Indian Journal of Marketing May 2006

Volume XXXVI • Number 5 •May 2006

Performance of Tamil Nadu Tourism Industry
Tourism is an intensively people oriented industry that is about and of people who move away from home. Tourism rejuvenates people, it changes the outlook of people and also provides livelihood to the host-people. It gives the guests and hosts an opportunity to exchange their cultures. Many of the economies are successful in marketing their country as destinations and generating a substantial amount of foreign exchange from tourism sector. Technology is also playing a big role in the changing dynamics of travel and tourism. Internet has enabled worldwide reach for host of facilities, and enabled rise of new segments such as Free Independent Travelers (FIT), who shun mass tourism packages and set out to explore on their own.
Dr.G.Ganesan Reader in Commerce Periyar Government Arts College Cuddalore-607001 Tamil Nadu	Dr.K. Chandrasekar Rao Head, Department of Commerce Pondicherry University Pondicherry
The Paradigm Shift in Marketing- Case Studies
"Paradigm" is set of broadly shared assumption about how to gather and interpret information relevant to a particular sphere of activity. When a group acquires near universal faith in the validity of the system of representing and applying information that system attains paradigmatic standing.Thomas Kuhn in his classic work. The structure of Scientific Revolution, defined the established order, which enjoys a certain predictability, and harmony as "Paradigm" When accepted scientific ideas or principles are invalidated by breakthrough discoveries this is "Paradigm Shift" which is inevitable and predictable in its effect. Paradigm shift is a significant change from one fundamental view to another. It just does not happen, but rather it is driven by agents of change for example, the introduction of the personal computer and the internet have impacted both personal and business environment, and is a catalyst for a paradigm shift.
Dr.K.S.Jaiswal Reader Faculty of Commerce & Management Studies M.G.Kashividyapith Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh	Neetu Singh Research Scholar Department of Commerce M.G.Kashividyapith Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Cross Cultural Marketing Challenges- A Case Study of Select MNC's
The global economic boom unpreceeded in modern economic history, has seen efficiency, productivity and open unregulated markets sweep the world. Today, most domestic businesses have become deeply involved and affected by international global businesses. Powerful economic, technological, industrial, political, demographic and cultural forces are converging to build the foundation for a new global business order in which the structure of a one world economic and market system is emerging. It is here that cross-cultural marketing is gaining all the more predominance. Cross cultural marketing that can be defined, as the performance of business activities that directs the flow of a company’s products and services to consumers or users in more than one nation for a profit is a complex and diverse concept. While the business’ goal of making a profit by promoting, pricing and distributing its products for which there is a market remains the same, the challenge comes from the environment in which the marketing plan must be implemented. The uniqueness of cross cultural marketing comes from the range of unfamiliar problems and the variety of strategies necessary to cope with different levels of uncertainty encountered in foreign markets. Political / legal factors, economic climate, level of technology, class structure, competition, geography, infrastructure and cultural forces are some of the uncontrollable elements that affect the profitable outcome of a good sound marketing plan. While it is difficult for a marketer to control or influence these elements the real challenge lies in moulding the controllable elements of marketing decisions like product, price, promotion and distribution within the framework of the uncontrollable elements of the market place in such a way that marketing objectives can be achieved. This paper presents a case study of four companies: Levi Strauss, Nike, General Motors and Electrolux who inspite of being global leaders in their respective segments found it a daunting task to handle the cross cultural marketing challenge in the Indian context.
Smitha Sambrani Assistant Professor School of Business Management Vivek Vardhini College Jambagh, Hyderabad Email :smithasambrani@yahoo.com
Adverse Effects of Body- Image Advertising on Women
She is athletic, but she never sweats. She is beautiful but wears no make up. She is working, but never tired. Aging, but not wrinkled. Breath taking, but brainless. Intelligent but humourless.She is everything. She is nothing. She is advertising to women. -Lazier Smith A tall, slender, coke bottle figured, bikini clad woman appears from the sea-surf. Every body sitting at the beach (of course males) looks at her voyeuristically. She approaches one and says, "Don't you think, I am hot?" The man in turn wraps his coat around her naked shoulders and says, "It'll cool you off". Tagline comes - Chillers from Harry collection.Is this the only way to convey the desired message to the target audience? We are inundated with such kind of advertisements throughout the day beginning from early morning to late night. Be it the advertisement for dress material, cell phones, tourism promotion, automobiles or even for cycles the presence of woman model is necessary. In many instances, she is not even needed in the advertisement nor does she has any relation with the product but still she is used as a decorative piece or just to attract attention of the viewer.
Dr.Harbhajan Bansal. Chairman and Dean Department of Business Management Guru Jambheshwar University Hisar,Haryana	Mr.Ajay Dhaka Lecturer in Management Apeejay College of Engineering Sohna, Gurgaon Haryana
Consumer Awareness - A Case Study of Jalna City
India is a huge market of more than one billion customers. Indian as well MNCs are adopting innovative marketing strategies to woo the customers. In recent years, there has been a miraculous change in consumption patterns, income levels and standard of living of the Indian people. The Government of India and the state governments have enacted a number of legislative measures to protect the interests of the customers. Some NGOs and a few MNCs (i.e. HLL, ITC etc.) have been campaigning for creating consumer awareness in India. In spite of all these efforts, consumer awareness is not up to the mark. Indian consumer is victim of exploitation in the form of substandard goods and services, false guarantee, exorbitant prices and fraudulent tactics. Creation of consumer awareness is a big task in our vast country. Due to some impediments such as, illiteracy, indifferent attitudes, ignorance of law, lengthy legal procedure etc .the degree of consumer awareness is very in India.
Dr.M.A.Lokhande Reader Department of Commerce Smt. Dankunwar Mahila Mahavidyalaya Jalna, Maharashtra
Promotional Strategies of Cellular Services : A Customer Perspective
Major driver of social changes, which shapes the possibilities and conduct of business, is technology. Every business whether it is manufacturing or service faces large amount of problems in marketing their products in the modern business world today. Due to change in the economic, business, cultural and political environment, the consumers resort to have change in their preferences. These changes on the part of consumers may provide either positive or negative impact on the business of modern firms. Accordingly, these firms have to make their business plans more comprehensive and effective. Obviously, the business firms have to sue adequate and appropriate promotional tools for establishment and promotion of their business without more interruptions.
Dr.M.Chinnadurai Head, Department of Commerce PSG College of Arts and Science Coimbatore Tamil Nadu	Dr.(Mrs.)B.Kalpana Lecturer Department of Commerce with Computer Application PSGR Krishnammal College for Women Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu