A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE MARKETING STRATEGIES OF DOMINANT POLITICAL PARTIES IN NIGERIA
(THE CASE OF 2003 GENERAL ELECTIONS)
By
WORLU ROWLAND ENWUZURUIKE KPASOME (CU03GP0040)
Presented To
Department of
Business Administration and Management
ABSTRACT
This thesis examines the marketing strategies of dominant political parties in Nigeria with
focus on 2003 General Elections. The broad objective of the research is to examine whether
contemporary political parties in Nigeria are market-oriented organisations; and whether
marketing offers a solution to the current democratic challenges in Nigeria. The study
employed the survey method of research in which the data required for the study were
generated through the instruments of questionnaire, and in-depth interviews. Four dominant
political parties were selected out of thirty political parties that participated in the 2003
General Elections, and their electorates. Quota and stratified sampling techniques were
mostly used in their selection; and a sample of 800 respondents was considered. In other
words, eight hundred (800) copies of questionnaire were administered and six hundred and
twenty six (626) were returned; out of which five hundred and ninety eight (598) were found
to be usable. The answers to the returned questionnaire formed the data which were
analyzed with tables, frequencies, percentages, ANOVA and chi-square to crystallize the
findings. The findings indicate that 52% of electoral success in Nigeria is determined by
marketing strategies while the remaining 48% is ascribable to anti-democratic forces like
state power, godfatherism, etc. This is largely due to poor perception of the role of marketing
strategies in politics. It was further found that Nigerian political parties are product and
sales oriented in their marketing strategies as against the market- oriented approach of
advanced democracies (e.g U.S.A). This accounts for ineffectiveness of parties, leading to
waning interest and sporadic hostilities in Nigerian politics. Based on these findings, it is
recommended, among other things, that parties should be voter-focused and responsive to
the needs of the electorates.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Certification - - - - - iii
Declaration - - - - - … iv
Dedication - - - - - … v
Acknowledgements - - - - … vi-ix
Abstract… - - - - - … x
Table of Contents - - - - - xi
List of Tables - - - - - … xv
List of Appendices - - - - … xvi
List of Figures - - - - - xvii
List of Charts - - - - - xviii
CHAPTER ONE: Introduction
11 Background of the Study - - - - 1
12 Statement of Research Problem - - - … 3
13 Research Objectives - - - - 4
14 Research Questions - - - - 5
15 Research Hypotheses - - - - 5
16 Significance of the Study - - - - 6
17 Sources of Data - - - - … 8
18 Scope and limitation of the Study - - - … 8
19 Outline of Chapters - - - - … 9
110 Operationalization of Research construct into Variables - … 9
111 Definition of Terms - - - - … 10
References - - - - … 13
CHAPTER TWO: Literature Review
20 Conceptual Framework - - - -
15
21 Introduction - - - - - 15
211a 2003 general elections: an overview - - - … 16
211b The Concept of Strategy and Dimensions - - - 24
212 Competitive Marketing Strategy - - - 21
213 Element of marketing in electoral Politics - - - 32
214 Election and Electoral System - - - … 34
215 Political Parties - - - - … 37
22 Theoretical Framework - - - - 38
221 Relationship Marketing Theory - - - … 39
222 Game Theory - - - - 47
223 Political Marketing Theory - - - - 49
224 Propaganda Theory - … - - - 50
225 Marketing Mix Management Theory - - - 55
226 Resource Base Theory - - - - 66
227 Role Theory - - - - 77
228 Perception Theory - - - - 80
229 Efficiency Theory - - - - 86
23 Empirical Framework - - - - 87
231 The Current State of Political Marketing - - … 87
