommendations  based in finding

1.4 Research Questions

        The study will be  guided by the  following question:

i.           What  are the  socio-economic characteristic  of the target respondents?

ii.          What are  the problems militating against effective actualization of new product strategy

iii.        What are  the strategies  for effect product differentiation?

iv.        Does product life cycle management has any impact on marketing efficiency?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

The  following new hypothesis were disagreed to guide  the study.

Hypothesis one: product life cycle  management  does not  have  any impact on management

Hypothesis two:  product positioning has an impact on product life cycle  management.

1.6 Signification of the Study

The  student is significant in that it will be of benefit to student who are interested in the concept  of product life cycle. Consumers who would want to have knowledge about the product and to the  management of Lever Brothers Nigeria Limited, since  it is believed that in our field of human endeavor improvement are achieved by learning about what people do, how they do them with a nut effects (negative or positive) and possible  need for adjustment.

Secondly  the research significant to the company as the degree of competitive performance of other brands is observed  in the  market.

To the form the study will assist the company to guide against any harm to their business.

1.7 Definition of Terms

1.     Market:- The  potential and active buyers of a product

2.     Product:- Any term or object that is purchase  can staify human or arts.

3.     New  Product:- An product that is either new to the market the consumer to or the producers.

 New product strategy:- This is  the market objective which a particular  new product is to admire. It can be  cost reduction increase market shares better the customer services etc

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