Dr. Koce, D. Henry1
&
Azubuike A. Samuel2
1Department of Marketing
2Department of Business Administration and Management
Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Nigeria
Abstract
Industrialization, a gradual pool of business incubation within a given geographical area and its importance of enhancing economic development cannot be over prioritized. This study is hosted to investigate the impact of marketing operations on the development of industrial parks in Niger state, Nigeria. However, few available studies on this gray topic in Nigeria have presented mixed empirical positions on its socio-economic impact. This study analyses the impact of marketing operations to the establishment and development of Industrial Parks (IPs)in Niger State, Nigeria taken into cognizance the Minna and Garam Industrial Parks. The study utilized both primary and secondary data. The population of the study is 77 constituting of staff members of Minna and Garam Industrial Parks and Niger State (IPs) Management Agency. 77questionnaires were distributed to the entire population of which a total of 72 were returned with credible information and admitted as sample size. This was analyzed descriptively based on inferential statistics using five point likert scale and SPSS tool. The findings revealed that there is effort in industrializing the state but not followed with best practices as it has been riddled with constant setback like ineptitude, corruption, inadequacy of infrastructural facilities, poor trade logistics, poor marketing operations and weak linkage with local economy for harnessing of the enterprises‟ environment, among others. Therefore the study concluded that there is need to embrace industrial culture and discipline, establishment of marketing operations network, strategically connecting the various network of raw materials locations in and around the state and beyond. It is also found that the establishment of industrial park in the state will remarkably reposition the state economy towards overcoming the problem of job insecurity and developmental hardship in the state. The study, therefore recommend that the State government should prioritize her IPs policy with full marketing operations to attract participation that will harness the potentials and development of the state IPs.
Keywords: Economy, Infrastructure, Industrial, Marketing Operation, Parks