The Marketing Planning Index: Its Use and Application in the Hospitality Sector [Summary]

With increasing emphasis by many organizations on improving marketing performance, the measurement of marketing effectiveness is an important subject area for academics and practitioners. This study extends the application of the marketing effectiveness tool-marketing planning index (MPI) by focusing on the corporate level. The MPI is tested on 95 hotel units representing 10 UK hotel groups. The findings indicate that the MPI is a simple but powerful managerial tool that helps develop the diagnostic information needed to generate corporate level initiatives designed to improve marketing planning effectiveness.