marketing strategies for the optimisation …

MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR THE OPTIMISATION

OF LIBRARY SERVICES IN SELECTED NIGERIAN

UNIVERSITIES

BY

MUHAMMAD SALIHU ZUBAIR

A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for

the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Library and

Information Science

Kulliyyah of Information and Communication Technology

International Islamic University Malaysia

AUGUST 2018

ii

ABSTRACT

Marketing of library services provides more opportunities for a better relationship and

engagement between the libraries and user community. Studies had established that

the implementation of marketing strategies is to ensure and enhance the awareness and

utilisation of library resources and services by the users. However, a few of the

empirical findings on awareness and usage of library resources and services in

academic libraries in Nigeria reported that library resources and services are

underutilised. This underutilisation might be due to a lack of awareness among users

about the availability of library resources and services. This study, therefore,

investigates and explores the marketing strategies implemented by librarians to

optimise the library services in six federal university libraries in Nigeria. The study

employs 7Ps of service marketing mix model as a theoretical framework to examine

the marketing strategies and their impact on awareness and use of library services. A

stratified disproportionate sampling method was used to sample the six universities

across the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. A purposive sampling technique was used

to select six librarians for the interviews. The Krejcie and Morgan‟s Table was used to

sample the target undergraduate students from the selected universities. The

researcher adopted mixed research methods using interview and questionnaire

instruments to collect data from six librarians and 410 undergraduate students. The

qualitative and quantitative data were collected through a telephone call and online

survey sequentially. The qualitative data were analysed using content analysis and

quantitative data were analysed via descriptive statistics. The Structural Equation

Modeling (SEM) was used for testing the hypotheses of the study. The hypotheses

were developed to test the impact of the six constructs of the service marketing model

as the theoretical framework of the study on the awareness and use of library services

among the undergraduate students. The qualitative findings revealed that university

libraries implement the product, promotion, place, people, process and physical

evidence of service marketing mix as the strategies to optimise library services. The

price strategy was not implemented. The findings of the hypotheses revealed

statistically positive and significant impact of product, promotion, place, people,

process and physical evidence on the awareness of library services among the

students. While the product, promotion, place and physical evidence revealed a

positive and significant impact on the use of library services; but the people and

process strategies were found not to have a significant impact on the use of library

services. The findings showed the relevance and applicability of the six components

of service marketing mix in enhancing library services. The theoretical and practical

contributions of the study are also presented and discussed with recommendations.

iii

خلاصة البحثABSTRACT IN ARABIC

يوفر تسويق خدمات المكتبة المزيد من الفرص للعلاقة والمشاركة بين المكتبات ومجتمع المستخدمين. وتؤكد الدراسات أن تنفيذ استراتيجيات التسويق هو ضمان وتعزيز الوعي والاستفادة من موارد المكتبة

بية بشأن الوعي والخدمات بين مجتمع المستخدمين. ومع ذلك، فإن عددا قليلا من النتائج التجريواستخدام موارد المكتبة وخدماتها في المكتبات الأكاديمية في نيجيريا أفادت بأن موارد المكتبة وخدماتها غير مستغلة بالكامل. وقد يعزى هذا القصور إلى عدم وعي المستخدمين بشأن الموارد والخدمات المتاحة

استراتيجيات التسويق التي ينفذها المكتبيون للمكتبة. وبالتالي، فقد بحثت هذه الدراسة واستكشفت نقاط من 7لتحسين خدمات المكتبة في ست مكتبات جامعية اتحادية في نيجيريا. استخدمت الدراسة

نموذج مزيج التسويق الخدمي كإطار نظري لدراسة استراتيجيات التسويق وأثرها على الوعي واستخدام عبر الجامعات الست لاختبارنات الطبقية غير المتناسبة استخدمت طريقة أخذ العيخدمات المكتبة.

في نيجيريا. واستخدمت تقنية أخذ العينات المقصودة لاختيار ستة المناطق الجغرافية السياسية الستأمناء المكتبات لإجراء المقابلات. وقد تم استخدام الجدول مورغان في عينة من طلاب المرحلة الجامعية

معات المختارة. اعتمد الباحث أساليب بحثية مختلطة باستخدام أدوات المقابلة المستهدفة من الجاطلاب المرحلة الجامعية. وقد تم جمع البيانات 014أمناء المكتبات و 6والاستبيان لجمع البيانات من

