AN EVALUATION OF THE USE OF PRODUCT PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT AS A COMPETITIVE STRATEGY IN TOTAL NIGERIA PLC

AN EVALUATION OF THE USE OF PRODUCT PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT AS A COMPETITIVE STRATEGY IN TOTAL NIGERIA PLC

ABSTRACT

This project examines product planning and development as a competitive strategy. It also examined the survival of companies and the survival strategies. Companies must survive and how are companies going to survive? It Must remain and continue in business. One of the major strategies for survival is product planning. New products are the future of any business and without a continuous flow of a new product, the marketing system could probably die. Because new product is compulsory to keep a business abreast. In harsh marketing environment, every company should therefore develop a new product to be able to stay in business. 7 Customer’s needs and wants are dynamic they keep on changing, it is the social and economic function of an organization to satisfy their customers needs and wants. Products are planned and developed to accomplish certain objectives which may be to increase the sales volume of a firm, profit maximization, to gain competitive advantage, to maintain and improve market share and establish a future market for their product. It is deemed necessary for every organization to embark on product planning and development if for no other reason that some existing company product will enter the decline stage. Simple percentage was used to ascertain if the use of product planning and development as a competitive strategy in total Nigeria plc has a negative or positive effect Based on the deductions and conclusions that will be made after analyzing data, the researcher recommended that product planning and development should be a continuous process so as to enable the company to cope with changes in technology and the competitive environment. Also, the company should improve on her existing product line to offer more advantages or usefulness to loyal customers who are ready to continue with purchase irrespective of the attractive offers made by competitors

TABLE OF CONTENT

Title page- – – – – – – – – i
Approval page – – – – – – – -ii
Dedication – – – – – – – – -iii
Acknowledgement – – – – – – – -iv
Abstract – – – – – – – – – -v
Table of content – – – – – – – -vi

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION – – – – – – – -1
1.0 Background of the study – – – – -1
1.1 Statement of the problem – – – – -5
1.2 Purpose of the study – – – – – -6
1.3 Significance of the study – – – – -8
1.4 Research questions – – – – – -9
1.5 Scope of the study – – – – – – -10

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW – – – – – – -11

CHAPTER THREE

Research methodology – – – – – – -39
Design of study – – – – – – – -40

CHAPTER FOUR

Presentation, analysis and interpretation of data – -48

CHAPTER FIVE

Summary of findings – – – – – – -60
Conclusion – – – – – – – – -61
Recommendations – – – – – – – -62
Suggestions for further research – – – – -64
References – – – – – – – – -65
Appendix I – – – – — – – – -68
Questionnaire. – – – – – – – -69

AN EVALUATION OF THE USE OF PRODUCT PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT AS A COMPETITIVE STRATEGY IN TOTAL NIGERIA PLC