The World Wide Web In The Practise Of Marketing: Its Challenges To Nigeria In The 21st Century (Study Of Selected Firms In Abia Metropolis)

ABSTRACT

This research work is mainly on the use of World Wide Web in the practice or marketing, it challenge for Nigeria in the 21st century. The research study used 3 selected firms in Umuahia, Abia Metropolis as case study. The research was to find out if the use of World Wide Web as a marketing tool has increased rapidly in this 21st century, its benefits and various challenges or barriers that holds back future development of web development of web marketing especially in our country Nigeria. The survey research used structured questionnaire to elicit data from the selected firms in Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria. A reliable Cronbach’s Alpha was used to determine the reliability of the questionnaire the data generated from the respondents (60) were analysed using Spearman’s correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis, while the hypothesis drawn were tested. The findings gotten showed that paucity in knowledge of and the applicability of web marketing principles has significant negative effect on the adoption of the principles of disintermediation on the practice of marketing in Nigeria. The low level of technological growth and development has significant effect as (challenge) on and to the country’s maturity in the adoption of disintermediation. Therefore I recommend that efforts should be made at educating specific target market on the use of dis-intermediation market structure. The manufacturer branch and sales offices dis-intermediation strategy should be managed in line with the psychological pattern of living of the different localities of the larger society so that the open stall incentives that motivate consumers to patronage and loyalty will not be considered non-existent consumers in the e-marketing system. Production capacities of manufacturing firms should be expanded and enhanced based on the employment of those that are likely to be rendered unemployed (current members of the market intermediary structure) based on the adoption of dis-intermediation (web marketing). Reduction in cost of production has the ability of reducing price of products. This will increase the real income of consumers hence increase their ability to acquire market offer based on e-marketing principles.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page ﾿ i

Certification ﾿ ii

Dedication ﾿ iii

Acknowledgement ﾿ iv

Table of content ﾿ v

Abstract ﾿ vii

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 ﾿ Introduction ﾿ 2

1.1 ﾿ Background to the study ﾿ 2

1.2 ﾿ Statement of problem ﾿ 3

1.3 ﾿ Objective of the study ﾿ 4

1.4 ﾿ Research questions ﾿ 4

1.5 ﾿ Research hypotheses ﾿ 5

1.6 ﾿ Significance of the study ﾿ 5

1.7 ﾿ Definition of terms    ﾿ 6

1. 8 ﾿ Scope of study ﾿ 7

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 ﾿ Literature review ﾿ 8

2.1 ﾿ Conceptual framework ﾿ 8

2.1.1 ﾿ The internet system        ﾿                                                           ﾿ 8

2.1.2     E-marketing                                                    ﾿ 9

2.1.3     The World Wide Web (www) ﾿         ﾿ 10

2.1.4 ﾿ What is dis-intermediation                  ﾿ 11 ﾿

2.1.5 ﾿ Future and challenges of e-marketing ﾿ 11

2.1.6    E-marketing public issues: fraud, deceit and invasion ﾿ 15 

2.17     E-marketing and corporate profitability                                                      ﾿ 16

2.18     Designing a website and types of websites ﾿ 16

2.19     Benefits of wide web to buyers and sellers ﾿ 17

2.2       Theoretical framework ﾿ 18

2.2.1    Network theory                                                                                                          ﾿ 18

2.2.2     Collective intelligence theory                                                                                ﾿ 19

2.2.3      Generational theory                                                                                                ﾿ 19

2.2.4      Game theory                                                                                                            ﾿ 20

2.2.5      New marketing theory                                                                                            ﾿ 20

2.3       Empirical framework on e-marketing and its performances ﾿ 21

2.3.1    Government regulation of marketing practices                                                        ﾿ 23

2.3.2     Dis-Intermediation in the developed countries                                                        ﾿ 25

2.3.3     The wide web in the practice of marketing                                                              ﾿ 26

2.4        Summary of literature                  ﾿                                                             27

CHAPTER THREE

3.0      Research methodology ﾿                                                                                     29

3.0 ﾿ Research design ﾿ 29

3.1 ﾿ Area of study ﾿ 29

3.2 ﾿ Method of data collection ﾿ 30

3.3 ﾿ Population of the study ﾿ 30

3.4 ﾿ Sample and sampling technique ﾿ 31

3.5 ﾿ Method of data analysis ﾿ 31

3.6 ﾿ Model specification ﾿ 31

3.7 ﾿ Validity and reliability of the instrument ﾿ 33

CHAPTER FOUR

4.1 ﾿ Presentation, interpretation and analysis of data ﾿ 34

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0 ﾿ Summary and recommendations ﾿ 45

5.1 ﾿ Discussion and findings ﾿ 45

5.2 ﾿ Conclusion ﾿ 48

5.3 ﾿ Recommendation ﾿ 48

References ﾿

Appendix

           Questionnaire