نوعية من النوعية والكمية من خلال مكالمة هاتفية واستقصاء عبر الإنترنت بالتتابع. تم تحليل البيانات الخلال تحليل المحتوى والإحصاءات الوصفية. تم استخدام النمذجة المعادلة الهيكلية )سيم( لاختبار فرضيات الدراسة. تم تطوير الفرضيات لاختبار تأثير البنيات الست لنموذج تسويق الخدمة كإطار نظري

ة. وكشفت النتائج النوعية أن للدراسة على الوعي واستخدام خدمات المكتبة بين طلبة المرحلة الجامعيالمكتبات الجامعية نفذت المنتج والترويج والمكان والناس والعملية والأدلة المادية لمزيج التسويق الخدمي كاستراتيجيات لتحسين خدمات المكتبة. لم يتم تنفيذ استراتيجية الأسعار. وكشفت نتائج الفرضيات

والترقية، والمكان، والناس، والعملية والأدلة المادية على عن وجود أثر إحصائي إيجابي وكبير للمنتج،الوعي بخدمات المكتبة بين الطلاب. في حين أن المنتج والترويج والمكان والأدلة المادية كشفت عن تأثير إيجابي وكبير على استخدام خدمات المكتبة، ووجد أن الناس واستراتيجيات العملية ليس لها تأثير كبير

دام خدمات المكتبة. وأثبتت النتائج أهمية وإمكانية تطبيق المكونات الستة لمزيج التسويق على استخالخدمي في تعزيز خدمات المكتبة. كما يتم تقديم المساهمات النظرية والعملية للدراسة ومناقشتها مع

التوصيات.

iv

APPROVAL PAGE

The dissertation of Muhammad Salihu Zubair has been approved by the following:

______________________

Wan Ali Wan Mamat

Supervisor

_____________________________

Basri Hassan

Internal Examiner

_____________________________

Shaheen Majid

External Examiner

_____________________________

Suhaimi Zakaria

External Examiner

_____________________________

Mohammad Naqib SlO Ishan Jan

Chairman

v

DECLARATION

I hereby declare that this dissertation is the result of my own investigations, except

where otherwise stated. I also declare that it has not been previously or concurrently

submitted as a whole for any other degrees at IIUM or other institutions.

Muhammad Salihu Zubair

Signature........................................................... Date.........................................

vi

COPYRIGHT

INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA

DECLARATION OF COPYRIGHT AND AFFIRMATION OF

FAIR USE OF UNPUBLISHED RESEARCH

MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR THE OPTIMISATION OF

LIBRARY SERVICES IN SELECTED NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES

I declare that the copyright holders of this dissertation are jointly owned by the student

and IIUM.

Copyright © 2018 Muhammad Salihu Zubair and International Islamic University Malaysia. All rights

reserved.

No part of this unpublished research may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,

or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,

recording or otherwise without prior written permission of the copyright holder

except as provided below:

1. Any material contained in or derived from this unpublished research may

be used by others in their writing with due acknowledgement.

2. IIUM or its library will have the right to make and transmit copies (print

or electronic) for institutional and academic purposes.

3. The IIUM library will have the right to make, store in a retrieved system

and supply copies of this unpublished research if requested by other

universities and research libraries.

By signing this form, I acknowledged that I have read and understand the IIUM

Intellectual Property Right and Commercialization policy.

Affirmed by Muhammad Salihu Zubair

………………………….….. ………………………..

Signature Date

vii

DEDICATION

This work is dedicated to my beloved parents, Wife and Children

“My Lord! Have mercy on them both, the way they nursed me when I was young”

(Qur’an:Israel, 17:24).

viii

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I thank Almighty Allah for giving me health and knowledge to complete this research

work against many odds. My special gratitude goes to the Management of Tertiary

Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and Bayero University for the Scholarship and

Study fellowship given to me to pursue my Ph.D. in Library and Information Science

at International Islamic University Malaysia.

I would like to express my sincere and deep gratitude to my supervisor, Dr.

Wan Ali Wan Mamat for his support, guidance, and patience throughout my graduate

study. His originality, encouragement, and enthusiasm for scientific research set a

great role model for me I have gained a lot from his extensive knowledge in

management and research work, as well as his brilliant and creative ideas. My thanks

also go to my co-supervisor Asst. Prof. Dr. Noor Hasrul Nizan Mohammad Noor for

his precious time, support and guidance rendered to go through my work several times

despite his tight schedules. My thanks also go to my mentor, Dr. Basri Hassan Chief

Librarian, IIUM Library for his countless time, support and encouragement rendered

to check my work several times despite his precious and tight schedules. My thanks

go to the staff of the Department of Library and Information Science, International

Islamic University Malaysia.

