Assessment of Marketing Strategy Practices in the Case of Messebo Cement Factory, Ethiopia, Tigray

Abstract

This study assesses the marketing strategy practices at Messebo Cement Factory in Tigray, Ethiopia, focusing on the 4 Ps of the marketing mix and their impact on customer satisfaction and loyalty. Guided by the 4 Ps Marketing Mix, Expectation-Confirmation, and Relationship Marketing theories, the research employed a mixed-methods approach, collecting data from 58 respondents through a survey. Descriptive findings revealed that Messebo Cement Factory generally performs well in product variety, quality, broad market accessibility, and diverse promotional channels. However, specific areas identified for improvement include packaging quality, price competitiveness and transparency, delivery timeliness and reliability, effectiveness of channel partner collaborations, and the clarity and convincing nature of marketing messages. Correlation analysis indicated significant positive relationships between all marketing mix elements and both customer satisfaction and loyalty, with customer satisfaction being a very strong predictor of customer loyalty (r=0.755,p<0.001). Multiple regression analysis further demonstrated that, collectively, the four marketing mix strategies significantly explain 38.8% of the variance in customer satisfaction (F(4,53)=8.403,p<0.001). While the overall model was significant and diagnostics confirmed its robustness, individual marketing mix elements did not emerge as statistically significant unique predictors of customer satisfaction in the model. The study concludes that while Messebo Cement Factory’s marketing strategies are moderately effective, their collective impact is crucial for customer satisfaction. Recommendations include targeted improvements in product packaging, pricing clarity, distribution efficiency, channel partner engagement, and refining promotional messaging to enhance overall customer satisfaction and foster stronger customer loyalty and brand advocacy in a competitive market.