The Role of Marketing Research in Managerial Decision–making: A case study of Harare-based Food–Manufacturing Organisations in Zimbabwe

Abstract

In recent years, a market oriented organisational culture has increasingly been considered a key element of superior organisational performance. Marketing research has an integrative marketing function of helping ensure that all departments in an organisation work together towards consumer satisfaction. The study sought to investigate the role of marketing research in managerial decision-making in Harare-based food manufacturing organisations. The investigation employed a quantitative research design. The research population comprised all marketing managers in Harare-based Food–manufacturing organisations. The population had a total of 19 organisations, 6 of which did not have marketing managers in post. This reduced the population to 13. Using a simple random sampling procedure, 10 marketing managers were randomly selected to participate in the research. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire with both open-ended and closed-ended questions, in which marketing managers indicated their views on the key roles of marketing research in managerial decision-making in Harare-based Food–manufacturing organisations. Marketing managers perceived and were in agreement that the role of providing information that can be used in facilitating making informed, quality marketing decisions was central to marketing research. Findings revealed that key roles of marketing research in managerial decision-making included roles in aiding satisfaction of consumer needs and wants; market segmentation; targeting and positioning; identifying and assessing threats from environmental forces. Given the central role of marketing and marketing research in managerial decision-making, organisations in the food-manufacturing industry are urged to adopt a market-led approach and achieve market leadership through superiority in aiding satisfaction of customer needs and wants through a co-ordinated set of activities that enhance attainment of organisational goals and strategic objectives.