ABSTRACT

The evaluation and development and marketing of service products in educational sector is a very interesting topic to research on because it will help both the service industries and government at large to enact policies that will help in boosting the educational level of our community. In trying to make this study a success, the researcher used Imo State University as a case study to validate the findings of this study. The researcher chose this institution because it represents the service industries in Nigeria. The researcher used oral interviews and questionnaires to collect information relative to this study. The researcher made use of primary and secondary data sources; the primary data sources is made up of interviews and questionnaires while the secondary data sources is made up of textbooks, marketing journals, magazine relative to the topic under review and also information gotten from a combined chamber of commerce and industry. In analyzing the data gotten, the researcher used simple table and percentages and in interpreting the hypothesis, Chi-square (X2) was used to validate the hypothesis. The objective of carrying out this study is to let managers know the essence of marketing service products and how best they should package their services products as to must up with the aims

CHAPTER ONE

1.0    INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Marketing of service products can be traced back to the 18′1‘ century when Jean Baptize Say rejected Adam Smith’s notion that immaterial products ate not wealth because they were not susceptible of conservation. Jean Baptize argued that activities have utility and give satisfaction to the consumer, like !the doctors who cures the sick man, are productive and that agriculture, manufacturing and commerce should be traced on an equal basis. The acceptance of services as legitimate activities is reflected in (the current division of industry by economists into three main groups; primary, secondary and tertiary.

This research will focus mainly on the tertiary activities which refers to service and distributive trade.

Foote and Hate further classified service into three as follow

1 Tertiary; These include restaurants and holds, barber and beauty shops, laundry and dry cleaning establishments, home repair and maintenance.

2 Quarter nary: This includes transportation, commerce, communication, France and administration; the salient characteristics being that they facilitate and effectuate (the division of labor

3 Quandary: This includes health care, education and recreation; the chief aspect of this sector being that services rendered are designed to change and improve the recipient in some way. Prior to the evolution of services, manufacturers of goods relied more or less entirely on the technical qualities of their products. we had a seller’s market, where manufacturers did not have to offer much in the form of services or other auxiliaries to their customers. They did not seek for the differentiate their offerings from those of their competitors in order to maintain market share and survive, in recent years, massive changes in policy, governance, structure we effect status of education have been taken place. Environmental changes, such as privatization, diversification, decentralization, internationalization and increased competition in education are common. These changes have an effect oh how educational institutions operate nowadays and they are seen as driving forces for the marketing of services products in educational sector.

Marketing of service products is an intangible product, impossible to touch see or feel. The evaluation of the service can be obtained by judging the service content and the service delivery system, fictional sector is one of the most important sector of economy. Many countries are now shifting their economy from manufacturing to services. Researchers and academicians are emphasizing their attention towards Studying services and importance of service offered to educational sector an important consideration since the recent years. Now institutions air trying to evaluate the services provided and comparing these service products with competitors to determine status of competitive advantage. To be competitive, organizations evaluate quality of service offered to all the stakeholders. To see the service quality offered at the educational sector, service quality model given by Parasusnnan et al (1988) is widely ace institutions operate nowadays and they are seen as driving forces for the marketing of services products in educational sector.

Marketing of service products is an intangible product, impossible to, see or feel. The evaluation of the service can be obtained by judging the service content and the service delivery system, fictional sector is one of the most important sector of economy. Many countries are now shifting their economy from manufacturing to services. Researchers and academicians are emphasizing their attention towards educational sector. Studying services and importance of service offered to educational sector is an important consideration since the recent years. Now institutions are trying to evaluate the  services provided and comparing these service products with competitors to determine status of competitive advantage.

To be competitive, organizations evaluate quality of service offered to all the stakeholders. To see the service quality offered at the educational sector, service quality model given by Parasusnnan et al (1988) is widely accept institutions operate nowadays and they are seen as driving forces for ‘he marketing of services products in educational sector.

Marketing of service products is an intangible product, impossible *o (quell, sec or feel. The evaluation of the service can be obtained by judging the service content and the service delivery system Locational sector is one of the most important sector of economy. Many countries are now shifting their economy from manufacturing to services. Researchers and academicians are emphasizing their attention towards educational sector. Studying services and importance of service offered to educational sector is an important consideration since the recent years. Now institutions ate trying lo evaluating the services provided and comparing these privies products with competitors to determine status of competitive advantage. To be competitive, organizations evaluate quality of service offered lo all the stakeholders. To see the service quality offered at the educational sector, service quality model given by Parasurrnan in (1988) is widely accepted, service quality model is consists of five dimensions that is tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance empathy. Service is characterized by changing patterns of consumption as well as employment and output. Services are those separately identifiable, essentially intangible activities which provide want satisfaction and that, arc not necessarily tied to the sale of a product other service. Marketing of service products is any activity or benefit that one party can offer lo another that is essentially intangible and does not result to ownership transfer of anything. Marketing of service products to educational sector fulfills the benefit junco with the help a set of tangible and intangible companies. where buyer of the service does not get any ownership. He may have tangible physical dance to show for the service exchange transaction but Me fickle benefit: crude to purely intangible in nature. five dimensions that is tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance empathy. Service is characterized by changing patterns of consumption as well as employment and output. Services are those separately identifiable, essentially intangible activities which provide want satisfaction and that, arc not necessarily tied to the sale of a product and other service.

