Green marketing and competitive advantage in the manufacturing industry in Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined the relationship between green marketing and competitive advantage in the manufacturing industry in Nigeria. In view of the competitiveness of the business environment in Nigeria, firms that hope to gain competitive advantage over their competitors in this era must be environmentally conscious through offering green products to consumers. The study's objective was to investigate green marketing and competitive advantage in the manufacturing industry in Nigeria. The study sample consisted of 64 registered manufacturing firms drawn from Edo and Delta States, South-South, Nigeria. The study employed ordinary least squares (OLS) multiple regression technique to analyse the data gathered from respondents. The study's findings revealed that product innovation and corporate social responsibility had a negative and significant relationship with competitive advantage while environmental commitment was significant and positively related to competitive advantage. The study recommended, among others things, that firms should embark on product innovation at regular interval aimed at adding environmental features to products, rebranding and repackaging. Finally, firms should in a matter of urgency improve on their corporate social responsibility in the environment where they operate.