The Effect Of Market Segmentation And Positioning On Company Performance (A Case Study Of Selected Textbook Publishing Companies In Owerri)

The Effect Of Market Segmentation And Positioning On Company Performance (A Case Study Of Selected Textbook Publishing Companies In Owerri)
Abstract
This study is a research work done into the effect of market segmentation and positioning on company performance in selected textbook publishing firms in owerri. The study seeks to find out how market segmentation and product positioning helps the firms in achieving greater part of its sales objectives. In an attempt to carryout the study effectively, a total sample of even firms were judgmentally selected. This sample random sampling technique tools was for this study.
- From the analysis of the data, it was deduced that the selected firms consider the positioning as very important part of firms sales aims.
- The firms marketing operations are regionally structured. However, it was noted that the firms is selling to all the academic field.
- The selected firms also use product poisoning to achieve their aim. Form the above techniques the following suggestion were seen.
- There should be adequate provision of funds.
- The firms should engage more in market research and survey; the organization should put in more efforts to train their sales executives.
- They should improve on advertising and other sales promotional mix.
- The issue of transportation and distributional facilities should be improved.
Table Of Contents
Preliminary Page(s)
- Title page
- Approved page
- Dedication
- Acknowledgement
- Abstract
- Table of content
Chapter One:
Introduction
- 1.1 Background of the study
- 1.2 Statement of the problem
- 1.3 Purpose of the study
- 1.4 Research questions
- 1.5 Significance of the study
- 1.6 Scope of the study
- 1.7 Limitation of the study
- 1.8 Definition of terms
Chapter Two:
Literature Review
- 2.1 Meaning and scope of segmentation
- 2.2 Base for segmentation and positioning
- 2.3 Criteria for segmentation
- 2.4 Attributes used to select target market
- 2.5 Why segmenting markets
- 2.6 Types of markets segmentation
- 2.7 Factors that influence segmentation and positioning
- 2.8 Requirement for effective segmentation
- Reference
Chapter Three:
Research Methodology
- 3.0 Introduction
- 3.1 Research design
- 3.2 Sources of data collection
- 3.3 Test survey
- 3.4 Questionnaire design and allocation
- 3.5 Sample plan
- 3.6 Data analysis techniques
Chapter Four:
Analysis Of Data
- 4.1 Presentation and analysis of data
- 4.2 Executive questionnaires
- 4.3 The structure of the companies’ sales force
- 4.4 contribution of market segmentation positioning towards attaining sales objective
Chapter Five:
Summary, Conclusion And Recommendation
- 5.1 Summary and findings
- 5.2 Conclusion
- 5.3 Recommendation
- Bibliography
- Questionnaires
Chapter One
Introduction
1.1 Background Of The Study
Producers and marketers of goods and services appreciate the fact that not all individuals, households or companies use or consume goods in the same way or the same rate. Different consumption patterns exist between people, individuals having different demographic and psychological characteristics of consuming product that is why there is need for market segmentation and positioning on the company performances.
In reality, due to these variations, a marketer does not find it profitable to try to make every individual consumers of their respective product. What the marketers do is to have a good description of the individuals, household or companies that are regular users of their product and direct the market offerings, communication efforts and distributions activities to them.
In a competitive environment to day, it is neither possible nor profitable for a marketer to try to sell to all consumers. A marketer can never satisfy the whole world. In an effort to sell to one type of consumer, the others will be alienated since all of us can hardly express the same choice at any point in time for example; a product that is promoted as one that is cheaper than competitor’s brand will attract customers who favors cheapness and loss customers who seek satisfaction from buying more expensive (and presumable) better brands.
In marketing these processes taken is know a “market segmentation” market segmentation is the process of dividing the heterogeneous market into smaller customer division’s having certain relatively homogenously characteristics that can be satisfied by the firm. Market segmentation is also a process by which an organization attempts to match a total marketing programmed to the unique manner in which one more customer groups behave in the market place.
This purpose is to identify common characteristics that determine purchasing behaviors.
The concepts involving segmentation and poisoning are perhaps best explained through an illustration of a case. The example used in a biscuit production. Ugo and company limited is in business every one irrespective of age, sex and other characteristics. Competition is how ever becoming very intense in the biscuit market.
Your boss has, therefore directed you to research the market with a view to introduce a specialist brand. Therefore, market segmentation and product positioning can enable a firm to select a target for which it has a competitive advantage.
Marketing strategies or action plan for accomplishing objective, and then are thought in terms of a particular market. In segmentation of textbooks as a product, it should be noted that the consumer of textbooks buys with different categories of buyers of textbook according to the users, needs and status of these buyers based on the concept of segmentation in the publishing firm which are based upon the positioning.
- Consumer are different
- Different consumers are related to difference in the market demand and buying motives
- Segmentation of consumers can be possible because segments of consumers can be isolated within the over all market.
The benefits of market segmentation and positioning are numerous and includes that the strength and weakness of any kind.
