SERVICE DIFFERENTIATION AND MARKETING PERFORMANCE OF DOMESTIC AIRLINES IN NIGERIA

ADIELE, Kenneth C.
Department of Marketing
Faculty of Management Sciences
Rivers State University, Port Harcourt
adiele.kenneth@ust.edu.ng
AMESI, Philip C.
Department of Marketing
Faculty of Management Sciences
Rivers State University, Port Harcourt
philame88@gmail.com
WEJINYA, Stella Wada
Department of Marketing
Faculty of Management Sciences
Rivers State University, Port Harcourt
stellawejinya@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
This study investigated service differentiation and marketing performance of domestic airlines in Nigeria.
The study adopted a descriptive research design. Primary data collection for the study was obtain from
respondents using structured questionnaire. The study population comprised 7 major domestic airlines in
Nigeria, with operating offices in Port Harcourt. The study took a census. 7 copies of structured
questionnaire were administered to top management staff of each of the 7 domestic airlines, making it a
total of 49 respondents. After data cleaning, only 47 copies of questionnaire were used for final analysis.
Pearson Product Moment Correlation was used to test the hypotheses formulated for the study, relying on
the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0. The study found the existence of strong
positive and statistically significant relationship between service differentiation and marketing
performance of domestic airlines in Nigeria. The study therefore concludes that service differentiation
significantly relates to marketing performance of domestic airlines in Nigeria; and recommends that
managers of domestic airlines in Nigeria should adopt service differentiation strategy, if they intend to
improve their marketing performance.
Keywords: Domestic airlines, market share, sales growth, service differentiation