My special thanks go to my family brother, Dr. Ahmed AbdulMalik and his

wife, Hajia Zikra Jimoh for their gesture, consideration, and encouragement that have

made my life fruitful and enjoyable in Malaysia since the beginning my graduate

study. My special thanks go to Prof. Moh‟d Sahari Nordin, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abideen

Adewale Adeyemi, Dr. Mikail Ibrahim and Dr. Bakare Kazeem Kayode for their

valuable support and guidance in the area of statistics during my data analysis and for

their valuable advice since the beginning of my graduate study in Malaysia.

My special thanks also go to Alh. Misbahu Na‟iya Katsina, Dr. Najeeb Sheikh

AbduSamad, Dr. Manir Abdullahi Kamba, Dr. Yahya Ibrahim Harande, Dr. Abubakar

Bappah Magaji, Dr. A. A. Maidabino, Dr. Luqman Zakariyah, Dr. Luke Obasuyi, A.

A. Garba, Yusuf Isa, Ismaila Audu, Hussaini Musa, Ismaila Olaitan Mudasiru and

Glory Edet, for working with me on my research study whilst providing answers to

my inquiries at their convenient time of the day. My special thanks go to all my

families, brothers and sisters, friends from all parts of the world and my colleagues in

the University Library, Bayero University Kano for their innumerable assistance

rendered to me in one way or the other throughout the process of my study.

I would like to thank my brothers, mentors and lecturers, Prof. Ahmed Rufai

Mohammed, Prof. Muhammad Dahir Sulaiman, Prof. Muhammad Yahuza Bello, Prof.

Lukman Ibrahim Diso, Prof. Shehu Onipe Bello, Dr. Musa Auyo, Alh. Ahmad

Muhammad Jamiu, Adayi Haruna Adaviriku, Alh. Aminu Hassan, Dr. Ismail, Alh.

Momoh Jmoh Aliyu, Hajiya Salamat Aliyu, Hajiya Salamt Sulaiman and others for

providing me with valuable advice and support throughout my graduate study.

I reserved my special thanks to my beloved parents for their tremendous

assistance and insightful prayer, training, and guidance throughout my life. Finally, I

would like to especially express deeper gratitude and thank my wife Sherifa Isa and

our children, Rashida, Hanifa, Husna, Maryam and AbdulMujeeb for their love,

patience, understanding, and support throughout my graduate study.

ix

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract ........................................................................................................................ ii Abstract in Arabic ........................................................................................................ iii Approval Page .............................................................................................................. iv

Declaration ................................................................................................................... v Copyright ..................................................................................................................... vi Dedication .................................................................................................................... vii Acknowledgments ........................................................................................................ viii List of Tables ............................................................................................................... xiv

List of Figures .............................................................................................................. xvi

List of Abbreviations ................................................................................................... xvii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ...................................................................... 1 1.1 Background to the Study ........................................................................... 1

1.1.1 Marketing Strategies ........................................................................ 4 1.1.2 Optimisation of Library Services ..................................................... 5

1.2 Statement of the Problem .......................................................................... 7 1.3 Aim and Objectives of the Study .............................................................. 10

1.4 Research Questions ................................................................................... 11 1.5 Significance of the Study .......................................................................... 12 1.6 Scope and Limitations of the Study .......................................................... 14

1.7 Definition of Operational Terms ............................................................... 15

1.8 Summary of the Chapter ........................................................................... 17

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ......................................................... 18 2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................... 18 2.2 The Concept of Marketing ........................................................................ 19

2.3 Importance of Marketing in Libraries ....................................................... 21 2.3.1 Market Orientation in Libraries ....................................................... 25

2.3.2 Marketing Planning .......................................................................... 29 2.4 Marketing Strategies in Libraries .............................................................. 31 2.5 Empirical Studies on Marketing Strategies in Nigerian Academic

Libraries .................................................................................................... 35 2.6 Optimisation of Library Services .............................................................. 37

2.6.1 Awareness and Use of Library Services .......................................... 37

2.7 Factors Hindering Marketing of Library Services in Nigeria ................... 40

2.8 Theoretical and Conceptual Framework ................................................... 42 2.8.1 Service Marketing Mix Model ......................................................... 43

2.8.1.1 Product Strategy .................................................................. 49 2.8.1.2 Promotion Strategy .............................................................. 50 2.8.1.3 Place Strategy ...................................................................... 53

2.8.1.4 Price Strategy ....................................................................... 54 2.8.1.5 People Strategy .................................................................... 56 2.8.1.6 Process Strategy ................................................................... 56 2.8.1.7 Physical evidence ................................................................ 57

