=Paper=
{{Paper
|id=Vol-1498/HAICTA_2015_paper62
|storemode=property
|title=The Use of Modern Tools of Business Management and Marketing In the Food and Beverage Field as a Prerequisite for Sustainable Development and Respect for the Environment
|pdfUrl=https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-1498/HAICTA_2015_paper62.pdf
|volume=Vol-1498
|dblpUrl=https://dblp.org/rec/conf/haicta/TsekouropoulosK15
}}
==The Use of Modern Tools of Business Management and Marketing In the Food and Beverage Field as a Prerequisite for Sustainable Development and Respect for the Environment==
https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-1498/HAICTA_2015_paper62.pdf
The Use of Modern Tools of Business Management and
Marketing In the Food and Beverage Field as a
Prerequisite for Sustainable Development and Respect
for the Environment
Georgios Tsekouropoulos1, Nikolaos Katsonis2, Vasiliki Tsekouropoulou3, Dimitrios
Theoharis4
1
Researcher. PhD. in Marketing – Consumer Behavior, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki,
Greece, e-mail: geotsek@mycosmos.gr
2
Director of DIEK Thermis Thessalonikis- PhD candidate, University of Patras, Greece,
e-mail: nikoskatsonis@gmail.com
3
Vocational trainer – Expert in i-Treasures E.U. Programme, University of Macedonia, Greece,
e-mail: vtsekouropoulou@yahoo.gr
4
Marketing Executive-MSc in Digital Marketing, Greece,
e-mail: dimitris.theoharis@yahoo.com
Abstract. Network technologies, modern organizational and marketing
functions have transformed the way businesses operate nowadays and
consequently have an effect on all sectors of the economy. Contemporary firms
become members of the Internet society since the profits are high and
innovative wireless broadband technologies allow to serve customers globally
24/7 while the relative cost keeps lessening (Andreopoulou, 2013). Internet
constitutes a thriving means to promote a firm and can incorporate advertising
and marketing activities, Total Quality Management, Corporate Social
Responsibility, social media promotion, communication features in the firm’s
website. Nevertheless, Social responsibility, green marketing and
environmental sustainability are becoming important practices for modern
firms influencing the formulation of different types of corporate environmental
practices within a green firm strategy (Tsekouropoulos et al, 2014). While
many food and drink firms have already their online store through their
website presentation, this paper aims to describe the modern organizational
and marketing challenge in contemporary firms and the new trends (Werther
and Chandler, 2006). An Internet search was conducted in eighty large firms
that operate in food and drink sector in the prefecture of Central Macedonia,
Greece. Their websites are analyzed and their features, such as CSR,
advertising, marketing, consumer’s behavior, social media etc are studied
(Andreopoulou et al, 2014).
Keywords: marketing, Internet, business plan, total quality management,
promotional activities, social responsibility
540
1 Introduction
Modern businesses have to face multiple and significant challenges, due to market
globalization, increasing competitiveness among businesses and a constantly
changing business environment. Recently, the appreciation of supply chain as an
innovative solution for successful business has been a great change and challenge for
the businesses’ operation (Tzoulis and Andreopoulou, 2013). Today, a customer can
select between a wide range of high-quality products or services and the firm need to
practice strategies to keep existing customers and attract new. Customers are familiar
and at ease with information technology, such as using the Internet for their
purchases. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) offer massive
prospects and opportunities for every one to benefit, while new scenarios appear for
economic development, improved service delivery and social advances
(Andreopoulou, 2013). Within that aspect, Internet provides to the business sector, an
additional opportunity to promote their products and services to potential customers
globally (Andreopoulou et al. 2012).
Contemporary firms become members of the Internet society since the profits are
high and innovative wireless broadband technologies allow serving customers
globally 24/7, while the relative cost keeps lessening. The approach to these
customers and the development of their trust towards the firm can be achieved
through the quality, the comfort of markets, the price competitiveness and the offer
of right products and services (Tsekouropoulos, 2009).