1.2 Statement Of The Problem
A great number of problems arise in the application of market segmentation and poisoning. To segment a market does not seem difficulty but to put the description into practice is not easy. Some of the problems however are particularly about market segmentation and positioning in a textbook publishing firm. Some of these problems are stated in the work.
- The inability of a firm to classify their customers according to its relatively homogeneity.
- Inadequate selection of the type of product to based on.
- Lack of knowledge about the chosen line of the business.
- Inability to carry on marketing survey and how effective their strategy is and how customers respond to that product.
- Inability to carry out market research to know the extent of homogeneity and heterogeneity of their customers also pose problems to the organization.
1.3 Purpose Of The Study
Like the marketing philosophy pointed out, every marketing oriented firm or organization duty of not only making sales for the company but for the identification of customers need and planning to satisfy these needs at a project to the firm.
For the purpose of this work, it is therefore; very important to review the strategy and offerings of organization with a view to find how effective such strategy and offering are meeting the objectives of the organization that is applying them. It is in the light of this that this work outlines the following:
- To know what market segmentation and positioning is all about as it involves the companies under study.
- To know if actually the companies or organization applies market segmentation and positioning in the sales of its product.
- To know how company’s is structured, this could be geographical, regionally or customers structured and if it can determine or know its target customers.
- The other objective of the study is also to know the method or strategy the company actually uses in performing its functions.
- Also, the effectiveness of market segmentation goals as well as host of others.
1.4 Research Questions
- Why is it necessary to segment and position
- What are the requirement for effective segmentation
- Does market segmentation and positioning help a firm in achieving it sales objective
- On what bases can market be segmented and positioned
- Why is it necessary to segment the market
1.5 Significance Of The Study
Segmentation of market and positioning is very significant because many companies and organization have had some problems to perform more profitable because of lack of ideas for segmentation of market and the positioning. This work would provide marketing or sales managers of companies and organization in the state and the country at large with the useful tools for designing and accessing the efficacy of their market segmentation and programme.
1.6 Scope Of The Study
The study covers all aspects of market segmentation and positing to achieve organizational goals and objectives as a whole. The population of the study is all publishing firms of a country. However, due to time and financial constraints, a survey of selected firms in Owerri will be conducted.
Therefore, the study sample has been narrowed to seven publishing firms in Owerri which the research believes are a representative of the entire population.
1.7 Limitation Of The Study
Limitation is anything that can stop you of doing something and also can act as a barrier to the success of completing of your project work. This research work was hampered by the following factors:
(A) Finance:
Finance has always been a barrier toward the completing of any project work. As a result of the economic hardship, researcher did not have enough capital to carry out the research.
(B) Time Factor:
The time given to the researcher for the completion of this work was too short and the researcher have to put extra effort for the completing of the project and keep others thing behind.
(C) Unwillingness Of Respondents:
To supply the necessary information needed was also a limitation. They are difficulty respondents encountered in getting needed information.
1.8 Definition Of Terms
Market:
Market is a set of people and organizations who are actual and potential buyers of profit and services.
Market Segmentation: Market segmentation can be defined as the process of breaking down the naturally heterogeneous market into component meaningful subgroup. Each of the resultant subgroups is a market segment.
Target Market:
Market targeting is the selection of segment of the industrial markets to be served with firms resources.
Positioning:
This act of establishing a viable competitive positioning of the firm and its offering on the selected target market.
Market Positioning:
This is a process of finding a position in the market for the product item under consideration along with appropriate marketing mix.
Marketing Mix:
This are controllable variables available to the marketing executive for his operation in the market place which is the first group of marketing mix and it is called the tradinal 4p’s price, place, product and promotion.
Market Concept:
Market concept which hinges on satisfying the needs and want of the target market better than competitors at a profit is rarely practiced in the services industry in the past.
Chapter Five
Summary And Findings, Conclusion And Recommendations
5.1 Summary And Findings
The objective of this project is to study the effects of market segmentation and positioning on company performance it has show a mixed impact both negative and positive impacts. Market segmentation and position leads to a number of benefit like producing the customer’s actual wants by market practitioners, creates the possibility of the market to know the appropriate steps to take in promotional, analyzing difference in the response.
Based on this study, the data analysis and presentations, the following revelation on the marketing activities of market segmentation and position as it is used by the researcher.
- Testing the result of the analysis that the company used or applies in market segmentation and positioning as well as other tools such as advertising, personal selling etc. to achieve the market target of the company.
- It was gathered from questionnaire that the company’s salesman apply market segmentation and positioning in the sales of a firms product.
- On the fare changed by the salesman that majority of the staff affirmed that is very good. This was confirmed by the large part of the researcher respondents who agreed that the fare equals the product receive from the company.
- In testing the second, 4th question in the questionnaire the organization are regionally structured. These is to say that market segmentation and positioning is a marketing of the firms based on the stated facts.
