| The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the marketing manager's familiarity with and use of relationship marketing. The sample frame was taken from the marketing services directory located on the American Marketing Association's (AMA) website. The questionnaire used in this study was developed by the researcher and the subjects were allowed to complete the instrument by self-report. A seven point Likert Scale was used for most of the questions. Data obtained from the questionnaires was analyzed using Statistical Software for the Social Sciences (SPSS 11.0). Frequencies and descriptive statistics were used to examine the basic characteristics of the items. Specific hypotheses were analyzed using Pearson's correlation analysis.;By testing these hypotheses, this study was able to identify marketing managers' familiarity with relationship marketing, marketing managers' understanding of the best definition for relationship marketing, and how the marketing manager's knowledge of marketing technology has an impact on the use of relationship marketing. The descriptive statistics indicated that the sample group was relatively equal between male and female, middle aged, worked in small to medium size companies, were highly educated, and many held executive/management positions within their companies.;The testing of the hypotheses confirmed hypothesis one, that the marketing manager's focus on customer retention, in correlation with their familiarity with the term relationship marketing was considered significant. Hypothesis two, three, and nine were also found to be significant at the .05 level of significance. Thus, the marketing manager's focus on customer service and advances in marketing technology in correlation with their familiarity with the term relationship marketing was supported. Also, the marketing managers comfort level with the use of computer technology and the use of relationship marketing was supported.;It is my hope that this study will open the door to future studies in the area of relationship marketing and that marketing professionals will see the need for a fifth "P" people (relationship) to be added to the four P's of marketing (Product, Price, Place, and Promotion). |