Many companies have already created websites and they consider internet a
powerful tool within the competitive business environment. The website can be the
storefront of a company and therefore it should always operate efficiently and have
the adequate style and image that will attract and preserve its visitors and future
customers (Andreopoulou et al. 2011). Apart from the presentation of products and
sales methods, companies include in their official firm’s websites, administration
functions such as business plans, organizational structure and quality assurance
systems. Also companies, about marketing and promotion of their products and
services, include functions about advertising, public relations and social
responsibility features (Tsekouropoulos et.al., 2013, Vlachopoulou, 2003).
Internet features have significantly contributed to the automation and reduction of
the production process cost and the internal business administration and marketing
processes (Tsekouropoulos et.al. 2012). At the same time, they add to the expansion
of contact with the customers and to the increase of the supply chain. According to
Canavari et al. (2008), “e-business includes a number of functions that vary in
complexity and are defined as the use of the internet or other electronic means, for
the execution of transactions, the support of business operations and the
improvement of cooperation between the entities of the supply chain”. In particular,
the term of entrepreneurship can be defined as an attempt to convert the initiative
into effect with the ultimate aim of producing a profit (Cunningham and Lischeron,
1991). Yet, a critical requirement is to successfully use the tools of management and
marketing (Tsekouropoulos et al, 2013).
Social responsibility programs, funds and sponsorships are presented in a firm’s
website as an effort to inform the public and potential customers that the firm, apart
541
from the business part related to the cost, intends to return profit to the society
(Tsekouropoulos et al., 2013). The social responsibility in a firm can be distinguished
as 'internal' and 'external', depending on the beneficial parties of a corporate action.
The managers have to penetrate to the core of the firm and to identify the strategic
internal and external factors that determine both the firm viability and the sustainable
development, by adopting practices of corporate social responsibility (Kotler, 2009).
The natural environment is progressively seen as a integrated level of CSR.
Research on CSR and environmental sustainability in the management literature, is
often converging because of shared environmental, economic, and social concerns,
while environmental responsibility can be analyzed through a number of factors,
such as the existence of anti-pollution programs, the extent to which a firm
contributes to the conservation of natural resources, involvement in voluntary
environmental rehabilitation initiatives, environmental friendly practices and the
methodical reduction of waste and emissions from various operations (production,
logistics, etc) (Montiel, 2008).
2 Data Analysis of Drink and Food Companies
The sample of the research is primarily going to be consisted of 80
respondents/companies. All of the subjects will be English speakers and managers or
marketing managers of the firms. A non-probability judgmental/purposive sampling
is going to be used as a sampling method. The choice of the particular sampling
method was made with regard to the recruitment of the participants in the research as
well as the choice of the respondents was made from a particular sampling frame
which include all the companies of the area.
2.1 Data analysis
The analysis of the data was made with the statistical software for data analysis
SPSS. Descriptive statistics will be used to illustrate the answers of the respondents
while inferential statistics (x2) will be used to examine the relationship between the
variables.
! Type of products/ Business or Marketing plan
Table 1 and figure 1 show the frequencies and percentages of companies that use
business and marketing plans in relation with the type of their products. Specifically,
most of the companies which sell drink products or a combination of drink and food
products do not use business and marketing plans, while the bigger percentage of the
companies who trade only food products have applied marketing or business plans.
542
Table 1. Type of products/ Business or Marketing plan
Business or Marketing Total
plan
No Yes
Count 3 4 7
Food
% 42.9% 57.1% 100.0%
Count 31 19 50
Type Drinks
% 62.0% 38.0% 100.0%
Count 17 6 23
Food & Drinks
% 73.9% 26.1% 100.0%
Count 51 29 80
Total
% 63.7% 36.2% 100.0%
Fig. 1. Type of products/ Business or Marketing plan
543
! Type of products / Total Quality Management ISO HACCP
Table 2 and figure 2 show the frequencies and percentages of companies that use
Total Quality Management practices in relation with the type of their products.
