ABSTRACTS

The objective of this study was to examine Office Technology and Product Marketing Awareness in Ikot Ekpene Urban. Three (3) research questions were formulated to guide in the actualization of objective of this study; how does the use of (i) GSM, (ii) internet facilities and (iii) electronic mail influence product marketing awareness. The study area composed of small scale business in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area. To accomplish this, 20 respondents comprising of business owners and office managers in Ikot Ekpene Urban were randomly selected to constitute sample. The instruments used for collecting data in this study were a structured questionnaire, titled “Office Technology and Product Marketing Awareness, distributed and retrieved by hand. The statistical technique used for the analysis was simple percentage. The findings showed the use of GSM, internet and e-mail enhance new and existing product awareness, facilities patronage and promote sales of the product. It was recommended that businesses and office managers should ensure the use of this office technologies as it influence product marketing awareness and improve the overall growth of the firm.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title                                                                                                       Page

Approval                         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         i

Certificate                        –         –         –         –         –         –         –         ii

Dedication                       –         –         –         –         –         –         –         iii

Acknowledgment            –         –         –         –         –         –         –         iv

Table of Contents            –         –         –         –         –         –         –         v

List of Tables                   –         –         –         –         –         –         –         vi

Abstract                           –         –         –         –         –         –         –         vii

CHAPTER ONE  

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study –         –         –         –         –         1

1.2 Statement of the Problem –         –         –         –         –         4

1.3 Purpose of the Study –         –         –         –         –         5

1.4 Significance of the Study –         –         –         –         –         6

1.5 Research Questions –         –         –         –         –         6

1.6 Delimitation of the Study –         –         –         –         –         7

Limitation of the Study –         –         –         –         –         7

CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2.1     Introduction           –         –         –         –         –         –         –         8

2.2     Concept of Advertising and Product Marketing       –         –         9

2.3     GSM  –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         11

2.4     The influence of Internet in Product Marketing Awareness –       12

2.5     Influence of Electronic Mail on product Marketing Awareness – 15

2.6     Influence of GSM on Product Marketing Awareness –      –         17

2.7     Association between Brand/Product Awareness and

Market Outcome    –         –         –         –         –         –         –         18

2.8     The Importance of Brand/Product Awareness          –         –         21

2.9     Digital Marketing Challenges and its Solution        –         –         23

2.10   Summary of Reviewed Literature        –         –         –         –         25

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODS

3.1     Introduction                     –         –         –         –         –         –         26

3.2     Area of the Study            –         –         –         –         –         –         26

3.3     Research Designs            –         –         –         –         –         –         26

3.4     Population of the Study   –         –         –         –         –         –         27

3.5     Sample and Sampling Techniques       –         –         –         –         27

3.6     Research Instruments                 –         –         –         –         –         27

3.7     Validation of the Instruments    –         –         –         –         –         27

3.8     Reliability of Research Instruments     –         –         –         –         28

3.9     Data Collection Techniques                 –         –         –         –         28

3.10   Data Analysis Techniques                   –         –         –         –         28

CHAPTER FOUR        

DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

4.1     Introduction                     –         –         –         –         –         –         29

4.2     Data Presentation             –         –         –         –         –         –         29

4.3     Discussion of Findings    –         –         –         –         –         –         34

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1     Introduction           –         –         –         –         –         –         –         36

5.2     Re-statement of the Problem     –         –         –         –         –         36

5.3     Summary of Findings      –         –         –         –         –         –         37

5.4     Conclusion            –         –         –         –         –         –         –         37

5.5     Recommendations           –         –         –         –         –         –         38

5.6     Suggestions for Further Research        –         –         –         –         38

References

Appendix

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1:      Percentage Analysis of Influences of the use of GSM

in Product Marketing Awareness.                  –         –         30

Table 2:      Percentage analysis on influence of the use of

internet facilities in product marketing awareness.  –         31

Table 3:      Percentage analysis on the influence of

electronic mail on product marketing awareness.     –         32

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

For decades now, fast changes have been taking place in all facets of human life inducing the office environment. This is as a result of technological advancement. Every office in today’s business world, be it government, industry or other human endeavours, requires facts and accurate information for quick decision-making.

