CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.9  BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Today’s business is moving to another level in the satisfaction of human wants and needs. Companies face high rate of competition in the world market as businesses move from analog to digital. The cornerstone of a well conceived marketing orientation is strong customer relationship. There must be a symbiotic relationship between the marketer and the customer. This relationship is enhanced by information and communication technology. However, e-commerce according to Kotler and Armstrong (2010:50), involves the facilitation or transaction of business online, mainly through online sites. E-commerce has given rise in turn to e-purchase and e-marketing. E-marketing is defined by Porter (2001:62-78), as company’s effort in using internet-based marketing system to create awareness, demand, and feedback, and to gauge responsiveness for the market acceptance of products

and service online. Before one could start up e-marketing business, the company should look into the following areas:– strategic e-marketing, the new marketing environment, consumer behavior of net users, product strategies on the net, pricing strategies on the net, and distribution strategies on the net. The disparity between pure-click and brick-and-click companies is this; under the pure-click the companies are those that have launched a “website” without any previous existence as a firm but brick-and-click companies are the existing companies that have added on line site for information and e-commerce. Companies must set up and operate their e-marketing website carefully by implementing it because customer’s service is critical.

There are three stages in implementing e-marketing business:

A.     Evaluating the marketing options by building a strong relationships and keeping your customers up to date with offers, and is less intrusive than telephone marketing, e-mail, SMS (Short Messaging Service) and website.

B.     Plan the rollout phase by looking at training implication, especially of building and running a website and think about the cost involved.

C.     Implementing e-marketing by rolling out any necessary training, encouraging staff involvement and feedback.

Recently, modern innovation concept that have rented the world, so to say, and which tend to exhibit, compelling influences on the people and business, are no other than Globalization, Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and development. While globalization becomes a popular cover, ICTs have nothing to hide in exhibiting the speed of information communication through internet information super-high ways.

Perhaps, we are in Electronic age or what people call computer age. The combination of computer and telecommunications to information system is known as (ICTs). According to Okorie (2008:27), Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) encompass all those

technologies that enable the handling of information and facilitate different forms of communication among human actors, between human beings and electronic system and among electronic systems. These technologies can be sub-divided into: Capturing, Storage, Processing, Communications and Display technologies. The advent of Information and Communication Technologies by electronic means has brought about a lot of changes and development in the ways businesses are conducted, run and managed. This research work analyses the range of influences affecting the adoption of e-marketing by large scale industries in Nigeria.

Large scale industries in Nigeria market comprises of conglomerates such as Unilever, PZ, Cadbury, Nestle etc and financial institutions like First bank, Intercontinental bank, Zenith bank, UBA, Oceanic bank etc and other large scale industries in Nigeria that are electronic in nature, as well as government regulations and private individuals that

contributes to the economic growth and development in Nigeria market.

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS E-marketing today needs to address the realities of consumers who are increasingly short of time in a world where there is more advertising clutter. With the evolution and growth of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) industries have come with many benefits for far-flung communities and many opportunities for emerging business as well as significant contributions to business enablement and the empowerment of the disenfranchised. Lack of systems to recognize credential in the region and weak Telecommunications and Information Technologies and infrastructure are also among the business barriers. Services according to Barrito (2005:20) are selling promise, and unless something is done to overcome negative perceptions in informational markets on the quality of services offered,

developing nation like Nigeria will struggle to build credibility, and thus will not benefits from the trade services. E-business is not reliable because of fraudulent act, where people will use their e-cards for advanced fee fraud while some will engage in advertising fake products online. Lack of understanding of the target industries leading to bad e-marketing channel choice. Most large scale industries in Nigeria lack the basic knowledge to tackle its problems as well as having the basic equipment to dictate problems. Companies who just follow trends without understanding them or converging all efforts or associating a strategies is likely to collapse, thus if the Internet and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) is to grow Nigeria economy to compete with the world class then we must meet the international requirement, because e-business does not serve only a country but different countries of the world where competition has become the order of the day. ICTs, in today’s business environment are to place customers in control. Allow them to choose how often and

what type of messages they receive, thus creating a more meaningful relationship with the business. This is commonly referred as permission marketing. E-marketing massages and tools should aim to deliver information that the consumer perceive to be valuable.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

a)     To determine the extent of Information Communication and Technologies (ICTs) compliance in Nigeria industries.

b)     To suggest ways marketers in Nigerian can shrink the world electronically and have access to global village through web directory such as (www.customers.com, www.ama.organization, www.stateUSA.Government). Or www.eworld.com

c)      To determine the acceptability of Nigerian credit facilities (Credit card, Debit Card and Master Card) to the world.

d)     To explore large scale industries in Nigeria to meet the international standard as required by the international communities.

e)     To explore the potentials of e-marketing, e-business, e-mail, e-commerce as a medium for e-marketing.

f)       To figure out the available technologies used to secure online transactions between a user and the website.

g)     To promote business growth and profit maximization

1.4  RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Does electronic marketing promote business growth and enhances profit maximization?

1.  To what extent does electronic marketing implementation enhances the competitiveness of marketing organization?

2.  Electronic marketing really help to determine the extent of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) compliance in Nigeria industries, how true it is?

3.  Is electronic business the only way marketers in Nigeria can shrink the world electronically and have access to global village web directory?

4.  How does it affect economic growth and development in Nigeria industries?

1.5 HYPOTHESES FORMULATION

A hypothesis is a prediction or a conjecture stated well in advance of observation (or actual collection of data), about what can be expected to occur under stated or given conditions. Statements of hypotheses are stated in non directional statement. The hypotheses to be tested in this study includes;

Hypothesis one

Ho: Electronic marketing does not enhance the competitiveness of marketing organizations.

H1: Electronic marketing does enhance the competitiveness of marketing organizations.

Hypothesis two

HO: The use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) is not cost effective in management Decision making.

H1: The use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) is cost effective in management Decision making.

Hypothesis three

HO: Globalization and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) do not promote the growth and survival of marketing organization.

H1: Globalization and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) do promote the growth and survival of marketing organization.

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study would be beneficial to marketers and managers of organizations and the general pushes in the following ways:

i.        The study will also help to educate the target customers and the importance of transacting a business on line.

ii.        It would also assist regulatory bodies in formulating policies that would guide the activities of both marketers and consumers.

iii.        It would help the generality of business operators to know the relevance of electronic marketing and the need to be technologies compliances.

iv.        Service as reference materials to other researchers who will use it for further study.