Entrepreneurship and marketing: an exploratory study in Mauritius

The purpose of this paper is to explore the importance that successful entrepreneurs in Mauritius attach to marketing in operating their business and how marketing is actually practised or is prevalent in their enterprises.

This paper forms part of a broader study undertaken by the authors. The survey instrument is a personally administered semi‐structured questionnaire. A sample of 30 successful entrepreneurs for this paper is drawn judgmentally from the broader study.

The results indicate that entrepreneurs surveyed use marketing to a large extent although some apply it unknowingly. Respondents tend to emphasize product development rather than improving product offering based on customer needs and wants. The results also reveal that some of the entrepreneurs practice marketing in mostly unconventional ways although there is evidence of convergence with traditional marketing in many respects. On the whole, the results of this survey indicate that entrepreneurs view marketing as an important function in achieving their business goals.

This paper contributes to the scant literature on the importance and relationship of the marketing function with respect to entrepreneurial activities and small and medium enterprises in Mauritius. The findings of this paper confirm that entrepreneurs attach significant importance to marketing, although in certain areas such as the elaborate marketing mix they practice marketing in their own style. The paper helps entrepreneurs to realize how marketing can be an asset to achieving success in their business. Some success factors in marketing practice are highlighted to benefit future and potential entrepreneurs. The study also cautions entrepreneurs about some marketing practices to which they ought to pay more attention instead of taking them for granted.