2.8.2 Research Hypotheses ....................................................................... 58

x


CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY ................................................................ 62 3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................... 62 3.2 Research Design ........................................................................................ 62

3.2.1 Justification for the Research Design ............................................... 65 3.3 Research Instrument .................................................................................. 66

3.3.1 Interview Instrument ........................................................................ 68

3.3.2 Questionnaire ................................................................................... 69 3.4 Population of the Study ............................................................................. 72

3.4.1 Population of Research Respondents ............................................... 73 3.5 Sampling Procedures and Sample Size ..................................................... 75 3.6 Validation of Research Instruments .......................................................... 77

3.6.1 Validation of Questionnaire and Interview Instruments .................. 78 3.6.2 Reliability of Questionnaire Instrument ........................................... 79

3.6.3 Pilot Study Data Presentation and Analysis ..................................... 80 3.6.3.1 Reliability Test .................................................................... 80

3.7 Data Collection Procedure ........................................................................ 86 3.8 Data Analysis ............................................................................................ 89

3.8.1 Qualitative Data Analysis ................................................................ 89 3.8.2 Quantitative Data Analysis .............................................................. 90


CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION .................... 92 4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................... 92 4.2 Qualitative Analysis .................................................................................. 93

4.2.1 Demographic Profile of the Respondents ........................................ 94 4.2.2 The Current State of Marketing Practices ........................................ 97

4.2.2.1 Marketing Library Services ................................................. 97 4.2.2.2 Type of Library Services ..................................................... 100 4.2.2.3 Marketing Policy ................................................................. 101

4.2.2.4 Marketing Plan .................................................................... 103

4.2.2.5 Market Research .................................................................. 104 4.2.3 Implementation of Marketing Strategies in Libraries ...................... 106


4.2.3.4 Price Strategy ....................................................................... 111 4.2.3.5 People Strategy .................................................................... 113

4.2.3.6 Process Strategy ................................................................... 114 4.2.3.7 Physical Evidence Strategy ................................................. 115

4.2.4 Factors Hindering Implementation of Marketing Strategies ............ 118 4.3 Quantitative Analysis ................................................................................ 120 4.4 Data Entry and Screening.......................................................................... 121

4.5 Descriptive Analysis ................................................................................. 122 4.5.1 Demographic Profile of Respondents .............................................. 122

4.5.1.1 Respondents‟ Institution ...................................................... 122 4.5.1.2 Respondents‟ Gender and Faculty ....................................... 123 4.5.1.3 Respondents‟ programme of study ...................................... 125

xi

4.5.1.4 Respondents‟ level of programme ....................................... 127

4.5.1.5 Type and Frequency of Library Services Usage ................. 128 4.5.1.6 Awareness of marketing library services ............................. 130

4.5.1.7 Awareness of Marketing Strategies ..................................... 132 4.5.2 Descriptive statistics of the main constructs .................................... 133


4.5.2.4 People Strategy .................................................................... 137 4.5.2.5 Process Strategy ................................................................... 139 4.5.2.6 Physical evidence Strategy .................................................. 140 4.5.2.7 Awareness ............................................................................ 141 4.5.2.8 Use ....................................................................................... 142

4.5.3 Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) ................................................. 143 4.5.3.1 Reliability Analysis ............................................................. 144

4.5.3.2 Sample Adequacy ................................................................ 145 4.5.3.3 Exploratory Factor Analysis for the study constructs ......... 146 4.5.3.4 Normality Test ..................................................................... 148

4.6 Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) ....................................................... 149

4.6.1 Confirmatory Factor Analysis for product Strategy ........................ 151 4.6.2 CFA for promotion Strategy ............................................................ 153

4.6.3 CFA for place Strategy..................................................................... 154 4.6.4 CFA for people Strategy .................................................................. 156 4.6.5 CFA for process Strategy ................................................................. 157

4.6.6 CFA for physical evidence Strategy ................................................ 159 4.6.7 CFA for awareness model ................................................................ 160

4.6.8 CFA for use model ........................................................................... 161 4.7 First Order For Marketing Constructs ....................................................... 163

4.8 Second Order Measurement Model .......................................................... 166 4.8.1 Second Order for Optimisation of Library Services Constructs ...... 168 4.8.2 Full Measurement Model ................................................................. 169

4.8.2.1 Convergent Validity ............................................................ 171

4.8.2.2 Discriminant validity ........................................................... 174 4.9 Structural Model of the Study ................................................................... 175 4.10 Research Hypotheses ................................................................................ 179

4.10.1 H1: Product Strategy has a significant impact on awareness

and use of library services. ............................................................ 180

