Analysing Rural Consumer Behaviour

Recent changes in national and global business environment have forced companies to re-evaluate their pre-conceived notions about profit opportunities in serving the relatively poor consumer. Now it is a well accepted fact that the bottom of the consumer pyramid highlights the way to commercial success and societal improvement. In this context India’s vast untapped rural market present a huge market growth potential for the companies, especially in a market landscape where competition is growing very fast.

However, extending the marketing activities in rural areas is challenging as marketers are faced with entirely different set of business environment when marketing in rural areas as compared to urban areas. Though first movers in the rural market command consumer loyalty and retail shelf space but chances of failure of rural marketing strategy is also very high for these first movers. Discovering the distant market early with lowest probability of marketing failure is therefore critical. The marketers can not afford to wait, hoping to tap the potential at some future date. For late entrant, growing competition will make entry into rural markets very difficult. Marketing strategy formulators therefore needs better understanding of organized frame work that helps in developing better understanding of these markets. In present rural marketing environment where rural consumer do not have problem of limited choice, need for a systematic approach to rural marketing is keenly felt. Programme is designed to prepare rural marketing professionals to take up this challenge.

Text Book:
There is no specific text book for this course. However, suggested cases for class discussion have been given for each class session.

Pedagogy
This course will follow a proper blend of lectures, classroom and case discussions. Class room learning will then be reinforced by exercises and assignments.