Volume XXXVIII • Number  1 • January  2008

Marketing in Postmodern India :Bulgari Meets Bollywood

The implications of postmoderism within an Indian marketing context has received little, or no, attention from academics and practitioners alike. This is surprising in light of the impact of globalisation on consumer attitudes and behaviour in a fast changing Indian society. In order to examine the extent postmodern conditions are relevant in Indian society and to discuss their implications for contemporary marketing strategies, this paper uses a framework developed by Firat and Venkatesh (1993). The findings show that although the origins of postmodernism are embedded in western culture, contemporary Indian society is embracing postmodernism. Marketing strategies need to be increasingly developed through a postmodern orientation. New approaches need to be considered in order to capitalise on the opportunities offered by the new generation of consumers. Experiential marketing views consumers as emotional beings in which brands engage with consumers through deep, meaningful and tangible experiences. Those who market experientially will achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. Innovative experience design will need to become a key component of postmodern marketing in contemporary India.

                                              Glyn Atwal
                               Professor of Marketing
                ESC Rennes School of Business
                                                  FRANCE

Alistair Williams
Professor of Marketing
Johnson & Wales University
USA

Measuring Customer Satisfaction in Indian Low Cost Air Carriers

Air travel has taken off in India. The Indian aviation sector thundered up with incredible numbers both in terms of traffic and volumes during 2006-07. With sustained economic growth over the past few years’ coupled with other factors like increasing liberalization, rapid urbanization, rising disposable income and increasing interest in tourism have all fuelled up business and leisure travel market in India. This resulted in an explosion of the Indian aviation sector that is expected to grow at 20% annually over the next five years (Centre of Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) Report, 2006). Much to the delight of the Indian air traveller, 12 wallet-friendly aviation players announced or initiated operations to compete in the market – including the likes of Jet Airways, Air Deccan, Spice Jet, Go Air, IndiGo, Indian, Air India Express, Allianz Air, Paramount Airways, Kingfisher Airlines and Indus Airways. With more mighty names waiting for approval from the Ministry of civil aviation, they are going to rapidly change the aviation landscape with extensive impact.

Venkoba Rao
Reader & Head
Department of Business Management Aristotle PG College
Hyderabad,Andhra Pradesh

Brand Marketing Through Customer Relationship Management

In today's competitive business environment, customers are making their buying decisions not just on the basis of product comparisons, but on the basis of relationships they have with the company. In fact, ensuring customer satisfaction is the key to success and companies are actively engaged in studying and exploring the conceptual foundations of managing relationships with customers. A brand derives strength from its experience with its customers and customer relationship management or CRM is all about providing customers a great experience. CRM is increasingly used to learn about customer's needs and behaviour, as good relationship is very essential for successful brand marketing. CRM is now recognized as a powerful tool, for brand marketing to have an edge over the competitors.

Customer Relationship Management is the establishment, development, maintenance and optimization of long-term mutually beneficial relationship between customers and companies. Successful CRM stresses on understanding the needs and desires of customers in order to develop stronger relationships with them. It is all about creating a competitive advantage by being the best in understanding, communicating and developing existing customer relationships along with creating and keeping new customers .CRM is immensely beneficial to the brand marketers as it helps not only in retaining customers but also enables more effective marketing. It will also result in expansion of market share and profits of the brand. A good experience of business transaction with the brand will increase the customer loyalty and tendency to purchase again and again. A bad experience with the brand, on the other hand, will transfer the company’s business to its competitors. Thus, CRM is the commitment of the brand to put customer experience at the center of its priorities.

A Study on the Impact of Socio- Economic and Geographical Factors on Students Pursuing Professional Courses (In the Institutes of Dehradun Region)

The present study gives a deep insight into the role played by various socio-economic and geographical factors in a students academic perception i.e. opting for a professional program and subsequently pursuing it. This is besides the employment perspective.
A survey method has been used to collect the data required to carry out the research efficiently and effectively. A multi stage sample design has therefore been adopted to select the students. One of the notable features of the design is that the sample has been taken from a wide cross section of professional colleges affiliated to UTU & HNB and University of petroleum and energy source (UPES) and ICFAI University, with the objective of enhancing the precision of the estimates. In the proposed research it has been assumed that – “the professional / technical education has seen an ever-escalating influx of students from neighboring areas to the city Dehradun, which has a high potential and growth for academic and professional education.” The reason being that a lot of Professional education institutes have opened in this region amazingly during the last couple of years. The social, economic and geographical factors have contributed immensely in this paradigm shift.

