ABSTRACT

This study examined the determinants of unethical marketing behaviour and sales force orientation in food industries in Nigeria. The specific objectives were to: identify unethical issues in food industries in Nigeria; examine the effect of unethical marketing behavior on sales value; examine consumer/sales force awareness of unethical behaviours in food industries; ascertain factors influencing unethical marketing behavior in the study area. The data used in this study were primary data collected through the distribution of questionnaires. The Taro Yahmane method of sample size determination was used to select 100 sales force in the industry. The Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS 22.0) was deployed in running the analysis. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results showed that the sales force are still very young, active and productive and literate with mean value of 12.7200. The result further showed that most of the sales force have work experience of not less than four years in the job with mean value of 4.6300 and has sales volume of 17852 per month. The result showed that majority of the respondents were aware of unethical behavior and its implications. The result showed that product, price, promotion and place/ distribution related issues have great impact on unethical behaviour. The result also showed that  clarification, formal ethical codes/behaviours, ethical training, whistleblower policy, management support for ethical behaviours, maintenance of strong ethical behaviour were the means of creating awareness on the unethical behaviour in the organization thereby enhancing the establishment of good orientation of the sale force. The result showed that there was a negative correlation between unethical marketing behavior and sales volume. The result further showed that family background and personal experience from the individual variables, written rules, conduct of code, organizational objectives and targeting, positioning and segmentation, harsh business environment, economic situation/cycle corruption and regulatory system, were the factors influencing unethical marketing behavior in the study area. Based on the findings of the study, the researcher recommended that the government should set up programmes to enlighten the sales force on unethical marketing and the constraints they faced and also the government should set up policies on how to educate sales force agents on the use of new unethical marketing strategies. 

TABLE OF CONTENT

Title Page i

Declaration page ii

Certification Page iii

Dedication iv

Acknowledgments v

Table of Content vi

List of Tables viii

Abstract ix

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study 1

1.2 Statement of the Problem 4

 1.3 Objectives of the Study 5

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS 5

1.5 Research Hypothesis 6

1.6 Significant of the Study 6

1.7 Scope of the study 6

1.8 Limitations of the Study 7

1.9 Definition of Operational Terms 7

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK 9

2.1.1 Concept of Marketing and Marketing Ethics 9

2.1.2 Unethical Marketing Strategies 11

2.1.3 Marketing practices and ethical issues 12

2.1.4 Firm behaviour and purchase intention 14

2.1.5 Factors Affecting Marketing Ethics 15

2.2 CONCEPT OF UNETHICAL BEHAVIOUR 17

2.2.1 Ways to improve ethical standards in workplace 19

2.3 CONCEPT OF FOOD INDUSTRY 22

2.4 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK 23

2.4.1 Theories of marketing ethics 23

2.4.2 Consequentialist theory 23

2.4.3 Deontological theory 24

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Research Design 26

3.2 Area of the Study 26

3.3 Population of the Study 27

3.4 Sample Size 28

3.5 Source of Data 29

3.6 Method of Data Analysis 29

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS, RESULTS AND INTERPRETATION

4.1 Socio-Economic Characteristic of Respondents 30

4.2 Awareness of Unethical Marketing Behavior 30

4.3 Likert Scale Analysis of Unethical Issues. 32

4.4 Consumer/Sales Force Awareness of Unethical Behaviours in Food Industries 33

Industries 34

4.5 Factors Influencing Unethical Marketing Behavior in the Study Area 36

4.6 Relationship between unethical marketing behavior/ Salesforce orientation 

and sales volume 38

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1 Summary 39

5.2 Conclusion 40

5.3 Recommendations 41

REFERENCES 42

APPENDIX 45