Specifically, most of the companies which sell food or drink products do not use
Total Quality Management practices, while the bigger percentage of the companies
who trade both food and drink products have applied Total Quality Management
practices.
Table 2. Type of products/ Total Quality Management ISO HACCP
Total Quality Total
Management ISO
HACCP
No Yes
Count 3 4 7
Food
% 42.9% 57.1% 100.0%
Count 18 32 50
Type Drinks
% 36.0% 64.0% 100.0%
Count 15 8 23
Food & Drinks
% 65.2% 34.8% 100.0%
Count 36 44 80
Total
% 45.0% 55.0% 100.0%
Moreover, from the application of χ2 test, it was found that there is a statistical
significant relationship between the type of the products and the application of total
quality management (sig.= 0.046).
Table 3. Chi-Square Tests
Value df Asymp. Sig. (2-sided)
Pearson Chi-Square 5.448 2 .046
Likelihood Ratio 5.480 2 .065
Linear-by-Linear Association 3.430 1 .064
N of Valid Cases 80
544
Fig. 2. Total Quality Management ISO HACCP
! Type of products / Management flow chart
Table 4 and figure 3 show the frequencies and percentages of companies that use a
management flow chart in relation with the type of their products. Specifically,
despite the type of the products, most of the companies do not use a management
flow chart.
Table 4. Management flow chart
Management flow chart Total
No Yes
Count 7 0 7
Food
% 100.0% 0.0% 100.0%
Count 47 3 50
Type Drinks
% 94.0% 6.0% 100.0%
Count 20 3 23
Food & Drinks
% 87.0% 13.0% 100.0%
Count 74 6 80
Total
% 92.5% 7.5% 100.0%
545
Fig. 3. Management flow chart
! Type of products/ Promotional activities
Table 5 and figure 4 present the frequencies and percentages of companies that
use promotional activities in relation with the type of their products. Specifically,
despite the type of the products, most of the companies do not use promotional
activities.
Table 5. Type of products/ Promotional activities
Promotional activities Total
No Yes
Count 5 2 7
Food
% 71.4% 28.6% 100.0%
Count 47 3 50
Type Drinks
% 94.0% 6.0% 100.0%
Count 19 4 23
Food & Drinks
% 82.6% 17.4% 100.0%
Count 71 9 80
Total
% 88.8% 11.2% 100.0%
546
Fig. 4. Promotional activities
! Type of products / Social responsibility
Table 6 and figure 5 show the frequencies and percentages of companies that use
social responsibility practices in relation with the type of their products. Specifically,
most of the companies which sell drink products or a combination of drink and food
products do not use social responsibility practices, while the bigger percentage of the
companies who trade only food products have applied social responsibility practices.
Table 6. Type of products / Social responsibility
Social responsibility Total
No Yes
Count 3 4 7
Food
% 42.9% 57.1% 100.0%
Count 35 15 50
Type Drinks
% 70.0% 30.0% 100.0%
Count 15 8 23
Food & Drinks
% 65.2% 34.8% 100.0%
Count 53 27 80
Total
% 66.2% 33.8% 100.0%
547
Fig. 5. Type of products / Social responsibility
! Type of products / Sales via the internet
Table 7 and figure 6 show the frequencies and percentages of companies that
make sales via the internet in relation with the type of their products. Specifically,
most of the companies which sell drink products or a combination of drink and food
products do not make sales via the internet, while the bigger percentage of the
companies who trade only food products have made sales via the internet.
Table 7. Type of products / Sales via the internet
Sales via the internet Total
No Yes
Count 4 3 7
Food
% 57.1% 42.9% 100.0%
Count 37 13 50
Type Drinks
% 74.0% 26.0% 100.0%
Count 17 6 23
Food & Drinks
% 73.9% 26.1% 100.0%
Count 58 22 80
Total
% 72.5% 27.5% 100.0%
548
Fig. 6. Type of products / Sales via the internet
3 Conclusions
Taking into account all the above mentioned, most of the companies which sell
drink products or a combination of drink and food products, do not use business and
marketing plans, while the bigger percentage of the companies which trade only food
products, have applied marketing or business plans. In addition, most of the
companies which sell food or drink products do not use Total Quality Management
practices, while the bigger percentage of the companies which trade both food and
drink products have applied Total Quality Management practices.