4.10.2 H2: Promotion Strategy has a significant impact on

awareness and use of library services. ........................................... 181

4.10.3 H3: Place Strategy has a significant impact on awareness

and use of library services. ............................................................ 182 4.10.4 H4: People Strategy has a significant impact on awareness

and use of library services. ............................................................ 182 4.10.5 H5: Process Strategy has a significant impact on awareness

and use of library services. ............................................................ 183 4.10.6 H6: Physical evidence Strategy has a significant impact on

awareness and use of library services. ........................................... 183 4.11 Summary of the Chapter ........................................................................... 184

4.11.1 Summary of Qualitative Findings .................................................. 184

xii

4.11.2 Summary of Quantitative Findings ................................................ 186

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS .................................................. 190 5.1 Introduction ............................................................................................... 190 5.2 Discussion of Major Findings ................................................................... 191

5.2.1 Demographic Profile of the Respondents ........................................ 191 5.2.2 Demographic Profile of Undergraduate Students ............................ 194

5.3 Current State of Marketing Practice .......................................................... 196

5.3.1 Marketing of Library Services ......................................................... 197 5.3.2 Marketing Policy and Plan ............................................................... 199 5.3.3 Users‟ Awareness of Marketing Library Services ........................... 201 5.3.4 Type and Frequency Use of Library Services .................................. 202

5.4 Implementation of Marketing Strategies ................................................... 203

5.4.1 Product Strategy ............................................................................... 204 5.4.2 Promotion Strategy .......................................................................... 205

5.4.3 Place Strategy ................................................................................... 206 5.4.4 Price Strategy ................................................................................... 206 5.4.5 People Strategy................................................................................. 207 5.4.6 Process Strategy ............................................................................... 208

5.4.7 Physical Evidence Strategy .............................................................. 209 5.5 Factors Hindering Implementation of Marketing Strategies ..................... 211

5.6 Structural Model of the Study ................................................................... 213 5.7 Discussion of the Study Hypotheses ......................................................... 214

5.7.1 Hypothesis 1 ..................................................................................... 215

5.7.2 Hypothesis 2 ..................................................................................... 216 5.7.3 Hypothesis 3 ..................................................................................... 217

5.7.4 Hypothesis 4 ..................................................................................... 218 5.7.5 Hypothesis 5 ..................................................................................... 219

5.7.6 Hypothesis 6 ..................................................................................... 220 5.8 Summary of the Chapter ........................................................................... 223

CHAPTER SIX: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND

RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................................... 224 6.1 Introduction ............................................................................................... 224 6.2 Summary of the Findings .......................................................................... 228 6.3 Contributions of the Study ........................................................................ 232

6.3.1 Theoretical Contribution of the Study.............................................. 232

6.3.2 Methodological Contribution of the Study ...................................... 233 6.3.3 Practical Contribution of the Study .................................................. 234

6.4 Implications of the Study .......................................................................... 235 6.5 Conclusion ................................................................................................ 236 6.6 Recommendations ..................................................................................... 237

6.6.1 University Library Management ...................................................... 237 6.6.2 Library Schools and Library Services Regulatory Bodies ............... 238

6.6.3 Limitations of the Study and Suggestions for Future Research ....... 238

REFERENCES ........................................................................................................... 240

APPENDIX A: INTRODUCTORY LETTER ....................................................... 255

xiii

APPENDIX B: INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR LIBRARIANS ON

MARKETING STRATEGY ......................................................... 256

APPENDIX C: QUESTIONNAIRE FOR LIBRARY USERS

(UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS) ........................................... 260 APPENDIX D: KREJCIE AND MORGAN TABLE (1970) (N=384) ................. 266 APPENDIX E: ITEM CROSS LOADINGS .......................................................... 267 APPENDIX F: INITIAL CFA FOR PRODUCT STRATEGY ........................... 268

APPENDIX G: INITIAL CFA FOR PROMOTION STRATEGY ..................... 269 APPENDIX H: INITIAL CFA FOR PLACE STRATEGY ................................. 270 APPENDIX I: INITIAL CFA FOR PEOPLE STRATEGY ............................... 271 APPENDIX J: INITIAL CFA FOR PROCESS STRATEGY ............................ 272 APPENDIX K: INITIAL CFA FOR PHYSICAL EVIDENCE ........................... 273

