Introduction to Indian Rural Marketing:
Definition, scope of rural marketing, concepts, classification of rural markets, rural vs. urban markets. Rural marketing environment: Population, occupation pattern, income generation, location of rural population, expenditure pattern, literacy level, land distribution, land use pattern, irrigation, development programs, infrastructure facilities, rural credit institutions, rural retail outlets, print media in rural areas,rural areas requirement, rural demand and rural market index, problems in rural marketing.
Rural Consumer behaviour:
Consumer buying behaviour models, Factors affecting Consumer Behaviour, Social factors, Technological Factors, Economic Factors, Political Factors, Characteristics of Rural consumer- Age and Stages of the Life cycle, Occupation and Income, Economic circumstances, Lifestyle, Personality and Brand Belief, Information Search and pre-purchase Evaluation, Rise of Consumerism, Consumer Buying Process, Opinion Leadership Process, Diffusion of Innovation, Brand Loyalty. 60 Researching Rural Market: Sensitizing rural market, Research design- reference frame, Research approach, Diffusion of innovation, Development studies, PRA approach, The need for PRA, Sampling, Operational aspects of data collection.
Rural Marketing of FMCG's:
Indian FMCG industry, characteristics of Indian FMCG sector, Challenges in the FMCG industry, Rural Marketing of FMCG's: Select case studies Rural Marketing of Consumer durables: Issues related to consumer durables in the rural market, Rural Marketing of Consumer durables: Select case studies Rural marketing of financial services: Marketing objectives and approaches, Evolution of rural banking after independence, Challenges in marketing for banking services in rural, opportunities for banking in rural areas, marketing strategies for banking services.
Marketing of agricultural inputs:
Indian tractor industry: A brief overview, Challenges for Indian tractor industry, factors suggesting better future prospects for tractor industry, marketing strategies for tractor industry Fertilizer industry in India: Marketing of fertilizer industry, classification of fertilizer industry, Challenges for marketing of fertilizer industry, marketing strategies for fertilizer industry.
Marketing of agricultural produce:
Profiling of Indian agricultural produces marketing, challenges in marketing of agricultural produce, Strategies to promote marketing of agricultural produce. Corporate sector in agri-business: Reasons for increased interest of corporate sector in agribusiness, opportunities, in the agri-business, benefits of corporate driven agri-business system involvement of corporate sector in agribusiness.
Distribution Strategy:
Introduction Accessing Rural Markets, Coverage Status in Rural Markets, Channels of Distribution, Evolution of Rural Distribution Systems- Wholesaling, Rural Retail System, Vans, Rural Mobile Traders: The last Mile Distribution, Haats/Shandies, Public Distribution System, Co-operative Societies Behaviour of the Channel, Prevalent Rural Distribution Models- Distribution Models of FMCG Companies, Distribution Model of Durable Companies, Distribution of fake products, Emerging Distribution Models- Corporate –SHG Linkage, Satellite Distribution, Syndicated Distribution, ITC's Distribution Model, Petrol pumps and Extension counters.
Communication strategy:
Challenges in Rural Communication, A view of Communication Process, Developing Effective- Profiling the Target Audience, Determining communication objectives, designing the message, selecting the communication channels, deciding the promotion mix, Creating advertisement for rural audiences rural media- Mass media, Non- Conventional Media, Personalized media, Rural Media: The importance of the two-step flow of communication Media Typology, The Media Model, Media innovation, Influence of Consumer Behaviour on Communication strategies.
PRACTICAL COMPONENTS:
• Visit to the various Micro Finance Institutes, who extend their services in catering rural market.
• Visit to a village and understand the market structure and also understand the functioning part of the rural markets.
• Students should come up with new product designing with the rural marketing mix 4 As (Awareness, Acceptability, Adaptability and Affordability).
• Students can do a survey on corporate farming and its effect on income of the rural farmer.
COURSE OUTCOMES:
The student should be able to.
1. Highlight the characteristics of Indian rural markets and describe the differences between rural and the urban economy.
2. Analyze the roadblocks of Indian rural market and advocate solutions for the problems of rural markets.
3. Emphasize the different strategies adopted by Indian companies for rural markets.
4. Apply the strategies to be adopted for influencing the rural consumers.
RECOMMENDED BOOKS:
• Rural Marketing - Pradeep Kashyap& Siddhartha Raut, Biztantra.
• Rural Marketing - Gopal Swamy T. P, 3/e, Vikas Publishing House.
REFERENCE BOOKS:
• Rural Marketing - Dogra &KarminderGhuman, 1/e, TMH.
• Rural Marketing - Sanal Kumar Velayudhan, 2/e, Response Publication, 2007.
• Agricultural Marketing In India – Acharya , Oxford I B H.