AN ANALYSIS OF IMPACT OF WAREHOUSING IN THE EFFICIENT DISTRIBUTION OF TOILET SOAP

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

        Consumer product innovation is a subject newly recognised to be vital to the future of companies, even the government, realised the important of product innovation to industries at large and its effect in the competitiveness of the  Nigeria industries in the world matters.

        This is because many of the high quality product needed by customers are been imported by customers but the importation of these items does not help matter because of government regulations and unstable nature of our economy. This problem can only be solved if companies recognise the importance of innovation of new product and develop their ability on innovation with government giving assistant where and when necessary.

        Further more, all products has a life cycle, which dictates that some point there usefulness will decline. Although there is substantial valuation in life cycle by types and class of product.

        A product cannot be sustained for eternity and market emotions will work against its immorality. In the light of this therefore, the need for consumer product innovation by business firm cannot be over emphasised.

        Demand is increasingly dynamic and product life cycles are getting shorter, products’ life cycle if been comprised by accelerated research (William Stanton fundamentals of marketing 6th edition London). For most business to survive in the wave of all the social, economic, political and cultural changes blacking the view of their horizons the must embark on product innovation. For a product to effectively meet customers (need to reduce problems associated with decision in distribution pricing, advertising and personal selling). A poorly innovated product on the other hand create many problems for other decision areas in the company.

        Organisations are always competing for survival in the market, growth in market shares, product lines and mix. These are necessary strategies for survival and attainment of over all objective of any corporate entity.

All this can be achieved through consumer product innovation. Sales of successful new product goes through a period of growth reaches a peak and eventually declining maximum sales volume of any company is often reached only after competition have entered the field and innovation becomes inevitable.

Moreso, the period that institutions and firms face is such that causes some firms to wind up or on the other hand periodically pay for it. This has made product innovation necessary or inevitable.

        Finally, innovation can be highly productive but often a risky road to many companies that are not aggressively alert to its possibilities.

        New life beverage Nigeria limited was incorporated in November 15th 1989 by Mr Ekeleze Ezemon (managing director).

        The construction of the first factory commenced on 1990 and was completed on May 1993. In 1993, the factory for hot drink commenced and in the same year King Edward brand, hot drink was launched into the Nigeria market. It begins to produce its sound product King Edward whisky, honey wine, prince Mixon brandy, Jubilee wine, century schnapp white schnapp etc. in 1994 August, there by becoming of the bent two factories producing hot drink in the state at that time.

        New life beverages Nigeria limited has an understanding with technical company limited Lagos especially in the area of new improved production process and equipment, research into raw materials constant assurance and innovation market techniques.

1.2     STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS

    i.        Recent decline in the sales of the product of new life beverages Nigeria ltd.

  ii.         Sleepily decreasing profit.

iii.        Massive staff retrenchment.

 iv.        No new product introduction or product modification for a long time.

   v.        Closure of many depots.

1.3     PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

To determine

    i.        Why life beverages of Nigeria limited has been experiencing decline in the sales of its product in recent time.

  ii.        The ways in which profit of the company can be increased significantly.

iii.        If a massive staff retrenchment in the company was necessary.

 iv.        The reason proffered by the company for it’s full in new product introduction and modification.

   v.        The benefits the firm would drive from reopening some of its previously closed depot.

1.4     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study is relevant because

i.              It will increase the awareness of executives of the need to the product innovation process very seriously.

ii.              It will aid research work in related areas such as marketing concept, product differentiation, marketing mix and so on.

1.6 Research questions

The following questions were declared vital for this work

                  i.        Why has life beverages Nigeria ltd been experiencing decline in the sales of its products in recent times?

                ii.        How can the profit of the company be increased significantly?

              iii.        Was the massive staff retrenchment in the company necessary?

              iv.        What reasons has the company given for its full in new product innovation and modification.

                v.        What benefit will the firm drive from reopening some of its previously closed depot?

1.8   SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of this study is limited product innovation and beverage industry.

1.9   DEFINITION OF TERMS

The terms and there definitions are

ANSOFF matrix: A model used strategic marketing planning. It maps out four potential product market strategies eg market penetration, product development, market development and classification.

Awareness: Promotional activity (eg public relations) whose primary purpose is to increase general knowledge of the company and its product and to make people feel more positive towards them.

Focus group: A small group of sample customers who are brought together into a group discussion to measure their response to a marketing stimulus such as a new product or brand.

Strategic Business Unit (SBU): Is a unit of a firm that has a separate mission and objectives which can be planned independently from other part of the firms.