ABSTRACT
Product planning distribution and management are very vital in the production and distribution of very manufacturing organization. Before ever a manufacturing company should come out with a good quality product, it must undergo many processes, from planning for either short range or long, fore casting doing market research and consumer survey, protesting the product and introducing the product to the market through different channels of distribution.
The aim of this study is to describe how the Nigeria bottling company plc, Enugu is really involved in the process of product planning, distribution and management. This is done by gathering information from certain problems usually associated with product planning, and proposing remedial measures after revealing areas of problem. The question in the questionnaire were based on the research question s developed for this purpose while analysis were made using the chi-square (x2) test and percentage from here a discussion of the findings, recommendation and conclusion were made by the researcher.
It is hoped that this will aid managers in planning, distribution and managing the their products by taking effective and efficient decisions in these important decision areas. For examples the company should recruit highly staff and give them adequate training.
PREFACE
This work is deemed to high light on problems involved in product distribution and management. These tasks are undertaken by management to ensure product growth and increase market share.
My reason for selecting the Nigeria bottling company Plc, Enugu is due to the wide range of produce in the market needed to be evaluated against the back ground of produce planning distribution and management.
For the continued existence of companies products must be produced and sold profiatably. New product must have to be introduced and told and unprofitable products must have to be deleted.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Title page
Approval page
Dedication
Acknowledgment
Abstract
Preface
Table of content
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1Background of the study
1.2Statement of the problem
1.3Objective of the study
1.4Research question
1.5Scope of the study
1.6Limitation and problems
1.7Significance of the study
1.8Definition of term
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1Meaning of product
2.2Product classification
2.3 product planning and product development
2.4Decision areas in product planning
2.5The function of product planning
2.6New product
2.7Planning for new product
2.8Product attributes
2.9Product positioning
2.10The expanding duties of the product manager
2.11Physical distribution
2.12Physical distribution objective
2.13Distribution channels
2.14Selection channels of distribution
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION OF THE STUDY
3.1Research design or methodology
3.2Area of study
3.3Population of the study
3.4Sample size determination
3.5 Instrument for data collection
3.6Validation of the instrument
3.7Reliability of the instrument
3.8Methods of data collection
3.9Method of data analysis
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
4.1Presentation and analysis of data
4.2Testing of hypothesis
4.3Summary of results
CHAPTER FIVE
DISCUSSION RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION
5.1Summary of finding a d discussion
5.2Conclusions
5.3Recommendations
Bibliography
Appendix
INTRODUCTION
A product has been defined by the American marketing association as any thing that can be officered to a market for attention, acquisition or consumption including physical objects, services, personalities, organization and desires.
A product as defined by stanchion in fundamentals of marketing. A product is a set of tangible and intangible attributes that leads to customer satisfaction. product planning embraces all the activities that enables a company to determine what product t will market.
Management deals with all those who have supervisory responsibility ranging from the chief executive down to the first line supervisor, in this case, management is regarded to as box, that is those who direct the work of others and their own through their own offers and efforts of others thus, product planning and management, comprises all the activities that enables a company to determine what it will market of product so as to satisfy customers wants and need respectively.
This involves the process of effectively planning and regulating the operations of that part of enterprises which is responsible of that part of enterprises which is responsible for the actual transformation of materials into finished products. This includes all the activities required. In storage and distribution of the company’s goods.
This addresses the questions of.
a.Which type of channels a seller should select for his product.
b.Which particular middlemen include in each channel type and.
c.How to management distribution n system for effective performance. The company or firm should know the degree of channel control desired, by controlling the channel, the producer attempts to ensure that this product will receive the necessary sales push as well as any other essential elements needed to present the product properly and satisfy and customers.
The company of firm should make necessary effort to control the quality of the product.
Product quality-the quality level to be built into the product is a conscious decision to be made by the manufacture. A higher quality product normally is more costly to product than a lower quality one and so commands a higher price on the market. The quality level decision therefore should be related to the price range that will be attractive to the mainstreams of potential buyers, quality is multifaceted. It relates to, or depends on. Such factors as the quality of raw materials used the production process
Itself, quality controls during production packaging or dressing of the product, price of the product, the environment in which the product is displayed for buys, the durability of the product is used and the buyers, expectation and appreciation in general, product quality tends to be high to the extent that any of the above factors is good or high as the case may be.
The quality produced has be in line with demand at a particular point in time so as to fight against out of stock and over stock.
The company has to be watchful at any point in time so as to know what type of product to be produced, when to produce. How to produce, whom to produce for the (target market) and cloy such a product is required.
According to Charles a Scheve and Reuben M Smith. The basic goal of product management is to ensure that a product matches the wants and needs of consumers in its market. Then many markets make the mistake of thinking that consumers feel and act as they do and share their wants” invalid assumptions on the part of marketers. Results to marketing failures previously, about one hundred years ago, there were few producers. The sellers oriented type of market was prevailing consumers out weighted the number of producers and little or no regards was paid to consumers welfares.
Production concept of marketing philosophy was prevalent.
What ever was produced had to be consumed. This goes to mean that the total produce concept is the entire set of benefits the products provides to the consumers. No attention was paid to product packaging, branding product quality and other important physical attributes of a product.
As time went on, more and more producers come into the market. This gave rise to conception among the available producers consumption was based on good packaging brand image, product quality convenient. This is known as product concept in marketing philosophy.
It is this situation that forced manufactures to spend time in product packaging, labeling, branding etc.
Now due to advancement in both technology and communication as will as production equipment introduced into the circulation makes the market more complicated. This is the era that brought about marketing concept. Here manufactures and producers first of all is out to find really the needs and wants of consumers, then the most admirable type colour, package design, branding and labeling that all best suit the desire of the potential and actual consumers of the product.
Product planners must try to match the firms resources lie what it is capable of producing with the men, money, machines and materials it ahs with the needs of consumers satisfaction and highest company profits can be achieved wit the limited resources available.
Because of the sophisticated nature of today’s
business, many tactics are being applied by different companies to fight back competitions and to stand firmly in the market. Many new products are constantly being introduced into the market.
Innovators are seriously doing their job; old and profitable products are modernized while some are deleted out of the market. Companies use specific and admirable packaging design, good branding and beautiful types of labeling to distinguish their products from many in circulation. Similar products in the market.