232 Political Marketing Planning - - - 89
233 Branding in Political Marketing - - - 96
234 Political Marketing Function and the Political Market(s) - … 97
24 Conclusion and Gap in the Literature - - - 99
References - - - - … 100
CHAPTER THREE: Research Methodology
30 Introduction - - - - … 115
31 Research Methods - - - - … 115
32 Research Design - - - - … 115
33 Population of Study - - - - 116
34a Estimation of the party sample size - - - … 119
34b estimation of the sample size of the electorate - - … 119
35 Sampling technique and procedure - - … 121
36a Instrumentation and Data Collection - - - … 121
36b Questionnaire Administration and Field work - - 124
37 Data Analytical Techniques and Interpretation - - … 125
38 Validity Test - - - - - 125
39 Further Reliability Tests - - - … 127
References - - - - … 128
CHAPTER FOUR: Data Presentation, Analysis & Interpretation of
Results
41 Introduction - - - - - - 131
42 Results of the First and Second Phases - - … 133
421 The Role of Marketing Strategies in electoral politics - - 133
422 Interpretation of Results - - - - 134
426 Discussion of Result - - - - … 136
427 Interpretation of Results - - - - 137
43 Perception of the Role of Marketing Strategies in Party Politics - 139
431 Introduction - - - - 140
432 Interpretation of Results - - - … 141
434 General Discussion - - - - … 142
435 Interpretation of Results - - - - 143
437 Restatement and Test of Research Hypotheses I - - 144
438 Interpretation of Results - - - - 146
44 Marketing Strategies of Political Parties - - - 147
441 Introduction - - - - … 147
442 Interpretation of Result - - - - 147
45 Assessment of the Parties’ Marketing Strategies - - 150
451 Introduction - - - - 150
452 Interpretation of Results - - - … 150
46 Restatement and Test of Research Hypothesis II - - … 153
461 Interpretation of Results - - - … 154
464 General Discussion of Result - - - … 157
47 Effectiveness of Market growth Strategies of the Political Parties - 159
471 Introduction - - - - - 159
472 Presentation and Analysis of Result - - - … 160
473 Interpretation of Result - - - 161
48 Restatement and Test of Research Hypothesis III - - 163
481 Introduction - - - - … 163
482 Interpretation of Results - - - - 164
485 General Discussion - - - - 167
Summary of Findings - - - - … 169
References - - - - - 171
CHAPTER FIVE: Summary of Findings, Conclusion &
Recommendations
50 Introduction - - - - … 177
51 Summary of the Work - - - … 177
52 Summary of Findings - - - - 178
521 Theoretical Findings - - - - 178
522 Empirical Findings - - - - 180
53 Conclusion - - - - 184
54 Policy Implications of the Findings - - - 185
55 Recommendation - - - - … 186
551 Role of Marketing Strategies in Politics - - 187
552 Perception of the Role of Marketing Strategies - - 187
553 Marketing Strategies of the parties - - - 189
554 Effectiveness of Marketing Strategies - - … 190
56 Problems Encountered during the Study - - … 191
57 Limitation and Suggestion for Further Studies - - 192
58 Contributions to Knowledge - - - … 193
59 Models - - - - - 194
Bibliography - - - - - 203
Appendix I - - - - - 213
Appendix II - - - - - 220
BIBLIOGRAPHY
= Books - - - 203
= Journals - - - 206
= Conference Proceedings - - 211
= Internet Sources - - … 211
= Monographs - - - 212
LIST OF APPENDICES
Appendix I: QUESTIONNAIRE - - - 213
II: - - - …… 220
LIST OF TABLES
20 Alternative Classifications of Barriers to Resource Duplication - 72
21 A Classification of the Firms Resource pool - - 73
31 Political parties in 2003 - - … - - … 116
32a Comparative Dominance of the parties in states and Zones - … … 117
32b sampling frame of the party respondents - - … 118
33 The result of April 19, 2003 Presidential Election - - … 120
34 Proportion of party Dominance based on 2003 Presidential Election - 121
35 Reliability Estimate of the key Variables - - … - 102