There are now many technologically advanced office gadgets to ease office operations enhance proficiency and productivity leading to improved access to goods and services globally (Wofersohn, 2001). There are wide range of office machines and equipment which now enable business to improve their performances. Such new machines take the form of electronic machines that have replaced the manual ones. Word processors with multi-purpose facilities, computers and other sophisticated office machines and equipment are now available for use. Some of the physical equipment used by businesses for product marketing awareness includes computer communication equipment and electronic pocket organizers (Lucas, 2010). New technological equipment that has altered the procedures and technique for office functions and products marketing awareness include the computers, electronic mail/commerce, voice mail and the internet.

Modern marketing calls for more than developing a product, pricing it attracting and making it attractive and accessible to target customers. It calls for the need for companies and organizations to communicate through promotion/awareness with their present and potential customers so as to be sure of its market share, loyalty, degree and the strength technique of its competitors. Communication does not only inform and encourage buying through its persuasive element promotion market is possible for producers and marketers to keep abreast with information be it strategic operational tactics that will help the promotion mix implementation of the entire programme as regards to feedback and response communication and promotion as carried out by many modern organizations and firms is not only to influence and encourage buyers to accept and buy their products, services or ideas as it is done these days. It is also to enable organizations to establish a good reputation for trustworthiness progressive and social responsibilities and status that will automatically give such organizations or firms and edge over competitors and rivals in the same field.

Due to dynamism in technology and computer advancement promotion and communication are changing overtime and its viewed as the management and customer buying process overtime, this includes the process involved in preserving, selling, consuming and part consuming stages. Initially, promoting tools and the communication process is just intended to persuade and encourage the consumers to buy the products, but with great consumers awareness and stiff competition between firms and industry the post consumption stages is of major concern as the preselling and selling stage respectively because most firms induce the post sales dissonance so as to improve in the reputation and image in the eyes of the consumer.

Precisely, the importance of promotion/awareness in product marketing should be viewed as the positive element of marketing that will not only help to sell and increase sales volumes but will help to build the corporate image of the firm over a period of time and such outstanding reputation will help to foster a good management-customer relationship that will entail social responsibility. Therefore this study examines office technology and product marketing awareness in Ikot Ekpene Urban.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The main problem that besieges organization/businesses as concern promotion and awareness creation are tools used in product marketing is that of choice. Considering the different tools available to marketable such as advertisement, sales promotion, personal promotion, personal selling etc, a decision has to be taken on which world not be most effective. Many organizations/businesses have had problems in choosing the promotional tools and they end up using channels which are not suitable for them that would be the most effective due to factors like availability of funds, location of customer, degree of competitors etc.

Another envisaged problem is manner of conducting promotional/awareness techniques which are sometimes shabbily put together that end up repelling customers instead of appealing to them. Care should often taken in selecting the kind of messages to be conveyed by promotions. Many marketing organization have the probes of not being wailing to employ the services of promotions professional and instead, they rely on internal personnel to do it for them. These more often than not, lead to failure. As such this study seeks to examine Office Technology and Product Marketing Awareness in Ikot Ekpene Urban.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to examine office technology and product marketing awareness in Ikot Ekpene Urban, among other objectives which include:

1. to determine how the use of GSM influences product marketing awareness in Ikot Ekpene Urban.
2. to ascertain how the use of internet facilities influences the product marketing awareness in Ikot Ekpene Urba.
3. to determine how the use of electronic mail (E-mail) influences product marketing awareness in Ikot Ekpene Urban.

1.4 Significance of the Study

This study will serve the help to increase and widen the scope of the researchers knowledge and also serve as reference material in similar or related future researchers.

To educate and enlighten the public and business on the importance of product marketing awareness tools.

To assists organization to know the various problems, faced in using different types of promotional tools and how to amend such problems to be able to drive its overall objectives.

The study will also help to enumerate the usefulness of office technologies in the promoting product awareness and patronage.

1.5 Research Questions

1. How does the use of GSM influence product marketing awareness in Ikot Ekpene Urban?
2. How does the use of internet facilities influence product marketing awareness in Ikot Ekpene Urban?
3. How does the use of electronic mail influence product marketing awareness in Ikot Ekpene Urban?

1.6 Delimitation of the Study

The study was delimited to office technology and product marketing awareness in Ikot Ekpene Urban.

1.7 Limitation of the Study

The study was limited to the following reasons: Lack of fund, time constraint and inadequate materials to back up the study.