Despite the type of the products, most of the companies do not use a management
flow chart and also promotional activities. Moreover, most of the companies which
sell drink products or a combination of drink and food products do not use social
responsibility practices, while the bigger percentage of the companies which trade
only food products, have applied social responsibility practices. Finally, most of the
companies which sell drink products or a combination of drink and food products do
not make sales via the internet, while the bigger percentage of the companies who
trade only food products have made sales via the internet.
References
1. Andreopoulou, Z., Koliouska, C., Tsekouropoulos, G. and Manos, B., 2011.
Strategic Planning and Decision Support in Small-medium Wood Enterprises,
Proceedings of the 7th Hellenic Society for Systemic Studies (HSSS) National &
International Conference, Professional Systemics in Action. Athens, Greece, 1:
118-119.
549
2. Andreopoulou Z., 2013. Green Informatics:ICT for green and Sustainability.
Journal of Agricultural Informatics. 3 (2) pp.1-8
3. Andreopoulou Z., Misso R., Cesaretti G.P., 2014. Using the Internet to support
green business for rural development and environmental protection. Journal of
environmental Protection and Ecology ,15 (1) pp. 726-732.
4. Canavari, M., Fritz, M., Hofstede, G. J., Matopoulos, A. and Vlachopoulou, M.
2008. The Role of Trust in the Transition from Traditional to Electronic B2B
Relationships in the Agri-Food Sector (Ed. Tsiligiridis, T.). In Proceedings of the
4th Int. Conference on Information and Communication Technologies in Bio &
Earth Sciences, 18-20 September, Athens, Greece, p. 244-251.
5. Cunningham, J.B. and Lischeron, J., 1991. Defining Entrepreneurship, Journal of
Small Business Management. pp. 51.
6. Kotler, P., (2009), Corporate Social Responsibility, Economia Publishing,
Athens.
7. Jain, S.K. and Kaur, G., 2004. Green marketing: An Indian perspective. Decision,
31(2), pp 18-31.
8. Montiel I., 2008. Corporate social responsibility and corporate sustainability:
Separate pasts, common futures. Organization and Environment 21(3), pp 245–
269.
9. Tsekouropoulos G., (2009), Consumers’ behavior towards food promoting
methods, PhD thesis, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. pp 12-23
10. Tsekouropoulos G., Andreopoulou Z., Koliouska C. and Katsonis N., 2013.
Marketing and organizational evaluation of rural firms in the Internet,
International Journal of Technology Marketing, 8(3) pp 272-285
11. Tsekouropoulos G., Koliouska C. and Andreopoulou Z., 2013. Marketing and
Digital Functions in Rural Agribusiness: A Case of Classification, Journal of
Marketing Vistas (JMV) 3(2) pp1-10.
12. Tsekouropoulos G., Andreopoulou Z., Vatis S.,, (2014) “ Web-based green
marketing and consumer behavior trends in agrifood firms and the green
challenge”, Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Agrifood SCM &
Green Logistics FP7 REGPOT Project: GREEN-AgriChains, May 27-30, 2015,
Porto Carras Grand ResortHalkidiki, Greece, p.p. : 251-253, conference.green-
agrichains.eu
13. Tzoulis I., Andreopoulou Z. 2013. Emerging Traceability Technologies as a Tool
for Quality Wood Trade, Procedia Technology, 8 pp 606-611
14. Vlahopoulou, Μ., 2003. e-Marketing. Internet Marketing, Publications Rosili,
2nd edition, Athens. p. 176, 381.
15. Werther, W.B. and Chandler, D.B., 2006. Strategic Corporate Social
Responsibility – Stakeholders in a Global Society, California: Sage Publications.
550