|
Perceptions and Buyer Behavior Towards
Private-Label Colas: An Exploratory Study to Understand the Views of the Store Managers
of United Kingdom
-- Samrat Chakraborty
Private-label brands are the brain child of retailers. These products are fully owned, controlled and sold
exclusively by the retailers, and can be found across all the product categories. The private-label cola (carbonated
soft drinks) is one such type of product that has been manufactured and sold by some big retailers of UK. These
colas are priced very low compared to premium colas and do posses a huge resemblance to the premium ones. In
recent years, these colas have been flooded across the respective retail stores, the sales volume has gone up, giving a
tough competition to premium brands (Coca-Cola and Pepsi) in the carbonated soft drinks sector. In spite of the
growing popularity of these colas, premium ones still do have a great brand image in market compared to their
private-label counterparts. Earlier research studies have revealed that both attitudes and perceptions play an
important role in building the image of a product. Moreover, they play a crucial role in customer buying behavior process.This paper tries to explore the general perceptions, and subsequently the buyer behavior about private-label
colas in the UK retail market. The study, which is based on qualitative research methodology, focuses on a series of
in-depth interviews of the store-managers of four big selected retailers of UK (having their own private-label
colas), in order to meet the above mentioned research objectives.
© 2011 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
A Comparative Study on Consumers' Attitude
Towards Private Labels:
A Focus on Gujarat
-- Amit R Pandya and Monarch A Joshi
With many international, national and regional players trying to tap the market, retail is one of the
most dynamic, fast paced upcoming sectors in India. One of the routes to succeed in retail business is to focus on
own brands/store brands/Private Label brands (PLs), as the financials of retail firms are very sensitive to margins
on the brands they sell. Further, PLs also offer retailers greater control over the supply chain, negotiating
margins with National Brands (NBs) manufacturers or companies; opportunity to launch customized and
innovative products. Hence, they build a platform for store loyalty and increase footfalls. As managing PLs is quite
a critical function, they are to be managed professionally. This paper focuses on determining and comparing
the customers' attitude towards NBs and PLs with respect to different attributes in two major cities of
Gujarat. Further, it also discusses the preference pattern of respondents for PLs in different categories of products.
© 2011 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
ECRM Using Online Communities
-- Shirin Alavi, Vandana
Ahuja and Y Medury
This paper focuses on the role of online communities in performing two important functions of
CRM—building trust and enhancing perceived value in consumers. The paper moves ahead to study the features of online
communities which make them part of the value delivering and enhancing mechanisms in organizations. The individual
features ranging from co-presence, reciprocity and conviviality have well-defined roles to play in building
relationships with customers and furthering the CRM goals of the organization.
© 2011 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
TV Viewing Habits Amongst
Urban Children
-- Amardeep Kaur Ahluwalia and Raghbir Singh
TV competes with family, school, society and religious institutions to provide role models and information
that affect childrens' beliefs, values, behavior, attitude and lifestyle. This study was conducted to make note of
TV viewing patterns amongst children from middle and upper middle socioeconomic strata of the urban society.
A sample of 400 children of 8 to 16 years of age, across the region of Punjab was selected. It was found that on
an average, children watch two hours or less of TV daily and most of them indulged in bedtime TV viewing.
They watched TV primarily for entertainment and for learning. Childrens' most preferred program was
childrens' shows/serials, followed by cartoon/animated programs. More number of girls and older children watch TV
to learn and to counter loneliness and because parents discussed TV more often with them compared to boys
and younger children.
© 2011 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
CASE STUDY
Bajaj Auto: From Chetak to Pulsar
and Beyond
-- Harish R
Bajaj Auto Ltd., which commenced production of scooters in 1960, is the longest surviving player in the
Indian two-wheeler industry. At the time of its completing 50 years of two-wheeler manufacturing in 2010, its
annual turnover had crossed 120 bn. Bajaj Auto has survived and is doing well, while many of its competitors fell to
the onslaught of dramatic changes brought about by the liberalization introduced in 1991. However, Bajaj
Auto which was the undisputed leader in the Indian two-wheeler market for decades, was pushed to the second place
in 2001-02 by Hero Honda Motors Ltd. While the Indian market shifted from scooters to motorcycles, Bajaj
Auto followed the trend, though with a slight lag. But it failed to exploit the shift in demand within the
scooters segment from geared scooters to ungeared scooters. The market dynamics has been undergoing more rapid
changes in the recent years, and the years to come would be no different. Can Bajaj Auto regain its lost position; and
if so, how?
© 2011 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
BOOK REVIEW
Seven Steps to Mastering Business Analysis
-- Barbara A Carkenord
-- J Venkataraman
© 2011 IUP holds the copyright for the review. All Rights Reserved.
|
