Strategic Planning from a Marketing Investment Perspective: A PROMI-Based Analysis of Zain Telecom Group (2020-2024)

Abstract

 This study examines the Potential Return on Marketing Investment (PROMI) as a forward-looking indicator that can support strategic planning in telecommunications firms. Using aggregated data from Zain Group’s annual and sustainability reports for the period 2020–2024, PROMI is operationalized under an explicit assumption regarding the ratio of marketing expenditure to total revenue. PROMI values are then compared with key performance indicators, including the number of subscribers, customer satisfaction, and estimated market share.

Theoretically, the paper distinguishes PROMI from the more traditional Return on Marketing Investment (ROMI), clarifies their respective dimensions, and discusses how PROMI can be integrated into institutional planning tools such as the Balanced Scorecard. Empirically, the descriptive analysis shows that years associated with higher PROMI scenarios coincide with stronger patterns in revenue growth and customer-related indicators. While the analysis remains illustrative given data and modelling constraints, it suggests that PROMI can function as a useful bridge between marketing investment decisions and strategic planning discussions in multi-country telecom groups. (Zain Annual Reports, 2020–2024)