1.0 Introduction
Research has been identified as one of the most powerful tools and a panacea to many of the world's greatest problems.
Research is a goal oriented and its goals determine its nature and form. Studies have shown that one of the profitability of human endeavour in general and organization in particular is lack of adequate research.
It is in the light of this that this research work is geared towards purchasing research and how it affects the materials and prices and quality of an organization using PZ Nigeria Ltd, as a case study.
1.1 Background of the Study
As seen from the introduction, research affects all spheres of man's activities. The companies are not therefore left out, especially in respect of sources of supply and other important and related issues about purchasing.
The first world countries have embraced research that they made remarkable and outstanding success and progress in the technological advancement of the world. This study seeks to encourage third world countries especially, universities and polytechnics research institutions and the like not to overlook the importance of research.
Companies are advices to pay good attention to the contribution of purchasing research for their increased materials and price and quality. They are encouraged to know that purchasing research is a tool that can assist them in their daily purchasing decisions.
As an aid to enhance purchasing activities, companies are against this background, expected to embrace purchasing research and provide the finance necessary to carry out this research for better performance of the purchasing functions, which in turn contribute to the overall organizational materials and prices and quality.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Strictly, this project is on the purchasing research, a tool for improving materials prices and quality, a case study of Life Breweries Plc, Onitsha. The problems are stated thus;
- Lack of strict adherence to purchasing research
- Lack of well trained and professional purchasing research personnel in the organization.
- Problem of modernizing the overall purchasing research in the organization.
- Lack of research funds which discourage research all forms. For example, government, institutions, organization do not quite appreciate the contribution of research findings to economic development and therefore, do not provide sufficient amount for research of all types.
- Lack of research equipment like computers contribute to slowing down the growth of research.
- Inaccurate or lack of census figures put researchers in situation where they cannot determine easily the sample size of their materials prices and quality.
Due to the facts that many organizations do not compute purchasing research, they experience a lot of problems. These problems are:
- Inadequate purchasing research has caused many companies' product prices to be on a high rate.
- The problem of inadequate research has affected companies' product quality.
- Inadequate purchasing research has led to poor selection of suppliers.
- These problems enumerated above necessitated the researcher to compute the research work in order to offer solution to them.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The general objectives of this study is to make an in-depth investigation in the following areas:
- To ascertain the important areas of purchasing research.
- To examine the reasons for purchasing research.
- To X-ray the relationship between purchasing research a tool for improving materials and prices and quality in an organization.
- To find out the relationship between purchasing, purchasing research and companies' materials and prices and quality.
1.4 Research Questions
- Does the organization attach importance to purchasing research?
- How has purchasing research contributed to the company's overall materials prices and quality?
- What impact has purchasing research been playing in your industry?
- What kinds of risk associated to purchasing research for improving materials?
- What are the effects of the purchasing research for improving materials prices and quality?
1.5 Statement of Hypothesis
The following hypotheses have been stated in order to carry out this research work.
- H0: Purchasing research does not contribute to company materials prices, and quality.
- H1: Purchasing research contributes to company materials prices, and quality.
1.6 Significance of the Study
This significance of the study work is very important to a number of persons. To me as the researcher carrying out this research is an adventure. in the course of the writing, it is a way of developing my talent and creative gift of writing as a student.
Again, it is a requirement for the award of the Higher National Diploma (HND) in Purchasing and Supply Management.
In addition, this study will serve as a data bank for reference point for other research. Furthermore, the department of any Higher institution by providing the necessary information for writing on similar or related topic or standard such student will provide a yard stick topic or standard, before making any reference to this material.
The department in every industry will appreciate the content of this research work as it assists them in their constant research for materials, products, or seminars, purchasing personnel, suppliers on commodities on purchasing procedures.
1.7 Scope of the Study
Purchasing research is an important and vast area of study. it is carried out by a lot of manufacturing firms in order to increase their materials prices and quality. This research on purchased materials, products or service purchasing personnel, on suppliers of commodities and on methods purchase; that is purchasing procedure or system.
Furthermore, this scope of the study work will concentrate more on profit making organization precisely manufacturing industries with particular reference to purchasing research, a tool for improving materials prices and quality (A case study of Life Breweries Plc, Onitsha).
1.8 Limitation of the Study
In carrying out this research work, a lot of things interested me for example, the joy of ending my first degree with writing of my project. However, I was constrained with time because we were given a short period to write and defend out project immediately after our exams.
I was therefore hurrying to meet up with the date given to us, and there was also no time to visit other libraries for vital information.
In addition, there was also the problem of finance to move around in order to visit the industry used as a case study.
There was also problem of insufficient research materials on the topic. These problems were however adjusted to by the researcher in order to ensure that this research work is a success.
1.9 Definition of Terms
It is also important to define some unfamiliar terms so that other researcher can find their meaning easily in case they want to make use of this work.
Purchasing:
This is defined as planned buying. It is a function in the organization that fulfils organizational needs through acquisition of the right materials, suppliers, plants, tools, machineries, and services that will enable the organization to attain its targeted goals.
Research:
This is a sustained inquiry into problems and seeking out ways to solve it.
According to Anyanwu (2006), research is the systematic and objective search for and analysis of data with a view to generate information necessary for the solution to problems.
Suppliers:
These are the people who supply materials, goods or service to the buying organization.
Organization:
This is a firm that may be either profit or non-profit oriented that exist for the sake of producing goods and services at the profit or rendering services.
Materials Prices and Quality:
This is the end target of every profit oriented firm increasing their capital base in the form of additional revenue which can be ploughed back into the business as retains earnings.
Hypothesis:
A statement of put position which can be investigated to either be true or false.
