Read this article to learn about the agriculture marketing information systems of M:I & research!
In U.S.A., U.K. and Japan there are separate government departments for providing MkIS to agriculturists.
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In India steps in this direction were taken in 1954, when a committee of Enquiry on the collection of Agricultural prices in India was appointed.
The committee recommended a joint effort by State Governments, Directorate of Economics and Statistics and the Union Ministry of Food and Agriculture in this regard. In fact, agriculturists are unable to organize and maintain their own MkIS due to illiteracy and economic crisis.
There are 12,218 publications in India (Dailies Magazines, Weeklies etc.) in different languages. Government sources like RBI Bulletin- Agricultural Situation in India, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, National Council for Applied Economic Research, All India Yield Figures, All India Weather Forecast etc. are available for agricultural MkIS.
It is suggested that for proper agricultural MkIS are specialized agencies should be established for disseminating information for the benefit of farmers.
In business sector, most of the firms have not marketing research department while other many have small marketing research department whose work is very limited to routine forecasting, demand and sales analysis and occasional surveys. Only a few firms have developed advanced MkIS and MR that furnishes management with up-to-date information support for future marketing strategy and decision making.
The role of MkIS and MR in Indian marketing is not quite satisfactory. Therefore, it is advisable that marketing manager should gear itself to the task of proper information flow with a view to come up to the developed countries standards.
For sound decision making, strong information support is needed so all informational projects should be encouraged and supported by the various segments of business community that ultimately have a stake in valid and useful decision making.
More emphasis on continuous information supply should be laid on in order to transform our managerial capacity in better way. In societal marketing era, efficient and effective information feedback should be duly recognized by modern managers. Marketing information and research system has to play important advisory role for rational decision making and reducing uncertainty.
In the modern method of marketing sound, accurate and authentic knowledge of the product demand and marketing environment is essential for successful management. To manage a business well is to manage its future, and to manage the future is to manage information.
The role of marketing information system to marketing in particular and industry and commerce in general can be compared with the importance of military intelligence to the defence of a nation. It contributes considerably to the profit maximization goal of the individual business firm and the community as a whole by intensifying the efficiency of the marketing functions.