Marketing Practices of Quantity Surveying Consultancy Firms
Keywords:
Construction, marketing mix, Practices, Quantity Surveying, Ghana.Abstract
The 4P’s marketing mix concept has received wide acceptance and application in many industries except the construction industry where there exist some challenges with its use. The 5P’s marketing mix concept came as a solution to the challenges of the use of the 4P’s marketing mix, that are as a result of the distinctive business environment and nature of construction. Years after its introduction in construction marketing literature, little to nothing is known about the application of the 5P’s in the construction industry especially the consulting aspects where the 5P’s is of great significance. This paper is aimed at investigating the application of the 5P’s marketing mix concept in the Quantity Surveying Profession in Ghana. The objectives are to determine the order of importance that is attached to the five parameters of the 5P’s and to examine the influence of demographic factors on that order of importance. After extensive related literature survey, a questionnaire survey of 48 Quantity Surveying Consultancy Firms (QSCF) selected using the snowball sampling technique to reach the target respondents was undertaken. The findings revealed that the five P’s marketing concept is used by the QSCF in this deceasing order of importance: Place, Product, Price, Promotion and People. To achieve desirable results, management of the firms must employ this basic marketing strategy carefully by blending various marketing elements to achieve market differentiation relevant for the survival of the firms.
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