INTRODUCTION
The formulation of a successful marketing strategy hinges upon the extent of knowledge on two key points, that is, the opportunities open to the enterprise and the resource available, it depends therefore on the amount and quantity of information emanating from both external and internal sources of the organization. According to Adirika, et al (2003: 18), the purpose of information marketing system is to determine and provide ass efficiently, effectively and economically as possible, what management needs to know. It should facilitate the accomplishment of objectives prevent failures to reach objectives and correct conditions which hamper the fulfillment of objectives.
Information aids decision making by marketing executives and it is an essential ingredient for planning and controlling of business operation both at the strategic and tactical level of management and also provides the means for assessing results of specific course of action. It also provide facts with which to steer business operation along the dynamic economic factors, by making tactical adjustments to control some variables, hearing to the realization of the desired objectives. Information also helps the management to assess uncertainty and reduce the risking decision making.
According to Stanton (1999: 312), marketing information system is an interacting, continuing future oriented structure of people, equipment, and procedures designed to generate and process an information flow to aid managerial in decision making in a company’s marketing program.
According to ADirika, et al (1999: 29) marketing information system I an interacting, on going future oriented complex of people, equipment and procedure designed to generate and process information flow in order to facilitate decision making in the overall marketing program of a company.
Kotler (2002: 313) saw it as continuing and interacting structure of people, equipment and procedures to gather, sort and analyze, evaluate and distribute pertinent timely and accurate information for us by marketing decision makers to improve their marketing planning, implementation and control.
The marketing information system is operating on a continuing basis and is intended to anticipate and prevent problems as well as to solve them. The MIS is future oriented and is designed to meet the information needs of decision makers. For this purpose, objectives and goals must be established, the information needed to evaluate performance must be determine and effective mechanism must be developed and installed.
The increased complexity of business calls for more data and for better performance. Markets are no longer local but international in scope. The organization that previously may have had firm control of its business in a limited area, now finds itself on uncertain grounds when competing with similar organization around it, this is a problem in most organizations as investigation by the researcher. The MIS as a critical element in the effective marketing has implications on marketing planning. Planning involves setting out objectives. Most often these objectives and policies do not go in line these with the firm’s mission.
Another problem discovered by the researcher is the fact that most firms or organization either have not adopted the use of computers in their diverse work or their system of operation with their computers is ineffective. This extensively affects productivity and growth.
The objectives of this research work include the following.
The following research questions are formulated for the purposes of this research work.
The following hypotheses are formulated for the purpose of this research work:
HYPOTHESIS ONE
Ho1
: Marketing information system is not part of organizational structure of Unilever Nigeria plc, Enugu.Hi: Marketing information system is part of organizational structure of Unilever Nigeria plc, Enugu.
HYPOTHESIS TWO:
Ho2
: Marketing information system does not enhance the profitability of Unilever Nigeria plc, Enugu.Hi: Marketing information system does enhance the profitability of Unilever Nigeria plc, Enugu.
HYPOTHESIS THREE
Ho3
: Marketing information system does not permit full exploitation of the marketing concept.Hi: Marketing information system permit full exploitation of the marketing concept.
Ho4
: Marketing information system does not provide information within the time constraints required by Unilever Nigeria Plc, Enugu.Hi; Marketing information system provide information within the time constraint required by Unilever Nigeria Plc, Enugu.
This research work will be of immense significance to the following groups of people. The management and staff of Unilever Nigeria Plc, Enugu. It will go a long way in enlightening them on the concept of MIS and its roles in the marketing of industrial product.
It will be of immense significance to students and researchers. They will widen their scope from the information contained in this research work.
For the purpose of pursuing marketing opportunities as well as well as anticipating marketing problems, managers need to collect comprehensive and reliable information.
They cannot undertake marketing analysis, planning implementation and control in isolation of monitoring and researching customers, competitors, dealers on their own cost data. Therefore, to manage a business well is to manage its future and to manage its function is to manage information. For this purpose, this research work will focus on the role of marketing information system in the marketing of new products in Enugu metropolis with an in depth concentration on omo multi-action bar soap made by Unilever Nigeria Plc, Enugu.
Marketing: This is a societal process by which individuals and groups obtain what they need and want through creating offering and freely exchanging products and services of value within others (adirika, Ebue and Nnolim, 2003: 10).
Marketing Information System: This is a continuing and interacting structure of people, equipments and procedures to gather, sort, analyze, evaluate and distribute pertinent, accurate and timely information for use by marketing decision makers to improve their marketing planning, implementation and control (Kotler, 2003: 10).
COMPANY PROFILE OF UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC ENUGU
Unilever was founded in 1930 through merger by the British, lever Brother and The Dutch Margarine Unie, now Unilever plc in london, Uk and Unilever N.V in Rotterdam and Netherlands respectively. In 1982 before the merger, Durgens and Van Den Bergh, the Dutch, built factory in Netherlands for te production of margarine made from milk and fat. In 1927, they formed margarine unie (margarine union) together with two European business center and schicht. Lever and co on the other hand was founded in 1884 by British William Hesketch and his brother James, and was producing soap-sunlight soap for people in England, especially for women.
William Lever wrote “To make cleanliness common place, to lessen work for women to foster health and contribute to personal attractiveness, that life may be more enjoyable attractiveness, that life may be more enojoyable and rewarding for the people who use our products” in 1890, Lever brothers. Unilever N.V and Unilever plc comprise Unilever group. Both companies have the same directors. Its annual turnover in 2005 was 39.72 billion and employs over 206,000 employees around the world. Unilever brand consist of food and beverages and home and personal care. Some of these products are knorr, Breyer’s and Magnum, Liptom, omo (detergent), etc. knorr has the biggest sales of 2.3 billion in 2005.