IMT-03: MARKETING RESEARCH

PART- A

Q1. Explain the role played by marketing research in understanding the customer. How do the four components of MIS serve the informational needs of a marketer?

Q2. Briefly explain the various stages of the marketing research process.

Q3. Compare and contrast exploratory and descriptive research designs.

Q4. Explain the various stages of designing a questionnaire.

Q5. Explain the various probability and non-probability based methods of sampling.

PART- B

Q1. Differentiate between the univariate and multivariate techniques of data analysis.

Q2. What are the four types of scales used in measuring data?

Q3. The purchase behaviour of a customer and his psychological make-up can be an important basis for segmenting customers. Discuss how.

Q4. Explain the various approaches used in test marketing.

Q5. Explain the various methods of pre-testing and post-testing advertisements.

PART- C

Q1. How does sales forecasting affect the other decisions of a company? Briefly discuss the factors that lead to an accurate sales forecast.

Q2. What are the objectives of the Market Research Society of India (MRSI)? Briefly describe the significance of television ratings as a source of information.

Q3. What are the characteristics of a good questionnaire? ABC Ltd is planning to launch a new brand of fruit juices. They want to conduct a survey to understand the preferences of the consumers. Design a questionnaire to address this research problem.

Q4. How is the target population defined in a research design? How is the size of the sample determined? You have been asked to carry out a product research on shaving blades in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. What would be your target population?

Q5. Explain the role of marketing research in new product development. What are the research methods used to test the feasibility of a new product launch?

CASE STUDY - I

A Family

Affair

The market for hair care products, worth Rs 692 crore, is growing at a sober 8 per cent. It is split into four major portions. By value, hair oils account for 45 per cent of it, shampoos 31 per cent of it, hair soaps 15 per cent of it and hair dyes 9 per cent. Styling gels may have found their way at the top; however, the majority of people continue to look after their tresses the traditional way, through oiling. 'Hair oils are seen as pre-wash nourishes, while shampoos are used as cleaners'. This market boasts of 343 variants under 40 brands. Shampoos began as an elitist thing, although for decades, the product suffered from the misperception that the chemical formulation could harm your hair in the long term. However, the 8ml pack wave has expanded the market tremendously by lowering the trial purchase barrier. Many, who have not used shampoos yet, are still using hair soaps. The leading brands - Wipro, Shikakai, Swastik Shikakai and Godrej Shikakai - enjoy a 'herbal' image in tune with the traditional hair-care methods.

The Market

Table 1: Sale of Shampoos - unit wise

Table 2: Sale of Shampoos - value wise

Table 3: Sale of Shampoos - Rural vs. Urban

*figures in parentheses are growth figures

Low priced sachets are enabling marketers to increase urban as well as rural penetration. Price and packaging are by far the most attractive parts of the shampoo market. The ORG MARG data shows the following details:

The Leader

HLL leads the Indian shampoo market with its top selling brands Clinic and Sunsilk. Clinic Plus was launched in 1972 as a therapeutic offering that claimed to prevent dandruff. At that time, Sunsilk and Halo dominated the Indian market. Brand extensions followed to Clinic - Clinic All Clear and Clinic Active. HLL now had a shampoo for everyone.

Market Ratings

Clinic entered the A and M Top Brand Survey at no. 34 with a score of 22.54. It fared well in the South (30.11),however, not too well in the West (11.85). It did fairly well with young adult females (31.12) than the males. It scored high in the large urban towns (25.90), however, not so much in the metros (23.50). It also made gains in the rural areas (35.89), thanks to its sachets, though some analysts pointed to the feel-good factor (better crop output, etc.). Clinic scored highest in the rural segment, which was something Head and Shoulders should have noted.

Marketing Plans

HLL plans to increase its market share to 35 per cent by the end of this year. Marketing research has revealed that the single most important factor that would make consumers buy would be the number of washes offered. The Clinic Plus bubble pack, would offer more value to sachet users - no spillage, dosage control, easy to store and at Rs 8 for a 28 ml pack, the price per ml worked out a little cheaper compared to an 8 ml sachet, which costs Rs 2.50. HLL spends heavily on advertising and promotions. Road shows have also been implemented widely to give the consumers a touch and feel experience. Other activities for the brand have included wall paintings and demonstrations in schools.

Questions:

Q1. Evaluate the market for shampoos in terms of the potential of various pack sizes in the rural and urban markets.

Q2. Critically evaluate the performance of Clinic Plus in different markets.

Q3. In order to increase HLL's market share, suggest an appropriate strategy in terms of the markets, the consumers, the pack sizes, etc., to focus on.

CASE STUDY-II

S M Foods Ltd, Mohali

S M Foods Ltd is planning to set up a plant for producing 'Just Heat and Eat' Indian Cuisine with no preservatives. The product will be in the ready-to-eat form and can be consumed straight out of the pack. The packaging technology shall retain freshness and authentic taste for over a year without refrigeration. The Company is already in the business of manufacturing spices and cooking oil.

The company believes that there is a trend of married men doing some shopping and cooking for their households. They wish to undertake a study to determine the extent to which this trend exists. Such information will help them determine if they should direct more of their advertising towards married men. Part of the study will attempt to measure men's attitudes towards cooking. Men will be asked the extent to which they agree or disagree with the following three statements: i) Cooking is solely a woman's responsibility; ii) I find cooking to be an enjoyable activity; iii) I get a great deal of satisfaction out of preparing a meal. Men will be asked if they strongly agree with, agree with, slightly agree with, slightly disagree with, disagree with, or strongly disagree with each statement- assuming that a large number of men will be interviewed in big cities telephonically.

Questions:

(i) What type of study is this?

(ii) What sample design should be used by the Company?

(iii) Design a suitable questionnaire.