| dc.description.abstract | This thesis is a research on how building consultancy firms in Kenya carry out their
marketing management in spite of the apparent inadequate knowledge. slowness and rigidity to
accept changes by the consultants themselves, compounded by the strict professional ethics by
the professional bodies on overt methods of marketing.
It is hypothesized that marketing by the firms has been ineffective and hence the poor
performance by most of them in the light of the apparent increase in need for the services.
This research is based on information obtained from building consultants, potential
clients for building consultancy services namely: building contractors, building developers and
Ministry of Public Works departments as well as marketing consultants.
In order to have a basis for the research a review of literature in marketing has been
clone. This begins with the definition of what marketing is conceived to be by different people.
From the various definitions an operational definition of "marketing" as used in this research has
been developed.
The research evaluates different tools of marketing generally and how they can be used
in marketing of services in general and then narrows down on marketing of building consultancy
services. The uniqueness of marketing or services, in general and building consultancy services
in particular has also been appraised.
The difficulties of using some marketing tools developed ill the literature review for
building consultancy services is highlighted and has also been discussed in this research. horn
the definition of marketing as well as a general appraisal of the marketing process together with
the marketing models in regard to the unique problems of marketing or building consultancy
services a conceptual theoretical marketing model for building consultancy services has been
developed for the research.
Legality and ethics seem to be major factors that cause unique marketing problems of
building consultancy services in Kenya and therefore, these two aspects are considered together.
To give a background to the research, the thesis presentation stalls by extending the
general background of building consultancy, by doing this it helps to focus on the professionals
involved in building consultancy and their contribution as well as the institutional framework in
which they operate. The evolution and development of professions has also been discussed in
order to understand the existence or certain restrictions which are exercised by certain
professional bodies.
A total of 72 building consultancy firms, comprising of 12 Consulting Engineering firms,
27 Quantity Surveying firms and 31 Architectural firms were interviewed using questionnaire.A
group of potential clients comprising or building contractors, developers and three departments
Ministry or Public Works were also interviewed using questionnaires In addition the researcher
personally interviewed 4 marketing research firms through personal interviews.
The data collected was analysed manually to ease interpretation as well as quicken the
completion of the research The data which could not be analysed through quantitative means
was presented in the form of description .
From the results of the data interpretation in this study it is apparent that most building
consultancy firms do not market their services effectively. This is because of lack of appreciation
by some building consultants of the potency of some marketing tools as well as the fact that,
those consultants who know and wish to use these tools call not do so because of some
restrictions imposed by the respective professional bodies It is therefore recommended that
building consultants should be educated in the area .of marketing and also some restrictive
professional by-laws that hinder marketing of building consultancy services should be repealed
and suitable safeguards against abuse of freer marketing regulations should be enacted. | en |
