CHAPTER ONE
1.0
INTRODUCTION
This introductory chapter provides an insight into the research area, evaluation of
companies who use ICT (information and communication technology) in their
marketing. Brief discussion of the background to the research, problem discussion,
overall purpose and justification of the study will be revisited. The outline of the study
is also presented.
This research focuses on the evaluation and examining of selected companies in
Ireland in relation to the use of the internet and mobile phones in information and
communication technology (ICT) marketing. As a global developed market in europe,
this will prove to be representative of other developed markets.
This thesis investigates the use of ICT in marketing in companies, the variations and
combination
of their use of ICT tools like, internet, emails, sms,
mms and other
methods they may prefer. According to Gourvennec Yann A., (1996, p. 3), “Marketing
is a very broad ranging discipline which is undergoing radical changes. The approach
that should be adopted by Marketing management in the 21
st
century is conditioned
by the deep social and cultural changes that we are going through at the end of this
century. It is also greatly impacted by the significant alterations of today’s business
practices”.
In a world where change is constant and is also happening at a quickening pace, it
seems fundamental to us that Marketing be placed within the big picture of strategic
management. The
vision
for the future of the firm is central to this approach
(Gourvennec Yann A., 1996, p3).
1.1
MOTIVATION, PURPOSE, AND JUSTIFICATION
According to Paulina, George and Nikolaos (2007), companies still fall short of their
target, despite advancements in ICT marketing. Information
and communication
technologies (ICTs) like CRM, ERP and Intranet are considered important for creating
competitive advantage. Despite their rapid deployment rates,
only a few studies
mainly from the information technology (IT) and engineering literature have been
devoted in uncovering the factors that influence the diffusion
of new information
technologies and their proper use within an organization. Similarly, empirical studies
regarding the impact of ICT diffusion and their proper use in organizations seem
limited.
A research by Sarkar, Butler and Steinfeld (1995), indicated
that the increasing
popularity of the Internet as a business tool can be attributed to its current size and
prospected growth, as well as its attractive demographics. The Internet's potential to
provide an efficient channel for advertising and marketing efforts is overwhelming,
and yet no one is really sure how to use the Internet for these activities.
Even in advanced economies, for example, Canada, mobile
marketing is still an
emerging technology (Kinetix Media Communications -
www.kinetix.ca
- Accessed
16/03/08).
2
In an attempt to fill this research void, the proposed
study would examine the
implementation of ICT tools within marketing-related functions. By testing a number
of hypotheses using empirical methods (questionnaires and interviews), the study
would discover the
consequences of the use of ICT diffusion in these functions. The
findings would provide another insight into the use of ICT tools in marketing as well
as their impact on organizations.
Looking at the motivation above it becomes obvious that companies are still not able
to practice - to a high advantage, the use of ICT in marketing. What the study seeks
to see, is the use of ICT in the selected companies in terms of whether they use it
basically/extensively or properly/improperly, which tool of ICT is used most ( internet,
or mobile phones) and why, and the positive impact it has had on the value of the
company in general.
The presence of IT in marketing is basically strong in the collection of information,
statistics, market surveys, and executive information
system and marketing
orientated information system (M.O.I.S),(Yann A. Gourvennec, 1996).
Companies that will be investigated would include, clothing, food, financial and retail.
Based on the literature available, advice can now be given in areas of weakness as
to the tools different companies use.
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