Marketing of service products is any activity or benefit that one party can offer lo another that is essentially intangible and does not result to ownership transfer of anything. Marketing of service products to educational sector fulfills the benefit with the help a set of tangible and intangible companies. who buyer of the service does not get any ownership. He may have tangible physical dance to show for the service exchange transaction but Me fickle benefit »: crude to purely intangible in nature. marketing of service products to educational sectors is characterized by the following:

Intangible: marketing of service product is intangible in the sense that it is possible to taste, feel, see, hear or smell services. Inseparability: this implies that services cannot be separated from the provider.

Heterogeneity: services cannot be standardized even though standard may be used.

Perish ability: products rendered in an educational sector cannot be stored, this research work shows how the marketing of service products influences the quality of the education in the educational sector using Imo State University as a study. This work also reveals how the marketing mix is applied ip educational services of our higher institutions of learning.

1.1 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE CASE STUDY

Imo State University (IMSU) in Owerri, Imo State of Nigeria was established in 1981 through Law No. 4 passed by the Imo State House of Assembly. The university admitted the first intake of 392 pioneer students on October 23, 1981. After the creation of Abia State in 1991, the Uluru Campus of who university became the Abia State University. Imo State University is a fully functional university. Most of the programmers of the university have obtained foil accreditation from National Universities Commission of Niger. The jcsuH of the 1999/2000 accreditation exercise of National Universities Commission confirmed that high rate and acceptance of the university by the Nigerian public. The university was ranked 1st among all state universities it) Nigeria and the 10th overall among both state and federal universities. The university scooted 100% in 2006 and 2007 accreditation visit, with all programme visited getting accreditation.

3.1 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

purpose of this study is to examine critically the impact of marketing of nice products to the quality of education rendered in our educational sector.

“this piece of work will give an insight into the most effective way through which service products can have positive impact on educational sectors. This work will serve as guideline to management of our institutions or even management of various service firms in improving the recipients of (heir services with the efficient receive they render. this research work will get management and government acquainted with the of services and how it can be applied to achieve academic excellence in our Dilutions of higher learning using State University as a ca.se study.

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Study will be of immense benefit to the institution under study (lmo State university). The findings and recommendations shall be beneficial to the management of service firms in dealing with the problems relating to marketing of ice products. This study shall also be useful to scholars and researchers who are interested in carrying out research on the marketing of service product? or-ted topics.

Finally, this work will be of great help to the government in making their plans >and budget estimates concerning educational sectors on yearly basis.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

In other to fulfill the objective of this study some workable research questions were formulated, tested and used as guide for the study. To what extent do service products enhance the quality of education in our situations of learning?

What is the quality of service tendered in the educational sectors?

Do the skills of the service provider affect the quality of the service provided in the educational sectors?

Who me the target customers in the educational sectors?

RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

Appraise the development and marketing of service products in educational, the following hypothesis has been formulated. The hypothesis involves the null hypothesis (HO) and alternate hypothesis (III). The null hypothesis is bound rejection when proven wrong and the alternate hypothesis will he accepted.

Ho: The quality of service products provided for educational sector does not have an impact in the attainment of academic excellence.

Hi: The quality of service products provided for the educational sector is a determinant factor to the attainment of academic excellence,

HI-opposite of the null hypothesis you need to state it equally.

There for the opposite null hypothesis directional alternative hypothesis

Finally the null hypothesis is said to be stated when it suggestion has no differences in effects of one or more independent variables on the dependent variable.

The directional alternative hypothesis is said to be directional when it predicts a differences and indicates the expected direction of that difference.

1.7 SCOPE OF STUDY

The scope of this project work was limited to Imo State University, Owerri. This study was limited to this institution because it represents the activities going on in

Every educational sector of the nation. ‘the scope of this .study was limited for effective test and result of the quality of service rendered by the management and

The effectiveness of the services towards the attainment of academic excellence.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

To ensure that this research work is easily understood; some technical terms used will be explained:

1.   Marketing: this is a total system of business activities designed to plan, price, promote and distribute want satisfying goods and services to present and potential customers. It is further understood that marketing is a social process by which individuals and groups obtain what they need and want through creating, offering and freely exchanging products and services by value with others. This process is to establish, maintain and enhance long-term customers relationship at a profit, so that the objectives of the parties involved are met.

2.   Services: This can be said to be any performance that one policy offers to another, that is essentially intangible and does not result in She ownership of anything. Though the production of such service may or may not be tied to a., physical product. Furthermore, service is an identifiable, intangible activities that are the main objectives of a transaction designed to provide want satisfaction to the customers. Service in a nutshell can be seen as those activities that are intangible, inseparable, variable, perishable and simultaneously produced and consumed which is offered for exchange for money that the customer or consumer perceives as want satisfying.

3.   Products: This is anything (tangible and intangible) that is offered to the market for attention find or acquisition at a defined pace which is perceived as want satisfying. A product in the image name of the organization in the: market,

4.   Intangible: This is used to denote a thing (hat does not have physical properties which make that service cannot be touched seen or some Their therefore means that the customer takes o tangible product home j»t the of that contested? accept the feeling of dissatisfaction or satisfaction which is highly intangible. Due to uncertainty in service quality, prospects always search Cur indications of service quality before making any purchase. These indications can be inform of place, equipment, people, symbols, communication materials and as well price of the service.

5.   Educational sector: this is an organization set up with the priority of impacting knowledge to people and building the future elites with academic excellence. This organization that sees to the adequate management of education process in our community.

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