There is plenty of information around - but often too much of the wrong kind and not enough if the right kind.

Marketing Information systems
R.A. PROCTOR

The Nature of Marketing
Marketing management is about finding ways of satisfying customer wants and needs, while achieving organizational objectives or requirements in terms of profit or some other measure of corporate performance. It brings together all customer-impinging resources, such as product design and specification, advertising and other forms of promotion, pricing policy, selling, channels of distribution and physical distribution to achieve this end. These customer-impinging resources are often summarized under four headings and referred to as the four Ps of the marketing mix (price, promotion, place and product). The art or science of marketing management is concerned with making decisions/policies with respect to the elements of the' marketing mix such that the company's interface with its markets is both profitable and customer satisfying.

The Need for Marketing Information managers require information to help them forecast changes in product demand, increase selling Productivity, and exercise control over sales and distribution expenses. Marketing is an ongoing process; decisions are made and results of these decisions have he monitored. Consumer and competitor reactions to the company's decisions have to be studied to ensure that the best strategy is being employed. Information on these matters is used to correct deviations from plans. For example, if a target of a 5 per cent increase in new clients has been set for the salesforce then it is necessary to monitor how effective the salesforce is in terms of reaching the target set. Such information can then be used to adjust targets, if the need arises.

Information is needed for decision making. Unfortunately, in many firms, it is