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The Mediating Role of Demographics
and Time Pressure in Information
Search Process: A Comparative Analysis
of English and Indian Consumers
-- Brinder S Saigal, Bikram Jit Singh Mann
and Rashmi
This study analyzes the mediating role of demographics and time pressure in the information search process
of consumers from two countries namely, the UK and India for Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG). First,
the total information search for the two countries is compared by applying a t-test to determine the variation in the total information search undertaken by two consumer groups of different nationalities. Second, the
relationship between the total information search and demographics is explored with the aid of regression analysis to
determine the effect of demographics on the former. Finally, the hypothesized relation between demographics and
time constraint is examined through a Logit model to identify the demographic traits that face time pressure.
Males, youngsters, married, divorced, highly educated, self-employed, salaried and high income people are identified
as those consumer groups that face time pressure. The present analysis enhances the understanding of
marketing managers about demographic differences as well as the importance of time pressure in the information
search behavior of consumers. This study adds value by comparing the information search behavior of consumers of
a developed country and an emerging economy to determine the characteristics of high and low information
seekers. It also explores the relationship of demographics and time pressure.
© 2010 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
A Review of Placement Literature: Conceptual
and Managerial Implications
-- Sonal Kureshi and Vandana Sood
The usage of placements is increasing across media, making it essential for us to understand its effect on
the audience. The research in this arena is growing but is still relatively scarce and does not bring out the
practical implications. This paper reviews the literature on product placements to develop three frameworks for
three frequently used media like television shows, movies and games for product placements. These frameworks
depict the effect of placement on audience and the factors influencing the processing of these placements corresponding
to each media. The paper discusses some common factors across media. The findings have been used to derive
the influencing variables with respect to each media. The study uses these frameworks to draw managerial
implications regarding the use of placements, target choice, brand choice, design issues and legal considerations. It
finally identifies the gaps in the existing literature with suggestions for future research directions.
© 2010 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
Parental Perception of the Impact
of Television Advertisements
on Children's Buying Behavior
-- Manish Mittal, Anisha Daga, Ginni Chhabra
and Jyoti Lilani
Parents believe that television advertisements are changing the pattern and behavior of children. They
have negative impact on children since children demand, nag and pester their parents to purchase the
advertised product. Television advertisements are an important factor which drives their product choice and
inculcate unhealthy eating habits in them. The present study indicates that Indian children love watching television
and prefer it over social interaction, physical and developmental activities. It also indicates that TV
advertisements provide children knowledge about products and brands. It demonstrates that children demand more of the
product whose advertisements they like. The study was carried out in Indore, a city of Central India, using a sample
size of 300 parents and the data were collected through a structured questionnaire.
© 2010 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
Identification of Secondary Factors
that Influence Consumer's Buying Behavior for
Soaps and Chocolates
-- Manoj Patwardhan, Preeti Flora and Amit Gupta
Consumer behavior analysis is based on consumer's buying behavior. It aims at improving business
performance through an understanding of customer's preferences and desires. In today's world of growing competition
where there are numerous brands selling the same products, consumers have an abundant number of choices and
many diverse factors influence their buying behavior. In such a scenario, this analysis can help in structuring
and formulating different strategies for maximizing profit. This study made an attempt to find the factors
affecting consumer's buying behavior, with the focus on two commonly used products (soaps and chocolates). These
factors are based on certain variables used in the survey. These variables were aimed at identifying the secondary
factors that influenced the choice of soaps/chocolates at the point of purchase or due to other contextual reasons.
The variables include packaging, cost, availability, ingredients, product popularity, etc., that influence the choice
of a brand from among those in the consideration list, but may not be the most important and primary
determinants for shortlisting brands.
The study is useful to the marketers as they can create various marketing programs
that they believe will be of interest to the consumers. It can also boost their marketing strategy.
© 2010 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
Factors Influencing Purchase of Apparels from Organized Retail Outlets
-- Isita Lahiri and Pradip Kumar Samanta
While the whole world is witnessing a paradigm shift from traditional forms of retailing to a modern
organized mall-driven sector, Indian retailing cannot float opposite in the direction the global wind blows. In spite of
late entry, it is forecasted that the country will be the second largest market of the world shortly and shall lead
the industry, the way world does. Increase in the rate of literacy, growing number of working women, highly
disposable income, easy availability of credit at low interest rates and high rate of media penetration along with
the assurance of similar quality products with large ambit of price differentiation, painted the country's
dynamic organized retail landscape. Rising interest and growing expansion of organized retail market leading to success
of a business, depends solely on consumers' urges that there is a need to study their buying behavior. But the
existing literature briefs a little about the buying behavior functions in the Indian retail market. The frequent change
in lifestyles with changing fashion preference of consumers is fed by the newer retail offerings coming from
the organized retailers where apparel gets utmost importance. Keeping these changing facets in view, this study
makes an attempt to identify the factors of the consumers' buying behavior that is influenced by retail apparel
segment, and to assess the importance of each of them to consumers in selecting apparel from organized retail outlets.
© 2010 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
Consumer Attitude Towards
Environment-Friendly Products:
A Comparative Analysis
-- Ubba Savita and Naresh Kumar
The environment has been exploited by companies in a number of ways to fulfil their objectives. So, it becomes
the responsibility of companies to compensate for this damage. Producing environment-friendly products and
creating awareness among consumers are some of the ways through which companies can contribute towards
conservation of nature. An attempt has been made in the present study to compare the attitudes of males and females as
well as urban and rural consumers towards various dimensions of environment-friendly products viz., raw
material, production, packaging, in-use features, after-use features and environment-friendly product. The study
reveals that there does not exist any significant difference in attitudes of gender-wise people except after-use features
of environment-friendly product. Urban people have more favorable attitude towards environment-friendly
products than their rural counterparts. People residing in urban areas have also come up with favorable attitude
towards raw material, packaging and after-use features of environment-friendly products.
© 2010 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
Viral Marketing of Retail Products:
A Study on the Influence of Attributes
of Web Portals and Incentives Offered
on User Registrations
-- Shailendra Dasari and B Anandakrishnan
Viral marketing, a relatively new concept, is the web-enabled Word-of-Mouth (WOM) publicity which
leverages internet technology to significantly enhance its effectiveness. There is a good scope for retail chains in India
to market their products using viral marketing techniques, as the number of internet and mobile phone users
have been growing multifold in India. Reaching messages to prospective customers through `connectors' (freelancers
who offer their services to portals operated by retail chains) has been successfully deployed by global companies
like P&G, Amazon, Yahoo and Unilever. This paper, based on a study conducted in Bangalore, highlights the
evolution of viral marketing, its efficacy as a promotional tool and relevance for the Indian retail sector. Based on
two separate surveys conducted, key factors that influence the connectors to register with a portal and
send/receive messages have been identified and results validated with the help of advanced statistical techniques.
© 2010 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
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