A study on marketing practices among small and medium enterprises smes with Reference to kerala

Abstract

The engine propelling the growth of any economy is Entrepreneurship . In a fiercely competitive economy driven by market forces, it is the ability to strategize the marketing efforts prudently, that will ultimately make or break enterprises. So, the adoption and proper implementation of marketing practices,using resources at an optimum level,holds the key to survival and successofthe Small and Medium Enterprises. Hence, the present study has made an attempt to discuss the level of implementation of marketing practices and its consequences on the SMEs. newlineThe objectives set for the study were: (i) to reveal the background of SMEs and their marketing activities; (ii) to measure the level of market orientation among SMEs; (iii) to analyze the implementation of marketing mix practices by SMEs; (iv) to study the implementation of general and special marketing practices by SMEs; (v) to examine the discriminant aspects among SMEs; and (vi) to evaluate the impact of implementation of marketing practices on the performance of SMEs. newlineThe study was descriptive in nature. Registered SMEs at the District Industries Centresof Kerala were selected for the study and stratified proportionate random sampling was followed. newlineThe study revealed the absence of a separate marketing department in majority of the SMEs. The level of market orientation among the medium enterprises is higher than the small enterprises.The level of implementation of marketing mix practices is higher in medium enterprises than in small enterprises. The level of implementation of General Marketing Practicesand Special Marketing Practices is higher at medium enterprises than at small enterprises. The important discriminant factors in market orientation among the small and medium enterprises are competition and employee orientationswhereas that in marketing mix practices are product and promotion mix practices. The discriminant factorsinGeneral Marketing Practices among the small and medium enterprises are implementation of customer care and distributionwhereas