APPENDIX L: INITIAL CFA FOR AWARENESS ............................................ 274

APPENDIX M: INITIAL CFA FOR USE .............................................................. 275

xiv

LIST OF TABLES

Table 3.1 Development of questionnaire items and their sources 71

Table 3.2 Population of university libraries with their respective

geopolitical zones 73

Table 3.3 Population of respondents with their respective university

libraries 75

Table 3.4 Sample size of university libraries and respondents 77

Table 3.5 Reliability test for product Strategy construct 81

Table 3.6 Reliability test for promotion Strategy construct 82

Table 3.7 Reliability test for place Strategy construct 82

Table 3.8 Reliability test for people Strategy construct 83

Table 3.9 Reliability test for process Strategy construct 84

Table 3.10 Reliability test for physical evidence Strategy construct 84

Table 3.11 Reliability test for awareness construct 85

Table 3.12 Reliability test for use construct 86

Table 3.13 Distribution of questionnaire to research respondents 89

Table 4.1 Respondents‟ background information 95

Table 4.2 Respondents‟ institutions 123

Table 4.3 Respondents‟ gender and faculty 124

Table 4.4 Respondents‟ programme of study 125

Table 4.5 Respondents‟ level of programme 127

Table 4.6 Type and frequency use of library services usage 128

Table 4.7 Means for awareness of marketing library services 130

Table 4.8 Awareness of marketing strategies 132

Table 4.9 Mean and standard deviation for product Strategy 134

Table 4.10 Mean and standard deviation for promotion Strategy 136

xv

Table 4.11 Mean and standard deviation for place Strategy 137

Table 4.12 Mean and standard deviation for people Strategy 138

Table 4.13 Mean and standard deviation for process Strategy 139

Table 4.14 Mean and standard deviation for physical evidence Strategy 141

Table 4.15 Mean and standard deviation for awareness 142

Table 4.16 Mean and standard deviation for use 143

Table 4.17 Cronbach‟s Alpha for the study variables 145

Table 4.18 Sampling adequacy for the constructs 145

Table 4.19 EFA items loadings 147

Table 4.20 Normality test for the study variables 148

Table 4.21 The loadings for product items 152

Table 4.22 The loadings for promotion items 154

Table 4.23 The loadings for place items 156

Table 4.24 The loadings for people items 157

Table 4.25 The loadings for process items 158

Table 4.26 The loadings for physical evidence items 160

Table 4.27 The loadings for awareness items 161

Table 4.28 The loadings for use items 163

Table 4.29 Estimated value of second order measurement model 168

Table 4.30 Convergent validity and construct reliability 173

Table 4.31 Discriminant validity 174

Table 4.32 Path loadings of structural model 178

Table 5.1 Summary of the study hypotheses 222

xvi

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2.1 Research conceptual framework adopted 47

Figure 2.2 Conceptual hypothesised model 60

Figure 3.1 Sequential triangulation research design 65

Figure 4.1 CFA for product model 152

Figure 4.2 CFA for promotion model 154

Figure 4.3 CFA for place model 155

Figure 4.4 CFA for people model 157

Figure 4.5 CFA for process model 158

Figure 4.6 CFA for physical evidence model 159

Figure 4.7 CFA for awareness model 161

Figure 4.8 CFA for use model 162

Figure 4.9 CFA for first order measurement model 165

Figure 4.10 Second order measurement model 167

Figure 4.11 CFA for second order measurement model 169

Figure 4.12 Full measurement model 171

Figure 4.13 Structural model of the study 177

xvii

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

ABU Ahmadu Bello University

AMOS Analysis of Moment Structures

ASV Average Variance Shared

AS Awareness

AVE Average Variance Explained

CFA Confirmatory Factor Analysis

CFI Comparative Fit Index

CR Composite Reliability

EFA Exploratory Factor Analysis

ICT Information and Communication Technology

MS Marketing Strategies

NUC National Universities Commission

OAU Obafemi Awolowo University

OLS Optimisation of Library Service

PC Place

PD Product

PE Physical Evidence

PS Process

PM Promotion

PP People

RMSEA Root Mean Square Error of Approximation

SEM Structural Equation Modelling

SPSS Statistical Package for Social Sciences

TLI Tucker Lewis Index

UI University of Ilorin

UE Use

UM University of Maiduguri

UNN University of Nigeria Nsukka

UP University of Port-Harcourt

1

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

The marketing practitioners in the business sector use the concept of marketing to

mean buying and selling interchangeably. In other words, it is used to cover activities

such as pricing, market research, advertising and publicity in different organisations.

The application of marketing in libraries as nonprofit organisations has been proved

for satisfaction requirement not for profitability as it is applicable in profit making

organisations (Smith and Saker, 1992; Pope, Isely and Asamoa‐Tutu, 2009).

