ENTREPRENEURIAL OPPORTUNITY FOCUS AND MARKETING PERFORMANCE OF SUPERMARKETS IN PORT HARCOURT

Abstract

This study explored entrepreneurial opportunity focus and marketing performance of supermarkets in Port Harcourt. The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between entrepreneurial opportunity focus (opportunity searching, opportunity recognition and opportunity exploitation) and marketing performance (sales growth and market share growth) of supermarkets in Port Harcourt. Six (6) research questions and hypotheses were postulated to guide the study. The study employed the positivist research philosophy and correlational research design. The population of this study consisted of all the 755 registered supermarkets in Port Harcourt. A sample size of 261 supermarkets was selected for the study. The Taro Yamene formula was used to determine the sample size for the study. The purposive sampling technique was used to select 261 supermarkets that fall under the categories of micro, small and medium enterprises. The sampling unit was made up of owners of the selected supermarkets in Port Harcourt. A structured questionnaire was used to elicit data from the respondents. The data collected were analyzed statistically while the Spearman Rank Order Correlation Coefficient (rho) and the SPSS version 24.0 were used to test the hypotheses. The findings revealed that opportunity searching has a significant relationship with sales growth and market share growth of supermarkets in Port Harcourt. The study also revealed that opportunity recognition has a significant relationship with sales growth and market share growth of supermarkets in Port Harcourt. The study equally revealed that opportunity exploitation has a significant relationship with sales growth and market share growth of supermarkets in Port Harcourt. Based on these findings, it was concluded that entrepreneurial opportunity focus significantly relate to marketing performance of supermarkets in Port Harcourt. Hence, it is recommended that supermarket operators in Port Harcourt particularly those that are experiencing poor marketing performance should be more opportunity focus as it would improve their marketing performance.