41 Sample Characteristics of Party Questionnaire (Members) - - 132
42 Sample Characteristics of Electorate - - - … 132
43 Role of Marketing Mix Strategies in Electoral Politics (Party Perspective)… 134
44 Ways of Sustaining the Role of Marketing Mix Strategies in Politics (Party Perspective) 135
45 The Role of Marketing Mix Strategies in Politics (Electorate Perspective) - 135
46 Ways of Sustaining the Role of Marketing Mix Strategies in Politics
(Electorate Perspective) - - - - … 136
47 Mean Scores of the role of marketing strategies as identified by the parties 137
48 Mean Scores of the role of Marketing Strategies as identified by the Electorate 138
49 Perception of the Role of Marketing Strategies (Party Perspective) - … 140
410 Perception of the Role of Marketing Strategies (Electorate Perspective) … 141
411 CETSCALE of the Role of marketing Strategies and Total Sample - … 143
412 Mean Scores of the Perception of the Role of Marketing Strategies in Politics… 144
413 Result of ANOVA Statistical Analysis of the Perception of the Role of Marketing
Strategies by the Parties - - - - 145
414 Result of ANOVA Test of Perception of Role of marketing Strategies by
Electorate - - - - - 146
415 Mean Scores of Marketing Strategies of the Parties - - 147
416 Mean Scores of the Parties’ Rating of their Marketing Strategies - … 150
417 Mean Scores of the Electorates’ Rating of the Parties Marketing Strategies… 152
418 Descriptive & ANOVA Statistical Analysis of the Rating of Marketing Strategies
of the parties - - - - … 154
419 Result of ANOVA Statistical Analysis of the Rating of Marketing Strategies
Political Parties - - … - - … 155
420 Mean Score of Marketing Strategies Effectiveness for the Parties
(Parties’ Perspective) - - - - 161
421 Mean Scores of Marketing Strategies Effectiveness Rating for Parties
(Electorate Perspective) - - - - … 162
422 Result of ANOVA Statistical Analysis of the Effectiveness Marketing
Strategies of the Parties (Parties Perspective) - - … 164
423 Result of Descriptive Statistical Analysis of the Effectiveness of Marketing
Strategies of the Parties (Parties Perspective) - - … 164
424 Result of Descriptive & ANOVA Statistical Analysis of the Effectiveness of
Marketing strategies of the Parties (Electorate Perspective) - - 165
425 Summary of Findings - - - - … 169
LIST OF FIGURES
10 Hypothetical Market Structure - - - … 29
20 Development in Marketing Theory - - - … 40
30 Three types of Marketing in Political Parties - - … - 46
31 Five Key Concept of Political Product - - - 58
32 A Typical Role Set - - - - … 77
40 Factors that influence perception - - - 83
50 Attribution Theory - - - - … 85
60 Political Planning Model - - - … 91
70 The Political ‘System Market’ - - - … 97
80 Generic Functions of Political Marketing Management in the
Political Market - - - - … 98
90 Pecking order of Role of Marketing Strategies (Parties) - … … 138
100 Pecking order of Role of Marketing Strategies (Electorate) - … 139
110 Pecking order of the Perception of the Role of Marketing Strategies - 144
120 Pecking order of the parties’ marketing strategies - - … 149
130 Pecking order of the parties rating of their marketing strategies… - - 151
140 Pecking order of the Electorate rating of the parties’ marketing strategies 153
150 Pecking order of the marketing growth strategy effectiveness of the parties
(Parties Perspective) - - - - … 162
160 Pecking order of the marketing Strategy Effectiveness (Electorate) - … 193
170 Role of Marketing Strategies in Politics - - …… 194
180 Relationship between Perception and Role of Marketing Strategies - … 195
190 The Political Marketing Process - - - … 195
200 Framework for Conflict Management in Party Politics - - 198
LIST OF CHARTS
41 Comparison of the result of ANOVA Statistical Analysis of the Effectiveness
of the parties’ marketing strategies (Electorate Perspective) - - 166
