An Investigation on the Attitude of Consumers to Locally Manufactured Goods
Introduction
The campaign to prioritize the locally produced products and/or other goods are sought to be effective in strengthening the economy. The developing countries, although lack of technological and mechanical preferences among the industries, are focused in enhancing the production through the knowledge management, strategic applications, and manpower talents. In the action of the economy to strengthen the economy, buying the local products are once assessed and placed in a more comprehensive approach such as national campaigns.
Background and Problems Statement
Based on the review on the past study where there two hundred (200) correspondents comprising manufacturers, marketers and consumers were interviewed. The focus of the study is about the issue in the industry of textiles and the locally manufactured goods. As an analysis, the results showed that while Nigerians are fairly satisfied with made-in-Nigeria goods, the goods are also not well publicized by the marketers (Njoku, 2004). This creates an idea that, although the locally produced goods passed in the consumer preferences, still, it suffered in the market as compared to the imported because of the lack of publicity or it is not properly commercialized and given priority by the locals themselves. With this initial investigation, it seems that the manufacturers and retailers do not provide the initiative to sell their own products. However, what are the attitudes of the consumers in other manufactured goods, like shoes, canned goods, and others that became essential in everyday living?
Research Aim and Objectives
The main aim of the study is to investigate the attitude of the consumers in the locally produced products in Nigeria. In order to achieve this aim, the study should consider the following objectives:
a) To identify the problems in terms of marketing of locally made goods.
b) To determine the degree of correlation between product quality and the consumer preferences
c) To recognize the economic effect of the policies prioritizing the locally made products
d) To examine the effect rapid changes in consumer preferences
Literature Review
The term “made-in-Nigeria” are understandably that the goods are locally manufactured or manufactured in Nigeria. Many countries also apply this idea to re-introduce the products in the domestic market. The process of manufacturing in Nigeria is ideally made through the sourced materials that can be found locally. The entire production is also locally processed. Based on the recognitions done by the local entrepreneurs, they admitted that the imported products are hard to resist and can penetrate in the market and compete with their products. Therefore, they start to imitate the products and start to produce the goods which are most commonly found among the range of shoes. This type of strategy easily fools the consumers and became the breakthrough the entrepreneurship in Nigeria (Njoku, 2004). Because of the consistent with current trends in globalization, many international companies have moved from the traditional multi-domestic approach – where local subsidiaries market locally-developed products to the local population – to a global approach – where firms market their products on a global basis with only limited adaption to local markets. The national economy encouraged the consumers to create emphasis on the local consumer culture (LCC) to have a more positive attitude toward local products in general (Steenkamp & de Jong, 2010). However, in Nigeria, the concept of origin effect is very evident. Accordingly, the previous study showed that the products from the technologically more advanced countries were viewed more positively by nationals of developing countries, than those from the technologically less advanced countries. The situational personal characteristics, such as motivation and ability to process information, may influence the consumer preferences. And because there is a traced weakness in Nigerian manufacturing industries, the people turn to patronize the imported goods. The image made by the foreign manufacturers gives a great effect among the consumers (Opoku &Akorli, 2009).
Methodology
The applied method in the study is to through the use of survey and interview. The survey will be conducted among the respondents who are consumers. Through the Likert Scale form of questionnaire, the study can determine the satisfaction level as well as the perception of the respondents. Furthermore, the questionnaires are effective tool to weigh the buying decisions of the respondents by comparing the locally made products against the imported goods. On the other hand, the use of interview will lit the idea on the struggles that involved in the manufacturing industry. The interviewer will include the participants coming from the manufacturers, retailers, and traders.
References:
Njoku, A.A., (2004) Marketability of Made in Nigeria Textile Materials [Online] Available at: http://www.stclements.edu/grad/gradnjok.pdf [Accessed 23 September 2010].
Opoku, R.A., & Akorli, P.A., (2009) The Preference Gap: Ghanaian Consumers’ Attitudes toward Local and Imported Products, African Journal of Business Management, 3 (8): 350-357 [Online] Available at: http://www.academicjournals.org/AJBM/PDF/pdf2009/Aug/Opoku%20and%20Akorli.pdf [Accessed 23 September 2010].
Steenkamp, J., & de Jong M.G., (2010) A Global Investigation into the Constellation of Consumer Attitudes towards Global and Local Products, Journal of Marketing [Online] Available at: http://www.marketingpower.com/AboutAMA/Documents/JM_Forthcoming/A_Global_Investigation.pdf [Accessed 23 September 2010].
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
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