CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION 

1.1 Background to the Study

Kotler, (2010) contends that in business, marketing and innovation attract results, while other activities represent costs. Consequently,effective marketing strategiesare crucial in order to achieve organizational objectives. Qualman, (2013), stresses the need to assess the effect of digital marketing on organizational growth and performance,towardsassessing and arriving at the best methods in which organizations cantake advantage of new opportunities to attain competitive advantage over their rivals in the business world. Kates, & Matthew, (2013), aver that in the world of digital age, organizations should take advantage of emerging digital technologies in their marketing activities or face the risk of being thrown out of business by competitors. 

Kuppuswamy & Narayan (2011), maintain that the proper application of digital marketing could meet the needs of the customer, byattracting and retaining consumers and attaining higher business performance.One of the major objectives of business organizations is to make profits for expansion and for its shareholders and this could be achieved, to a large extent, by effective marketing strategies (Scott, 2010). 

1.2. Statement of the Problem

The ever-changing business environment and the revolution in digital technologies continue to pose complex challenges to organizations which require the adoption of best methods for competitiveness and performance.  These challenges have been witnessed across sectors globally, thus driving organizations to be more innovative, scan the environment, embrace technology and effectively target their customers in order to remain relevant and competitive. In order to survive amidst this dynamism, organizations have progressed from being product-driven to market-driven, which has allowed better understanding of customers and competitors (Chen, Chen, & Capistrano, 2013). A paradigm shift, to achieve success in business performance and outdo competitors.

Organizations all over the world have been faced with problems on how to compete effectively and survive in the dynamic business environment. To overcome these problems, organizations have had to devise effective strategies such as marketing plans, through a mapping and thorough assessment of the most effective and efficient promotional channels.  The ability of organizations to reactswiftly and responsively to the environmental challenges depends mostly on the strategies adopted for its marketing activities (Welch, & Worthington, 2010).