Strategic Marketing Management In The Nigerian Oil And Gas Sector
[A case study of NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION - NNPC]

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

1. To examine the impact of strategic marketing management on the development of Nigerian Oil and Gas sector.

2. To examine marketing activities of oil and gas marketing companies in the identification and satisfaction of clients’ needs and wants

3. To investigate the issues involved in the marketing of Oil and Gas in Nigeria.

4. To identifying the likely marketing mix variables and strategies used by oil and gas marketing companies

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS 

1. What are the impacts of strategic marketing management on the development of Nigerian Oil and Gas sector?

2. What are the issues involved in the marketing activities of oil and gas marketing companies in the identification and satisfaction of clients’ needs?

3. What are the challenges involved in the marketing of Oil and Gas in Nigeria?

4. What are the likely marketing mix variables and strategies used by oil and gas marketing companies in Nigeria?

1.5 STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESIS 

HYPOTHESIS I

Ho: There is no positive impact of strategic marketing management on the development of Nigerian Oil and Gas sector.

Hi: There are positive impacts of strategic marketing management on the development of Nigerian Oil and Gas sector.

HYPOTHESIS II

Ho: The marketing activities of oil and gas marketing companies have not brought about the identification and satisfaction of clients’ needs.

Hi: The marketing activities of oil and gas marketing companies have brought about the identification and satisfaction of clients’ needs.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This research work is limited to the issues of strategic marketing management in the Nigerian oil and gas sector using Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Benin City, as a study. This means that the area in which data were collected in form of primary source of data is limited to Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Benin City, Edo State. 

1.7 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Due to the economic necessities, the complex of modern business activities, the dynamic and ever changing nature of market environment, the high rate of inflation, its has become imperative to adopt an effective marketing strategy management in order to control the trend in the complex and competitive economy.

Another significance of the study is that, the study recommends that the competitive nature of business activities demands that companies and business organizations should apply marketing ethics measures that will increase marketing shares.

1.8 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

During the conduct of the study, some factors posed challenges to the researcher. These include:

Financial constraint: This is the major factor that limits the extent to which the research work was conducted. Traveling expenses were incurred in getting materials and typing of questionnaire and the distribution of the questionnaires.

Time is another factor that posed hindrance in carrying out this research work.

Management restriction often does not allow access to information that is considered very confidential like details information of the organization profile. As a result of this restriction, the researcher was not able to get full information that was considered vital.

The attitude of the respondent in giving out information was another limitation. The researcher mainly used the information that was given.

1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Management: Management is the effective and efficient utilization of organization resources so to achieve its predetermined goal.

Sales: it is the pre-determined actions designed to increase consumer demands stimulate market demand or improve product availability for a limited time.

Market: Market consists of individual and organizational activities designed to sense and serve the consumer’s need and to facilitate and expedite exchange with the view to achieving the goals of the individual or organization through the satisfaction of the consumer’s needs.

Strategy: Strategy is a means of operationalizing policy and for achieving some predetermined objectives.

Strategies are schemes, methods, maneuvers which management hopes to deploy in order to move the organization from its present position to arrive at its target goals.

Planning: Planning is an intellectual, the conscious determination of course of action the basic of decision on purpose, fact and considered estimate. To plan is to forecast into the future that is using related facts and assumptions. 

Marketing Mix: the marketing mix is that particular blend of controllable marketing variables that a marketer uses to achieve his objective in a particular market segment. The four basic elements in the marketing mix are the product, price place or distribution and promotion. These four elements are popularly known as the 4ps.

Marketing Planning: this is defined as the systematic management process of introducing the identification and assessment of marketing problem, opportunity and organization capacity, the selection of target markets and formulation of marketing objectives.