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