Volume XXXVIII • Number  6 • June  2008

Marketing Strategy Adaptation on the Anvil of Market and Institutional Variations : MNCs and Emerging Economies

“Emerging Economies” (EEs hereafter), are known to be the biggest boost to the global economy after industrial revolution; while they have relatively low levels of per capita incomes, they are moving from a lower to a higher stage of economic development (see Nakata and Sivakumar, 1995, The Economist 2006). An emerging economy is generally viewed as one that often has low per capita income but also has a rapid pace of economic development, government policies favoring economic liberalization, and a usually free market economy (see Hoskisson, Eden, Lau & Wright, 2000 for a good account).

Product Development: The Case of An OEM

The case highlights about the product development initiatives undertaken by an OEM for its brake lining components, spares and parts business in order to re-design and align the products to the brake unit. The OEM focused upon compact design orientation and emphasized multi-utility spare development to reduce the number of spares and parts required in the brake unit and allow the design compactness to reduce the bulge of the brake unit. Initially the market response favoured the company but then immediately sales begin to decline. The company appointed experts to probe into the matter for identification of cause and antidote. The aim of the paper in the wake of the situation is to seek what product development is not about. The paper concludes with an end note that product development can not be mistaken for compactness, design or the technology solely.

Travellers' Perception On Travel Service Providers in an Electronic Environment

Travel and tourism researchers have emphasized the increasing role of internet in the industry. For tourism suppliers, the internet provides an avenue to market and sell their products globally to potential customers. On the other hand it offers information on travel destinations, booking sources, ticketing and other travel related services. Thus it has emerged as a major source of information, access and buying point for travelers which can all be done at their own pace and convenience. In light of this, the perception of travelers and their views on travel agencies and tour operators and an understanding of this critical issue from different dimensions are crucial for formulating appropriate marketing strategies for both online and traditional businesses. The paper mainly highlights the question of disintermediation by the internet in travel trade by respondents who have purchased online as well as those who have not purchased online. Moreover, it also probes whether long haul and short haul travelers rely on travel websites or more on travel professionals who offer a human interface in travel related services. It concludes with discussions on the implications for both online and traditional travel businesses.

Co-Branding - An Innovative Strategy in Management

Liberalization in India has brought changes in technology, quality, service work culture and undoubtedly fierce competition. As Kotler, Philip says, “Companies should think about the millennium as a golden opportunity to gain mind share and heart share”. It should be noted that these mind shares highlighted by Kotler are nothing but carving out brands in the customers mind. Marketers to capture share of mind and share of heart adopt innovative tools and techniques. Brands with varying dimensions of attributes, benefits, values, culture, personality and users have the real power to generate wealth. Brands, which are storing in these dimensions command respectable position in terms of sales, reputation, image etc, in the market.

Indian Public Sector Banks have had the unique experience of being established in a purely competitive market under the British rule, then move into a totally controlled non-competitive market after their nationalization, further to slowly move to the mixed era of regulatory-competitive times, and their future which stands to look into the face of a global competition from counterparts which have never but worked in a competitive environment. Exactly after 40 years of their nationalization, all the walls of protection are likely to be shorn off them in 2009. The need has arisen that they equip themselves to face the competition squarely even with their social responsibilities. The economy has depended heavily on them in the past and so would it in the future. In the competitive scene, among various other factors, customer orientation occupies the place of prominence for success. This article delves into the secondary data to evaluate the present customer orientation of Indian Public Sector Banks and thus take stock of their strengths and lacunae, before plunging into the open regime.

Analyzing the Impact of Television Advertising on Children's Food Preferences: A Study of Indian Perspective (with Special Reference to Delhi & NCR)

Children's response to television advertising is investigated in this research paper. Children aged between 6 and 16 years were tested for their recall, recognition and understanding of novel television advertisements. Children were able to recognize scenes from the advertisements after one exposure but recall of the brand names was poor for the younger children, even after three exposures. Recall for the advertising content increased by age and number of exposures. None of the six-year-olds and only a quarter of the eight-year-olds and a third of the 16-year-olds discussed advertising in terms of persuasion. Therefore, although children remember television advertisements, their purpose is not fully understood, even by many ten-year-olds The present study seeks to examine the influence of Television Advertising on the food and beverage preferences of Kids, the influence of television advertising on food and beverage beliefs of children belonging to different age-groups and also examines the influence of Television Advertising on diet-related health outcomes and risks among children and youth considering the Indian perspective with specific focus on Delhi & NCR .

Aditya Prakash Tripathi
Sr.Lecturer
Department of Management Studies
Delhi School of Professional Studies & Research, Delhi
lkaditya2002@yahoo.com

Influential Power of 'Word of Mouth' for Purchase of Sarees

One of the most widely accepted notions in consumer behavior is that Word Of Mouth(WOM), plays an important role in shaping consumers' attitudes and behaviors. Word of Mouth is the most important source of influence in the purchase of household goods and food products. It is twice effective as radio advertising, four times as effective as personal selling, and seven times as effective as newspapers and magazines.

Prof.D.Malmarugan
Associate Professor
Sardar Vallabbhai Patel Institute of Textile Management,Coimbatore
Tamil Nadu
mal_sal2000@yahoo.co.in