Formal or informal marketing planning? A small insight from Maltese SMEs managers

Abstract

A subject that concerns different scholars and practitioners is what approach to marketing planning is best for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs)? Depending on the manager’s style/ability and business domain, there are examples in which marketing plans are neither explicitly stated, nor written, while others are noted down, have clear objectives, specific actions and perceivable budgets. Either way, each approach (formal or informal) shows a profitable enterprise. Our research objective is to shed some light upon Maltese SMEs manager’s approach to marketing planning, by investigating the relationship between marketing activities, firm size and field of business.