Cahier 96-10-01 – A Marketing System for Micro-enterprises : The Case of Self-employment
Cahier 96-10-01 – A Marketing System for Micro-enterprises : The Case of Self-employment
Auteur : Louis Jacques Filion
This research paper was presented at UIC/AMA Research Symposium on Marketing and Entrepreneurship, in Stockholm, Sweden, June 14-15, 1996. Published in the proceedings, vol. 2 : 150-165Cahier 96-10-01 – A Marketing System for Micro-enterprises : The Case of Self-employment.
Abstract : The aim of this research was to identify a marketing system for the self-employed. A focus group was held, after which 30 self-employed people were interviewed. They were classified as voluntary self-employed (VSE) or involuntary self-employed (ISE), depending on whether they had chosen self-employment willingly or had been forced into it by circumstances. A marketing system comprising nine elements is suggested: 1. Image of sector; 2. Expertise in the field; 3. Customer identification and development; 4. Consideration of customer needs in service design; 5. Adjustment to customer requirements when producing and delivering the service; 6. Pricing policy; 7. Distribution; 8. Promotion/publicity; and 9. After-sales service. System operation varies according to the use of the peer networks and complementary networks that VSEs and ISEs construct. Expertise in the field and flexibility are suggested as key elements in explaining success.
