Market research as a tool for business decision making: Case study of Plinotehnika

Današnje poduzeće Plinotehnika d.o.o. osnovano je kao obrt 1975. godine. Tadašnja tržišna ekonomija i monopolistički uvjeti, koji su uglavnom prevladavali, odredili su uspješni početni smjer poslovanja. Od 1975. godine do 1990. godine poduzeće je poslovalo kao obrt, a nakon toga je preuzelo model trgovačkoga društva s ograničenom odgovornošću - d.o.o. Plinotehnika ima više vlastitih proizvoda od kojih je jedan i plinski roštilj. Sredinom osamdesetih godina XX. stoljeća, kada se počeo proizvoditi, bio je tržišno prihvaćen i profitabilan za proizvodnju. Spektar kupaca bio je vrlo širok, od profesionalnih ugostitelja do kućnih gastronoma koji su željeli imati kvalitetan roštilj na svom balkonu ili terasi. Problemi počinju otvaranjem tržišta 1995. godine, eskaliraju prvom ekonomskom krizom 1998. godine, a s krizom 2008. godine analitika pokazuje pad prodaje za 70 %. Pristigla konkurencija imala je dizajnom privlačniji proizvod i dobro razrađen ulazak na tržište, čemu se Plinotehnika, gledajući prodajne rezultate, teško odupirala. Dodatno su se pojavili problemi s općom digitalizacijom i višom razinom svijesti o zdravoj hrani i mogućim zdravstvenim posljedicama konzumiranja hrane pripremljene na ovaj način. Dolaskom novoga menadžmenta i SWOT analizom, s pravom se postavilo pitanje o isplativosti daljnje proizvodnje. Potrebna je analiza okoline s istraživanjem tržišta plinskih roštilja kako bi menadžment Plinotehnike donio konkretne poslovne odluke vezane uz ovaj proizvod. Rad se u prvom dijelu fokusira na teorije i metode istraživanja tržišta koje će se koristiti u konkretnom slučaju s osvrtom na zdravu hranu i prehrambene navike te kratkom analizom točke pokrića u proizvodnji. U drugom dijelu u provedenom anketnom istraživanju o preferencijama i stavovima potencijalnih kupaca, donose se zaključci rada.Today's company Plinotehnika d.o.o. was founded as a trade in 1975. Then market economy and monopolistic conditions, which generally prevailed, determined the successful initial direction of business. Since 1975 until 1990 the company operated as a trade, and after that it took over the model of a limited liability company - d.o.o. Plinotehnika has several products of its own, one of which is a gas grill. In the mid-1980s, when production began, it was commercially accepted and profitable to produce. The range of customers was very wide, from professional caterers to home gastronomes who wanted to have a quality barbecue on their balcony or terrace. The problems began with the opening of the market in 1990. and escalated with the first economic crisis in 2010. The incoming competition had a more attractive product in terms of design and a welldeveloped entry into the market, which Plinotehnika, looking at the sales results, had a hard time resisting. In addition, there have been problems with general digitization and a higher level of awareness about healthy food and the possible health consequences of consuming food prepared in this way. With the advent of new management and SWOT analysis, the question of the profitability of further production has rightly been raised. Environmental analysis with gas grill market research is needed for Plinotehnika management to make specific business decisions related to this product. The first part of the paper focuses on theories and methods of market research that will be used in this case with a review of healthy food and eating habits and a brief analysis of the coverage point in production. In the second part, through a survey on the preferences and attitudes of potential customers, the conclusions of the paper are made