THE RELEVANCE OF MARKTING RESEARCH IN ENHANCING THE SERVICE LEVEL OF MANUFACTURING FIRMS

ABSTRACT

The research work examines the relevance of marketing research in enhancing the service level of manufacturing firm and to achieve the purpose. Past contributions and the opinions at experts were reviewed. The research design adopted in carrying out this research work is quas – experimental design and the primary data was collected with the aid of questionnaire from ten (10) respondents draw from three small scale firm in Owerri. The data was subsequently analyzed using frequency table and percentages via analysis of variance solution software package (SPSS). After critically analyzing the data, the following were the findings that there is a significant relationship between marketing research and the service level of manufacturing firm and secondly moderating factors do interfere in the relationship between marketing firms and recommendations were made, that firm should be enlightened on the relevance of marketing research and how it attest marketing performance positively, adapt in order to have an edge over technological tools to suit current market situation. The relevance of marketing research in enhancing the service level of manufacturing firm (A case study of some selected manufacturing firm in Owerri Metropolis).

1.0 INTRODUCTION
Marketing research involves conducting report to support marketing activities and the statistical interpretation of data into information. This information is then used by managers to plan marketing activities, gauge the nature of firm marketing environment and attain information from supplier. Marketing researchers uses statistical method such as qualitative research, quantitative research, hypothesis test chi- squared test, linear regression, correlation, frequency distribution etc to interpreter their findings and convert data into information.
The marketing research process spans a number of stages including the definition of problem development of research plan, collection and interpretation of data and disseminating information formally in the form of a report. The task of marketing research is to provide management with relevant, accurate, reliable, valid and current information.

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The Nigerian economy for long has been characterized with little wonder, Nigeria is often known as a reseller market. The few manufacturing firm still operating are either muiti-national cooperation or government establishment. This scenario has adversely affected the Nigeria economy to an extend. It has become dumping ground for other countries.
Although a lot of economics reform programms were initiated in Nigeria to make the manufacturing industry vibrant and allow infant industries to grow, such programms were never sustained to the later due to political instability and mismanagement of funds by stakeholders. Nevertheless, the recent programmes of the federal government has given hope to the manufacturing firms or industry as small and medium scale manufacturing firm are gradually emerging everywhere.
However, due to mildness and inexperience of the infant manufacturing firm, there has been a continuous cry of out consumers of low quality products and service. The major reason for this poor performance has been attributed to the lack of marketing research by large cooperation in Nigeria.
Marketing research plays a vital role in the success of every business entity. Expect believe that marketing research is the main pilot of commercialization.
Kotler (200) defined marketing research as the systematic and objective identification, collection and analysis and dissemination of information for the purpose of assisting management in decision making related to the identification and solution of problems and opportunities in marketing. Armstrong (2004) defined marketing research as the function that links the marketer to the consumer and the public through information. He further said that marketing research is used to define and identify marketing opportunities and problems to generate, refine, and evaluate marketing actions; to monitor marketing performance and to improve understanding of the marketing process from the above definition of marketing research, it is assumed that marketing research is a discipline approach to problem and prospect of ensuring efficiency and portability in any firm.