MAL 17/17 MAL 17:17 MARKETING AFRICA | Page 82

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE MARKETING AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE ISSUES By Felix Owaga Okatch B oth marketing and corporate governance are concerned with customers and more specifically target markets including stakeholders. Their focus is increased sales and profitability from their respective target markets who are in a sense their customers. By definition, marketing is a social and managerial process by which individuals and groups obtain what they need and want through creating, offering and exchanging products of value with others. This means that ma rketing and all its related peripherals is business. Corporate governance on the other hand refers to a framework of rules and practices by which a board of directors ensures accountability, fairness and transparency in company relationship with its stakeholders which includes customers, financiers, employees, government and the community. When a company develops a strategy in a chosen market, it is putting in place managerial structures and departments to get business from the target market. Business of whatever nature has a customer and market. The business of hospitals, restaurants, transport, telecoms among others have target markets. The choice of target market is very important in marketing. The same applies to corporate strategy and corporate governance. As we mention target market for marketing and corporate governance, one example of a great Jewish leader ‘‘ By definition, marketing is a social and managerial process by which individuals and groups obtain what they need and want through creating, offering and exchanging products of value with others. This means that marketing and all its related peripherals is business.’’ 80 MAL 17/17 ISSUE called Jesus Christ, the son of Joseph and Mary cannot be overlooked. Jesus Christ of Nazareth was a good marketer and manager in corporate governance of his time. He said that his target market were the poor and sinners. He performed miracles and saved the sick and poor. On corporate governance, he taught in parables and used distribution and personal relations to appoint his twelve disciples to market and distribute his teachings in his environment and beyond. In doing so he achieved his business mission and vision. In modern marketing therefore a business needs managerial tools to get to the target market. The use of advertising and many other marketing tools are now prevalent. Advertising so far is any paid form of non-personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods and services by an identified sponsor. Advertising is generally expensive, so care must be taken to develop a good message by an ad agency. In doing so subject to good research results, an organization has an option to use multiple channels.