Marketing is regarded as an organisational function that entails certain processes for

creating, communicating, and delivering value to customers. It also involves

principles of managing customer relationships in various ways that create benefits for

the sector and its stakeholders (Kotler and Keller, 2012). This shows that marketing

concept is applicable to both profit making and non-profit making organisations as a

function and process for creating awareness, communicating and delivering the

products and services to customers for the purpose of customers‟ satisfaction.

Moreover, it focuses on managing relationships between an organisation and its

customers.

In realisation of the fact that marketing in libraries is very important, Gupta and

Savard (2010) stated that it enables the libraries to identify users with their different

information needs and reduce barriers to access and use of information resources and

services, and plan to satisfy customers‟ needs effectively. The authors explain that the

idea of marketing library and information services is part of the conventional practice

2

of the library to acquire information resources to serve the users. Libraries have made

progress in promoting their resources and services in the past as nonprofit making

organizations and have started implementing the marketing concept to promote their

products and services. The authors suggested that the librarians need more efforts to

improve on the promotional activities for better marketing of library and information

services.

In considering the views of Gupta and Savard (2010) on marketing library

services, Adekunmisi (2013) stresses that libraries need to market their services to

maintain significance and remain relevant to the customers in order to satisfy their

information needs.

Generally, the university management establishes its academic library to

provide current and relevant information resources and services to satisfy the

information needs of its user community such as students, academic and non-

academic staff. This is in line with the policy of National Universities Commission

(NUC), a regulatory body for university education in Nigeria which indicates that the

university libraries are established to support the learning, teaching and research needs

and activities of their parent universities. The university libraries are also considered

by the Commission as one component of the fundamental facilities required to

accredit academic programmes in Nigerian higher institutions (NUC Annual Report,

2015).

In Nigeria, the university libraries have realized the need for marketing their

services and the librarians have developed positive attitude and perception towards the

adoption of marketing concepts (Chegwe and Anaehobi, 2015). In this regard, Edewor

et al, (2016) in their study on marketing library services in twenty (20) university

libraries in twelve (12) African countries including Nigeria, report that “the libraries

3

have engaged in marketing of library and information resources and services through

display of new books, exhibitions, bulletins, user orientation programmes, production

and issuance of library guides, library week outreaches and other publicity

programmes” (p. 291). Their findings revealed the promotional activities and tools

used by the librarians as marketing strategies to facilitate their information resources

and services to library patrons.

In the Internet age, the academic libraries have improved on marketing their

services by utilizing web sites to promote information services to users at their

different locations (Kaur, 2009). This has reduced the physical visit to the library

environment and it has also enhanced outreaching the users at the right time with the

right information.

For competitive advantage, academic libraries in developed and developing

countries adopt library websites as a promotional tool for marketing library services.

Some academic libraries are reported to fully utilise the library websites while some

academic libraries are reported to partially utilise the library websites for marketing

their services (Kaba, 2011; Siddike, Munshi and Mahamud, 2013; Okon, Inyang and

Etim, 2015). However, Bhardwaj and Jain (2016) summarise this development as

marketing methods in libraries have improved on print media with the adoption of

social media and libraries are under tremendous pressure to cope with users‟ demands

and expectations. For example, Wiki, blog, Facebook, Twitter, Flicker, YouTube,

instant messaging, etc., can be used as tools to foster the usage of library sources and

services.

Vasileiou and Rowley (2011) and Islam and Habiba (2015) reveal that the

adoption and utilisation of social media in the academic libraries has been a great

facilitator and enabler for marketing library resources and services. It has significant

4

impact on the cost effective and competitive advantage to reach the user community at

the right time with the right information and feedback. However, the academic

libraries use the social media facilities as tools to market information resources and

services to users.

1.1.1 Marketing Strategies

Marketing is considered as a managerial function and strategy adopted by profit-

making and non-profit making sectors to make their products and services relevant

and useful to their customers (Varadarajan, 2010; Adekunmisi, 2013). The authors

also emphasise that marketing cannot be applied in organisations to achieve specific

objectives without strategies to guide and specify crucial principles regarding

products, customers, marketing resources and operations to offer value and benefit to

markets in exchange. In other words, the selection of various methods in proper

balance and proper position to execute marketing plans is regarded as a marketing

strategy to enable the organisation to attain certain objectives.

In addition, libraries as service and nonprofit organisations consider marketing

strategies to be relevant and useful to achieve their specific objectives. This has been

noted in the situation of academic libraries in USA that implementation of marketing

strategies enables the libraries to identify and understand their users‟ needs better,

justify financial status, attain effective communication with internal and external

audiences, and achieve great efficiency and good results in information products and

services delivery and satisfaction of users‟ needs (Spalding and Wang, 2006). In order

to elaborate on this observation, the marketing strategies are equally applied in

industrial organisations and information products and services sectors with the same

approaches but the marketing policy differs (Kendadamath, 2011).

