The Influence of Foreign Affiliation on Promotional Decisions in Some Nigerian Firms

Abstract

This study is centered on the area of promotional decision making for the marketing of goods in foreign affiliated firms in Nigeria. It specifically seeks to identify the role the Nigerian personnel vis-vis foreign personnel play in promotional decision making in foreign affiliated firms; evaluate the level of satisfaction of the Nigerian personnel with the decision making arrangement; examine the relationship existing between the various types of affiliation and decision making arrangements; and fi17ally, determine the dependence or otherwise, of the locus of promotional decision making on the equity sharing between Nigerians and foreigners In foreign affiliated firms. The population of emphasis consists of-firms with foreign affiliations operating in Nigeria. Sampling was conducted only in Rivers State. Respondents from thirty six firms were interviewed out of a sampled size of 60 firms randomly selected. The respondents were in the middle and top management cadre of the sampled firms. I The study makes use of survey method of data collection. In this vein, questionnaires were administered mostly through personal interviews with respondents. The data were analyzed through collation, sorting, grouping, charting, and tabulation. The statistical Z-test for proportion and chi-square test were employed to examine the statistical significance of the relations studied. The study reveals that Nigerian personnel play a significant role in promotional decision making in foreign affiliated firms, that Nigerian personnel make at least 60% of promotional decisions in foreign affiliated firms; and that Nigerian personnel are very satisfied with the decision making set-up. It was also discovered that the contribution of Nigerian personnel' to promotional decision making is independent of Nigerian equity holding in foreign affiliated firms, and that Nigerians of senior marketing personnel cadre dominate foreign affiliated firms. The study recommends that Nigerian Directors of foreign affiliated firms should be more involved in -the affairs of their respective firms, and ensure that fellow Nigerians who are qualified, have the chance to apply their skills on the job as this will not only solve the problems of unemployment, but also lead to a situation where decisions are made to the best interest of the country., The employment of Nigerians will reduce possible adverse foreign exchange implications, among other adverses, that will be caused if foreign personnel are employed. In order to ensure that a total picture of foreign impact is obtained, and used for an all-sided appraisal of the subject matter, the researcher suggests further researches into the impact of foreign affiliation on other aspects of promotion and areas of marketing in particular, and other functional areas of business in general