'n Ondersoek na enkele aspekte van marksegmentasie vir sintetiese rubber in Suid-Afrika

Abstract

AN INVESTIGATION INTO SOME ASPECTS OF THE MARKET SEGMENTATION OF SYNTHETIC RUBBERS IN SOUTH AFRICA The manufacturers of synthetic rubber in South Africa are totally dependent upon the local market for their success. The influence of the micro and macro marketing environments in this market results in a very complex marketing system which justifies further investigation before a marketing strategy can be developed. One of the aspects of such an investigation which is often neglected by marketing management is the necessity for a well-founded segmentation policy and strategy. Elements of such a strategy which are of the utmost importance in the South African context are the choice of a proper basis for segmentation and the influence of the marketing environment on the different market segments. This study consists of a detailed investigation of the factors influencing the macro and micro marketing environments and their effect on the different marketing segments. This is followed by a theoretical investigation of the latest principles for the segmentation of industrial markets, and a discussion on the use of the "two-stage" segmentation approach by Wind and Cardozo. In an empirical study, this concept is used to segment the market for synthetic rubber in South Africa into three macro segments, with further subdivisions into micro segments. This could serve as a basis for a market segmentation strategy for a company marketing synthetic rubber in South Africa.