PRACTICES AND CHALLENGES OF MARKETING STRATEGY, THE CASE OF OROMIA FOREST & WILDLIFE ENTERPRISE

Abstract

This is a descriptive research study was conducted to assess and evaluate the current practices and challenges of the marketing strategy of the OFWE’s lumber business unit with the frame work of the 4P’s marketing mix elements by employing purposively selected 18 traders and 72 experts and management members of the company selected and studied using structured questionnaire, interviews and group discussions. Both primary and secondary data were used and analyzed, the major findings of the study, shows, the company is following mass marketing strategy with production system that doesn’t satisfy customers need and offered to the market at bid sales operation that didn’t allow the company to reach all customers and not able to attract others. The result of the study indicates that, the existing market strategy is full of challenges and problems in all 4P’s variables studied. The absence of product standards, the higher price charged than competitors, the increasing supply of competitors product, difficulty of improving the quality of the product, and the poor promotional measures and service delivery leads to significant customers compliant, that worsen the company’s business operation. Therefore, it is recommended that the company should conduct a periodic market survey and put to place the most relevant strategy as soon as possible.