To what extent do trade show exhibitors engage in objective-setting and planning?

The aims of this study carried out in Mauritius were to examine the extent to which exhibitors established objectives and plans before participating in trade shows. Companies should realize the importance of setting objectives and engage in pre-show planning activities in a methodical way. Based on these, managers should be able to make informed decisions about which trade shows to attend and how much to spend among others. Although trade shows are regarded as an important tool of marketing communications, relatively few studies have examined the importance of objective setting and the step-by-step approach to planning trade show attendance. 44 textile firms were surveyed and a response rate of 73 % was obtained. Respondents did set many objectives before participating in trade shows but did not engage systematically in planning activities such as sending personal invitations to potential visitors and training of booth staff

Strategy processes, practices and learning in organisations in Mauritius

Strategy matters! It is hard to think of an organisation without a strategy, and one without is pointless. Any organisation, whatever its size and shape, needs strategy to survive, compete and prosper successfully in any given context. Strategy, however, is not a given. It requires a process of thought, choice, decisive action and management, and is prone to change whenever applied. Hence the subject matter of strategic management. In theory, strategy (or strategic management) concerns the vision or long-term objectives of the organisation and the general means for realizing them; it is different from short-term objectives and routine operations. Strategy is about understanding, shaping and managing a business for its competitive success. In these times of global economic crisis the need for smart strategic thinking is heightened more than ever as companies, the world over, are struggling their way out of troubled economic waters. Success now demands strategic management of high quality. Mauritius is facing an ever growing challenge to meet the demands of international competitiveness at all levels. Are our firms and managers adequately equipped to envision the state of their industry and the kinds of competition they will be facing down the line? This study starts to understand this question by investigating the nature of strategy processes, practices and learning in organisations based in Mauritius. Using a mixed methodology of survey and in-depth interviews, it infers that organisations in Mauritius are limited in their approaches to understand, practice and learn the principles and tools of strategic management. Those organisations which do try to practice a strategic approach are either overwhelmed by operational thinking and micro management, or are unclear about several key aspects of the strategy process, and therefore do not seem to benefit. The majority of respondents, however, do recognise the added value of strategic management in enabling their competitive success. Indepth study of some successful enterprises in Mauritius reveals that the basis of their successes overtime has been the astute application of strategic management principles. This study opens some very important practical and academic avenues for further thinking, application and research on strategic management in Mauritius. It is important to realise that the lasting competitiveness of Mauritian organisations will be a product of the strategic choices they make now; these choices are themselves the outcomes of rigorous analyses and meticulous evaluations of competing options under some very dynamic and uncertain set of assumptions. Nothing therefore can be left to chance. Success depends on applying some smart strategic thinking

Analyzing the potential market for hybrid cars : a survey of car dealers in Mauritius

Purpose - The aim of the study was to know how car dealers view the car market in Mauritius and what are their opinions and attitudes towards the introduction of the hybrid car in the economy. Design/methodology/approach - After conducting a thorough literature review, a descriptive research design was adopted to carry out a quantitative study. The methodology used in this study consisted of a survey carried out amongst car dealers in Mauritius. There were 59 authorized car dealers for second hand cars and 14 dealers of brand new cars in Mauritius at the time the study was performed and personal interviews were held with all the car dealers. The data were collected and analysed using SPSS. Findings - The car dealers expressed their optimism regarding the many benefits consumers will gain from hybrid cars given the soaring prices of fuel these days but thought the car was affordable to only a minority of the customer market. They also thought the government and politicians would be the key players to promote any new technology. Originality/value - The contribution of this study is that it surveyed car dealers’ views regarding the introduction of the hybrid car in a developing country. It can be a valuable study for Mauritius and other countries which have not yet introduced the new technology locally. Moreover, there are few academic papers on the marketing of the hybrid car and this study thus hopes to contribute to the scanty literature

Analysing the impact of advertising in the soft drink market of Mauritius : the case study of Coca-Cola

In an era of high degree of competitiveness, if there is one prerequisite to give businesses a competitive edge, it is the need to advertise effectively and efficiently. Since so much money is being devoted to advertising, analysing its impact remains vital for firms, especially for those forming part of the collusive oligopolistic market of soft beverages, where advertising helps in making the difference in the market place. This paper mainly analyses the degree of influence advertising has on consumers‟ buying behaviour, with particular reference to Coca- Cola advertisements. The methodology used in the study consisted of a survey on a sample of 150 respondents, and the finding revealed the positive impact of advertising on consumption level in the soft beverage market of Mauritius. It was concluded that nowadays, it is important to sustain customer's loyalty to a company's product, hence the need to develop appropriate advertising strategies like brand equity to prevent consumers from turning unloyal to the brand

Examining the relationship between market orientation, service quality and business performance : the case of stockbrokers in Mauritius

This paper explores the relationship between market orientation, service quality and the business profitability of stockbrokerage firms when serving their valuable customers. A sample of 20 stockbrokers and managers was interviewed over a two-month period. A positive relationship was found among service quality, marketing orientation and business performance