Social marketing mix and behavioural change to alcohol and tobacco usage among youth in the slums of Nairobi County, Kenya
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Date
2016-06
Authors
Murigi, Elishiba Muthoni
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
Social marketing is a strategic tool executed through the application of a customised
marketing mix to influence behavioural change. Social marketing has been used
globally to create awareness about health-related issues, such as prevention of HfV and
AIDS. It has also been used widely in the promotion of the following important issues:
responsible alcohol and tobacco usage; sexually responsible behaviour; hygiene among
young children; and security. Despite the execution of various social marketing
programs by change agents to influence behavioural change on alcohol and tobacco
usage, individuals continue to suffer the serious consequences of irresponsible alcohol
and tobacco usage. This study therefore investigated the influence of social marketing
mix on behavioural change to alcohol and tobacco usage among the youth in the slums
of Nairobi County, Kenya. The study adopted a positivist view by testing hypotheses
derived from a predetermined conceptual framework. The study applied a mixed
research design consisting of descriptive and explanatory research components. The
target population comprised 158,624 members of youth groups from which a sample of
384 was statistically determined. Cluster and simple random sampling were used to
select 384 respondents from the target population. Primary data were collected using a
self-administered questionnaire based on a 5-point Likert scale. Interviews were also
conducted with 10 youth group leaders. Quantitative data were analysed using both
descriptive and inferential statistical methods. Descriptive statistics were computed to
describe the characteristics of the study variables whereas inferential statistics in form of
simple and multiple regression analyses were used to establish the nature and magnitude
of the relationships between independent and dependent variables and to test the
hypothesised relationships. Adjusted R2 was used to measure the amount of variation in
the dependent variables explained by the independent variable. An assesment of the
models underlying statistical assumptions was conducted using confirmatory factor
analysis, outliers test, testing for normality, homoscedasticity, linearity,
multicollinearity, and autocorrelation. All the analysis was done using SPSS version 22.
Directed content analysis was also applied to the qualitative data. The combined effect
of the social marketing mix was found to be statistically significant as it explained
54.1% of behavioural change to alcohol and tobacco usage among the youth in slums of
Nairobi County. Further, product, price, and promotion influenced behavioural change
to alcohol and tobacco usage.The place variable was insignificant and therefore had no
influence on behavioural change to alcohol and tobacco usage. Perception had no
mediating effect on the relationship between social marketing mix and behavioural
change, while facilitating factors were found to have a moderating influence on the
relationship between social marketing mix and behavioural change to alcohol and
tobacco usage. The study concluded that inorder to achieve the desired behavioural
change; change agents should develop programs that intergrate all the components of
the social marketing mix. The study recommends that organisations which execute
social marketing programmes can use these findings to determine the product, price, and
promotion strategies required to achieve behavioural change to alcohol and tobacco
usage. The findings of this study could also be applied in the development of social
marketing campaigns on responsible alcohol and tobacco usage. Further, lawenforcement
agencies can apply the findings of this study to develop policies on the
punitive measures to be imposed upon individuals who depict irresponsible alcohol and
tobacco usage. Additionally, the Marketing Society of Kenya should lobby with the
government to establish a Social Marketing Association-Kenya Chapter to facilitate
benchmarking in the development and execution of more effective social marketing
programmes.
Description
A Thesis submitted to the School of Business in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Award of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Business (Marketing Management) of Kenyatta University. June, 2016