<P> Shajahan and arya (2004) stated that, "Demands for the MkIS can be expressed by three crucial developments . Firstly, when companies expand and diversify into new markets, both the companies and customer's point of view are needed to be handled by the marketing managers . Therefore, there would be greater need for marketing information . Secondly, when consumers obtain an increment in the level of their income, it causes a tendency for them to be more discriminating during the purchasing procedure . A full awareness of the points that drive a consumer prefer a brand and the points that distinguished his brand from that of the rivals should be obtained by the marketers . This awareness is possible only with the help of a well - designed effective MkIS . Thirdly, the development of the markets and the movement from price to non-price grounds of competition lead to an increase in the importance of adoption and implementation by the competitors and finding the response of the consumers towards them . Analyzing the needs for MkIS from a third person's angle, three more factors come to the forefront viz., the information explosion, increasing complexity in decision making and the technological developments ." </P> <P> In addition, "Great demand of information gathering for marketing decisions results in the need of attention by themselves . Though marketing research information can be generated by studies, which are normally conducted in the market place whereas marketing information systems are designed to gather, integrate, process and distribute marketing information comprehensively from all sources, including that from marketing research . The contrasting characteristics of MkIS and MR are presented in Table 5.1 as shown below: </P> <P> Table 5.1 Showing contrasting characteristic of MR and MkIS </P> <Table> <Tr> <Td> <P> Marketing Research </P> </Td> <Td> <P> Marketing Information System </P> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> <P> 1. Emphasis is on handling external information </P> </Td> <Td> <P> 1.It handles both internal and external data . </P> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> <P> 2.It is concerned with solving problems . </P> </Td> <Td> <P> 2 . It is concerned with preventing as well as solving problems . </P> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> <P> 3.It operates in a fragmented fashion--on a project - to - project basis . </P> </Td> <Td> <P> 3.It operates continuously as a system . </P> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> <P> 4.It tends to focus on past information . </P> </Td> <Td> <P> 4.It tends to be future oriented . </P> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> <P> 5.It is a source of input for marketing information system . </P> </Td> <Td> <P> 5.It includes other subsystems besides marketing research . </P> </Td> </Tr> </Table>

Who can be included as possible sources of performance informatin