5.2 Conclusion
In this process the following conclusion was drawn, market segmentation and positioning is a logical follow up to the now widely received market concept. This is the evidence that the Nigeria market is growing and will continue in the foreseeable future to provide the conditions conductive to market segmentation and positioning. To benefit from the favourable market conditions, however the organization would first of all update this:
- It is secondary data and evidence means of gathering or estimation its primary data more economically. Hence, for moment, there should be more marketing research and survey in the organization to get information needed for proper and effective planning.
- Shortage of fund was also observed to be a problem limiting the success of sales or rather limit the scope of operations as gathered in personal interview for a meaningful work to be done in these firms, there should be enough fund to facilitate such project.
- Marketing strategy of the organization has been helping the companies to meets its sales marketing technique in the area of promotions generally so as to make more sales and combat competitors effectively.
- Inadequate transportation and distribution facilities are problem militating sales performance in the companies.
Finally, it was conclude that market segmentation and positioning contributed a great deal is attaining the sales target of the organization. Hence from the analysis, it was gathered that market segmentation and positioning was an integral part of the firms marketing policy and combined with other marketing tools to reach the customers. On this note, it was observed that the current strategy of market segmentation and positioning has be helpful to the organization and dose not call for a reviews.
5.3 Recommendation
We made the following recommendation based on our research work.
- The organization should engage more in market research and survey. This must be aimed at identify the customer and their from respective needs. From the analysis, it shows that the company’s sales objective will definitely increase more.
- On the issue of finance, the researcher should recommend that adequate provision of capital should be made. Also, proper budgeting and planning should be carried out in the firm because most of the time, it is financial problem that hinders the effect in some business but financial mismanagement and non proper allocation of fund.
- As I observed during the research work, the organization should put in effort to train their sales executive. Good sales training of sales executive would be an added advantage to the firm over its sales objective.
- The firm should improve on advertising and other sales promotion so as to attract more customer and offer better conditions than competitors and as well gain enough sales for the company.
- The issues of transportations and distribution facilities is not left aside and the research recommends that the companies should provide who’s jobs require moving so as to make effective sales.
Finally, it is the researcher view that if proper marketing planning is done in the organization there will be better results than its presently having in the operations. Therefore, it is researcher’s opinion that proper marketing planning segmentation and positioning and targeting be done in the organization. It should be noted that segmentation and positioning is not easy in practice and therefore, requires management should make the basic of segmentation and positioning know to the sales man and well as it target.
Furthermore, in designing the salesman presentation for the companies, all salesman should be involved and seek their contribution in the formulation of this presentation which should be factual an good enough to answer and accomplish its objective which is to sell profitable.


The Complete Material Will Be Sent to You in Just 2 Steps
Quick & Simple…
![]()
Make Payment (Through Transfer) of ₦5,000 to the Account Below
![]() | Acc No: 0811003731 |
| Samphina Academy | |
| Current Account |
Or CLICK HERE To Pay With Debit Card
| FOR STUDENTS OUTSIDE NIGERIA | |
| CLICK HERE To Pay With Card ($15) | |
| FOR GHANA STUDENTS (GHS 100) | |
![]() | MTN MoMo |
| 0553978005 | |
| Douglas Osabutey | |
![]()
Send the Following Details on WhatsApp ( 07062590260 ) After Payment
- Payment Details
- TOPIC: The Effect Of Market Segmentation And Positioning On Company Performance (A Case Study Of Selected Textbook Publishing Companies In Owerri)
The Complete Material Will Be Sent To You On WhatsApp After Receiving Your Details
T & C Apply
Students Review
List of Related Works
Effect Of Product Positioning On Customers Retention
Brand Differentiation & Positioning For Maximum Competitive Advantage
The Relevance Of Product Positioning In The Marketing Of Soft Drinks In Nigeria
An Evaluation Of Product Positioning Strategies For Marketing Indomie Breakfast
An Evaluation Of Product Positioning Strategies For Marketing Indomie Breakfast Noodles
Positioning Nigerian Lobster Farming For Significant Expansion And Increased Productivity
The Significance Of Brand Positioning In Marketing Activities
The Application Of Grand Strategy As A Strategic Tool For Organisational Positioning
Market Segmentation As A Tool For Distributing Pharmaceutical Product In Imo State
An Evaluation Of Market Segmentation And Its Significance
Market Segmentation As A Recipe For Consumers Satisfaction
Market Segmentation As An Efficient Tool Of Achieving Increased Market Share
Enhancing The Sales Of Consumer Goods Using Market Segmentation
Effect Of Market Segmentation On Sales Performance Of Beverage Industries
Effect Of Segmentation In The Target Marketing Of NBL Plc
The Impact Of Market Segmentation On Sales Performance
An Assessment Of The Impact Of Marketing Segmentation On Production Planning In An Organization
Impact Of Market Segmentation On Customer’s Satisfaction
The Impact Of Market Segmentation On Organization Profitability
The Effect Of Segmentation In The Target Marketing Of NBL Plc In Enugu State


