Factors Influencing the Bangladeshi Consumers’ Purchase Decision Regarding Fast Moving Consumer Goods: An Exploratory Study

--G M Shafayet Ullah and Panuel Rozario Prince

Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector is one of the largest sectors in the economy of Bangladesh. In the last few years, the FMCG industry in Bangladesh has experienced a dramatic growth; both qualitative and quantitative improvements have taken place in the consumer durables segment. FMCG in marketing means convenient and low involvement products like, salt, flours, pens, chocolates, etc. In recent years, the FMCG industry worldwide has experienced a difficult market condition. In some categories, formerly popular brands have either been deleted or squeezed between the category leaders and low-cost competitors. The study has identified eight primary factors that influence consumers’ purchase decision of FMCG products in Bangladesh. These factors are sales promotion, unavailability of brand, time constraint, in-store TVC, variety-seeking behavior, product features, end of aisle display and product convenience. This study recommends focusing on three important factors, i.e., sales promotion, time constraints and unavailability of brand to smoothen the progress of the FMCG industry in Bangladesh. The FMCG industry will find better development opportunities, if the findings of this study are used as an input in its strategic decision making.

© 2011 IUP. All Rights Reserved.

Employees’ Brand Commitment and Career Stages: Empirical Evidence from Indian Universities

-- Ashwin Modi and Jayesh D Patel

A university brand is looking to attract best-fit candidates, innovate ways to decrease the attrition and develop more sources of differentiation. In doing so, the brand aims to create and communicate employment experience to prospective candidates. Employees play a vital role in embodying a brand and thus what employees perceive about the brand is also important. Despite this, little empirical research has been conducted on what drives employees’ commitment to encourage their brand-supporting behaviors. For that, 103 faculties working in the university departments of Gujarat were contacted to understand the effect of career stage on employee brand commitment. Career stage variables were classified as earlystage and mid-stage. Separate multiple regressions were run in early-stage and mid-stage to determine the differential effects. It was found that employees who are in mid-stage have higher brand commitment than employees who are in early-stage. So, HR management should develop their reward system accordingly to reinforce the brand-supported behaviors.

© 2011 IUP. All Rights Reserved.

Assessing Management Performance with Brand Caused Earnings (BCE)

-- Waldemar Pfoertsch

The paper addresses the issue of valuating a company. The enterprise value consists of different part-values: the value of its estates, its machines, etc. According to Aaker David (1991), an absolutely important asset to be included is the value of the enterprise’s brand. This paper intends to demonstrate how to value the brand by its future cash flows, and it takes a closer look at the meaning of brand value for a company’s performance. Parallel to the enterprise value, we show how to measure brand equity with price premium. The goal of this paper is also to pose two important questions for every brand manager: “Am I a branded company?” and “What drives my cash flow, the operative business or my brand?” These questions can be answered by using two brand performance indicators: Brand Caused Earnings (BCE) and growth rate of BCE (b).

© 2011 IUP. All Rights Reserved.

Case Study: Brand Starbucks – Regaining Its Lost Soul

-- Doris Rajakumari John and K Suresh

© 2011 IUP. All Rights Reserved.