HCBE Faculty Articles

The Marketing Audit - Its Use by South African Companies

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

South African Journal of Business Management

ISSN

2078-5585

Publication Date

12-1984

Abstract/Excerpt

The use of marketing audits is regarded as an integral part of the strategic marketing management process. The marketing audit is a comprehensive, systematic, independent, and periodic examination of a company's marketing environment, objectives, strategies, and activities with a view to determining problem areas and opportunities and recommending a plan of action to improve the company's marketing performance. This article reports the results of a study of marketing-audit practices in listed South African companies. More than half the respondents do not use the marketing audit and their reasons for not doing this are regarded as being indicative of a lack of strategic orientation. Independent auditors are used by the majority of companies utilizing the marketing audit, and objectivity and expertise are given as the main reasons for this. Those companies using the marketing audit generally regard it as important and as an integral tool of strategic marketing management. The conclusion is drawn that if the results of this study are indicative of the South African situation, the marketing audit has not been accorded its rightful place in business.

Die gebruik van 'n bemarkingsoudit word beskou as 'n belangrike onderdeel van die strategiese bemarkingsbestuursproses. Die bemarkingsoudit kan beskou word as 'n volledige, sistematiese, onafhanklike en periodieke beskouing van 'n ondememing se bemarkingsomgewing, doelwitte, strategi~ en aktiwiteite met die oogmerk om probleemareas asook geleenthede te identifiseer en dienooreenkomstig 'n plan van optrede saam te stel om die bemarkingsaksie te verbeter. Hierdie artikel doen verslag oor 'n studie wat ondemeem is in verband met die gebruik van bemarkingsoudits deur genoteerde Suid-Afrikaanse maatskappye. Meer as die helfte van die respondente gebruik nie 'n bemarkingsoudit nie en die redes daarvoor verstrek kan beskou word as 'n aanduiding van 'n gebrek aan strategiese orii3ntasie. Onafhanklike ouditeurs word gebruik deur die meerderheid ondememings wat wel die bemarkingsoudit gebruik. Objektiwiteit en kundigheid word as hoofredes hiervoor aangevoer. Ondememings wat 'n bemarkingsoudit gebruik beskou dit as 'n belangrike hulpmiddel vir strategiese bemarkingsbestuur. Die gevolgtrekking word gemaak dat indien die resultate van hierdie studie beduidend is van die Suid-Afrikaanse situasie, die bemarkingsoudit nog nie sy regmatige plek in die bedryfslewe ingeneem het nie.

Volume

15

Issue

4

First Page

225

Last Page

228

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