Commercalization of non-profit organisation: a case study of Food Research Institute commercial unit

Abstract

Food Research Institute is one of the Research Institutions under the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. Its traditional role since its establishment in October, 1963 has been to carry out research into and advise on problems relating to food technology food, food industries and food marketing; to advise the Government on its food policy; and to do all such other things as appear to the academy to be relevant or conducive to the attainment of the objectives. Food Research Institute has therefore developed a lot of products from some of its research findings. It offers services in the form of consultancy and has also set up a unit to turn out some products for the markets. Though Food Research Institute is seen as a non-profit organisation, profitability appears to be obvious if marketing could be seen as a must in all the activities of the Institute. Professor Kofi Yankah in his article captioned, "Marketing/PR Dept.- a must for all businesses in the People's Daily Craphic of February 12, 1992 Pg. 5; looks at the concept of marketing which never exist in most business houses or even if they existed, did not receive management support. The analysis of the marketing strategy and tools employed by the Food Research Institute as a nonprofit organisation reveals that marketing activities can be identified. These activities are carried on without any serious attention and as such not labelled so. The study, thus carefully analyses these marketing activities especially with the Food Research Institute Commercial Unit and concludes that, for more efficient operation, there is the need to adopt a definite marketing stand to challenge competition and true must be seen in the role of the marketing executive