Assume that you are the marketing research executive for Mauritius Airlines$/$ Air Mauritius. Ticket sales have declined drastically due to the COVID$19$ pandemic. You have been requested to submit a marketing research report to the board members of the Airline.

Based on the problem, research using secondary data, as well as the results of data analysis and interpretation, a report is

required to be constructed.

The following Objectives have been identified by the Airline:

$($a$)$ Increase in market share

$($b$)$ Continued long$-$term growth

$($c$)$ Increase in profitability

$($d$)$ Achieving better operating efficiency

$($e$)$ Higher capacity utilization

$($f$)$ Increase in customer satisfaction

$($g$)$ Provision of reliable service

$($h$)$ Improving employee productivity

The following steps are to be considered when compiling the report:

Define the nature and extent of the marketing problem $/$ opportunity$/$ situational analysis

Identify$/$ set research objectives

Determine the research design

Collect the secondary data

Prepare and process the secondary data

Interpret the results and compile the research report

Propose recommendations to the Board of Management of Mauritius Airlines

To perform the steps highlighted above, a situational analysis, or internal and external marketing environment analysis,

ought to be carried out. This creates a picture of the internal and external situation surrounding the problem or opportunity.

The situational analysis gathers information about:

The marketing objectives and strategies of the Airline: the product, distribution, price and marketing communication

strategy.

The resources of the Airline: more specifically its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

The enterprise market: in other words, specific information about the customers, the market structure and competition.

The general situation in the external environment: including the economic conditions, socio$-$cultural factors,

technological developments and political action $($macro$-$environmental factors$).$