5

Marketing strategies, therefore, comprise market research; market

segmentation and marketing mix to enable librarians to provide information services

to customers. Success in marketing library services is based on proper strategy while

the lack of strategy is always a failure (Singh and Shukla, 2009; Patange, 2013).

Marketing is considered as a strategy used to influence utilisation of library resources

and services through awareness, familiarity, and accessibility factors (Jose and Bhat,

2007).

The effective implementation of marketing strategies in libraries increases

service delivery and facilitates the utilisation of information resources and services,

while poor implementation of such strategies can lead to non-utilization or

underutilisation of library products and services as Garusing Arachchige (2002)

reported in the situation of the academic and special libraries in Sir Lanka.

However, the implementation of marketing strategies contributes to the success

of libraries to properly market their services and satisfy customers. This encouraged

the researcher to examine the marketing strategies adopted and implemented by the

librarians to optimise the library services in Nigerian universities as the findings of

Popoola (2008), Ifijeh (2011) and Okon and Umoh (2014) revealed the inadequate

awareness and use of the library resources and services in Nigerian universities.

1.1.2 Optimisation of Library Services

Library services are rendered by librarians or delivered to customers through

traditional channels and technological tools. Library services are basically designed

and performed to satisfy the library users‟ needs. Generally, university libraries have

free-based services and fee-based services on a special request at a minimal charge.

Marketing library products and services is regarded as a means of creating awareness

6

and accessibility for users at their convenient time and place. Effective utilisation of

library products and services is the main factor in developing marketing strategies to

serve customers (Kennedy, 2011; Patange, 2013).

Marketing strategies are needed to optimise the use of library services in order

to satisfy library customers. It is also noted that marketing techniques are adopted to

enhance and improve library services (Kennedy, 2011; Yi, 2016).

In Nigeria, the library marketing practice has been examined by Salami (2014),

Adegoke (2015) and Chegwe and Anaehobi (2015) with different measures such as

marketing need assessment, attitudinal assessment of librarians and operational-

oriented market. Their findings revealed that the librarians had realized the need for

marketing and have positive perception and attitude towards library marketing, and

the academic libraries engage in promotional activities with challenges of a marketing

plan, adequate infrastructural facilities, marketing skills and funding.

Despite the promotional activities for marketing the library services, it is

evident from the findings of Popoola (2008), Ifijeh (2011) and Okon and Umoh

(2014) that the inadequate awareness and utilisation of library resources and services

is still a challenging factor in Nigerian university libraries. This problem might be due

to insufficient promotional activities undertaken by the university libraries as these

researchers recommended “proactive marketing activities for creating awareness”

(Popoola, 2008, p. 100). Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the

implementation of marketing strategies and their impact on optimisation of library

services in federal university libraries in six (6) geopolitical zones of Nigeria from the

librarians‟ and library users‟ perspectives.

This study adopted 7Ps of service marketing mix model; product, promotion,

place, price, people, process, and physical evidence as controllable tools to examine

7

the marketing strategies of the university libraries (Rafiq and Ahmed, 1995). The price

strategy was considered by the researcher as an unclarified factor whose applicability

in the university libraries in Nigeria needs to be examined from the librarians‟ and

library users‟ perspectives. This is due to the findings of Alemna (2001), Kavulya

(2004) and Kendadamath (2011) in other countries such as Ghana, Kenya and India

that reported price strategy as a debatable issue. The libraries differ from other service

organisations in terms of the implementation of price strategy.

Most studies on marketing library services in an academic environment

consider pricing strategy as a debatable factor in view of the fact that the widespread

expectations of main information products and services are being provided freely to

library users. Other fee-based services in academic libraries such as photocopying,

printing and binding services are outsourced to companies and considered as added

value services to the library (Kavulya, 2004; Kendadamath, 2011).

It is very important to conduct this study in order to understand the current

state of marketing practices in relation to strategies adopted and implemented by the

librarians to optimise library services in selected federal university libraries across the

six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. The impact of the marketing strategies on

optimisation of library services was investigated by the researcher from library users‟

perspective. The findings of this study would enable the readers and other researchers

to understand the level of implementation of marketing strategies and their impact on

the optimisation of library services in Nigerian universities.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Marketing of library resources and services has received considerable attention from

many library marketing writers and researchers (Kendadamath, 2011; Adekunmisi,

marketing strategies for the optimisation …

Documents