Organised Retail in India: A Case Study of Bal-Wart

Rising incomes and changing customer preferences have translated into a booming US$ 1 trillion emerging retail market in India. To sustain its high growth rates, global retail giant Wal-Mart is considering foraying into the Indian retail market. Wal-Mart has to contend with varied operational environment challenges such as Government FDI regulations, strict tenant laws, complexity of taxes, and challenges of red tape. Wal-Mart should take advantage of changing retail buying patterns and influences in the Indian consumer (consumption oriented, increasingly younger population) and the evolution of Indian retail industry from entertainment and convenience to wholesome shopping experience and efficiency. Wal-Mart must enter with locally customized supermarkets instead of the standard Western model to provide the right combination of goods important to the local populace. While it does so in the Indian market, it has to take into account the present competitors in the retail space. The various retail chains in the categories of hypermarket, supermarket, departmental stores, specialty chains, single and multi-brand outlets and the mom & pop stores are either direct or indirect competitors for Wal-Mart. A better strategy would be to partner with an existing Indian retail house for easier entry. Besides given the largely untapped potential of the retail market in smaller cities and towns, and given the cheap and quality goods Wal-Mart provides across the world, it can service this segment much better than existing customers. But now question arise can the Wal-Mart better serve the Indian consumer by fulfilling their need to the fullextent. By tieing up with Bharati could it build the best image in consumer mind & in the coming few years who will be the market leader (Reliance or Bal-Mart or somebody else).

Debajani Sahoo
Academic Associate
Indian Institute of Management
Ahmedabad,Gujarat

Ad Avoidance in Hair Care Market : Reiteration of Need for Consumer Justice

A very high degree of TV ad avoidance is a fact established by various studies. There are various reasons observed for this behaviour worldwide. There have been attempts to understand the relationship of ad avoidance with the product used. However, there is lack of holistic understanding of ad avoidance in the specific context of a product. In the given context, this study was done to understand the reasons for ad avoidance in the context of hair care category. It has been found that consumers are neither receiving ‘information value’ nor ‘entertainment value’ from TV. advertisements. Though there is relationship between brand used and ad recall but the viewers are not very satisfied with the ads, which they watch. It necessitates the incorporation of this consumer demand into the ad creation and delivery. The incorporation of consumer’s voice is likely to create efficiency of information exchange and likely to provide consumer justice for the consumers. This is also likely to create a meta organization, where consumers become integral part of the organization and influence the process of ad creation and delivery.

Sandip Anand
Assistant Professor of Marketing
Xavier Institute of Management
Bhubaneshwar,Orissa

Enhancing Competitiveness : A Key Challenge of Globalisation

The invocation of the forces of globalisation has exacerbated the pace of market competition. Globalisation has become an irresistible and irrevocable feature of the 21st century. Globalisation hings on free trade and therefore upholds the principle of competitiveness. The competitiveness of an open economy is the hallmark of its success in the era of globalisation. In open market competition, every organisation has to face stiff challenges and the success and survival of an organisation largely depends upon the competitiveness. Competitiveness refers to the characteristics that permit a firm to compete efficiently. It indicates the capabilities of a firm or a sector or a nation to compete successfully. Competitiveness is not merely a question of having free markets, rather there are many factors ranging from macro economic policies, presence of institutions, the educational system to micro policies at the level of the firm, that augment the capabilities and hence, the competitiveness. An appropriate competitiveness strategy, tailor-made to national conditions and development objectives is a vital ingredient of successful adjustment in the face of rapid globalization. Competitiveness is a multidimensional concept in the sense that being competitive requires superiority in several aspects. The present paper focuses on various issues relating to the competitiveness and suggests some strategies for enhancing the competitiveness of an organisation in order to compete efficiently in the globalised competitive environment.

                               Dr.R.K.Uppal
Director
ICSSR,MRP
DAV College
Malout,Punjab

Marketing of Services in Open Distance Learning : A Feedback Study on Dr.BRAOU

The present paper on ‘Marketing of Services in Open Distance Learning (ODL) is a micro level study on Dr. BRAOU students’. ODL System in India still struggling for recognition and well acceptance, even after 45 years of its existence. ODL contribution to the Higher Education System is about 32 per cent whereas; Conventional Education is only 8 per cent. At present there are 14 single mode Open Universities and 117 Distance Education Centres (DECs) in India catering to the needs of higher learning with specialized services. But unfortunately, ODL system has not been recognized or received either on par with conventional education or DECs of Conventional Universities. It is in this context, the present study is aimed at: (a) to know the learner perception towards ODL system; (b) to strengthen and satisfy the customer (learner) through after sale (admission) services. To conclude, 41 per cent of respondents opined that the services of BRAOU are not at all satisfactory, 40 per cent satisfactory and only 19 per cent highly satisfied. Out of 41 per cent, 65 per cent of issues related to examination services, 25 per cent towards learner support services and 10 per cent regarding material production including other services. Further, this study also suggested that: (a) ODL institutions should improve after admission services through strengthening communication system,(b) counter services, (c) staff training for treating and responding learners properly and respectively, etc.