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:
- To implement a system that will capture marketing information of daily income and expenses.
- To analyze daily sales income and expense to determine performance of business.
- 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.
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