consumer behavior project - final

7/31/2019 Consumer Behavior Project - FINAL

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INDIAN INSTITUTE OF PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT

HYDERABAD

PROJECT REPORT

ON

THE CONSUMER BEHAVIOR OF WOMEN SMOKERS

UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF

PROF:RAMANATHAN KANNAPPAN

SUBMITED BY

PRANAV SRIVASTAVAKARTIK VUPPULURI

VIVEK SHUKLA

SREEKASHINI SREEDHAR

SYED AZHARUDDIN

ANUSHA G

PRATYUSHA P

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT

IIPM TOWER, 6-3-252/2

ERRAMANZIL, BANJARA HILLS, HYDERABAD-82


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Abstract

India is the worlds second most populous country. Gender bias was a

common practice where the number of boys enrolling for primary and

secondary education has been higher than girls. Government programs

and NGOs have made an impact by bringing in laws and educating

people to treat the girl child as equals. Women in India enjoy a more

independent and empowered status compared to the previous

generations.

The number of women smokers has been on the rise post globalization.

Social stigma is out and new trendy fashion statement is drawing scores

of women to this addictive habit. According to tobacco atlas, India has

the third largest population of women smokers in the world, behind

America and China.

This project is an attempt to study the consumer behavior of women

smokers. The finding from the survey gives information that can be

used by Tobacco marketers, anti smoking NGOs and healthcare

professionals.


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Table of Contents

Topic Page No.

1. Acknowledgement 1

2.Introduction 2

3. Questionnaire 4

4. Conclusion 7

5. Bibliography 15


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1

Acknowledgements

This project would not be complete without the support of Prof.

Ramanathan Kannappan who has constantly mentored and helped us

achieve the result.

Team work is essential in achieving success and the same has made this

project a possibility. Finally we would like to thank friends and family

who have helped getting the questionnaire filled as it was a difficult

task to get honest feedback for this type of survey


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Introduction

Consumer behavior is the study of when, why, how, and where people

do or do not buy a product. It blends elements

from psychology, sociology, social anthropology and economics. It

attempts to understand the buyer decision making process, both

individually and in groups. It studies characteristics of individual

consumers such as demographics and behavioral variables in an

attempt to understand people's wants. It also tries to assess influences

on the consumer from groups such as family, friends, reference groups,

and society in general.

Products convey different things to different people. Women

consumers differ a lot from their male counterparts. Women, in

general, are adept information-gatherers and take longer time to make

purchase decisions.

Although smoking along with causing lung diseases and cancer also

causes reproductive problems in women. Based on a World Health

Organizations Global Survey of Tobacco Usage and an independent

study by AIIMS are some findings:

# 31% women tobacco addicts in India are between age 15-49.

# 25% Indian women light up over 10 cigarettes per day.

# 62% of women smokers die in their prime compared to 38% of those

who dont.

# 1 in 20 women in India to die between age 30-69 due to tobacco in

2010s.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Product_(business)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sociologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sociologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Product_(business)


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# 20% girls in Delhi and Chennai studying in Class 6 smoke (AIIMS study)

# 87% Hindi movies show onscreen smoking; 26% have a heroine who

smokers.

In spite of the labeling Smoking is injurious to health and pictorial

representation of cancer on the cover of cigarette packs, there has

been a rise in the number of women smokers. A cigarette in the hand of

women smoker represents success, mystery and individuality.


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4

Questionnaire

1) Name:

2) Age:

3) Profession:

Q 4) Do you smoke?

a) Yes b) no c) Occasionally

If no go to question 12, else continue

Q 5) How old were you when you started smoking?

a) Under 18 years old

b) 18-25 years old

c) 26-40 years old

d) Above 40 years.

Q 6) Tick the reasons for starting the habit (one or more)

a) Socializing with corporate colleaguesb) Expression of freedom

c) Peer pressure

d) To stay slim (suppress hunger)

e) Stress-relief

f) Style statement

g) Others please

specify_____________________________________________________

Q 7) What do you like about smoking?(tick one or more)

a) Relaxation or Stress-relief

b) Style or fashion statement

c) The smoke or smell.


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d) A chance to be part of a group.

Others please specify____________________________________

Q 8) What activities do you associate with smoking? (Tick one or more)

a) Waking up

b) Office

c) After meals

d) Partying

e) Alcohol

Others please specify____________________________________

Q 9) Where do you smoke? (Tick one or more)

a) Indoors (at home)

b) Outdoors

c) At work

d) Club (while partying)

Q 10) what do you dislike about smoking?

a) Cost

b) Health hazardsc) Being considered as social outcast (by non smokers)

d) Smell on self/ clothes/ car

e) Being dependent or addicted.

Q 11) Do any feelings trigger your smoking?

a) Stress.

b) Boredom.

c) Loneliness.d) Need to concentrate.


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Q 12) What do you think is the perception of men about women

smokers?

a) Cool

b) Uncool

c) Sexy

d) Repulsive

e) Unaffected


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Conclusion

Parameters:

Name, age and Profession: The research is mainly focused on the agegroup between 20-50 years. The participants include women who are

students as well as working professionals.

Age when they started smoking: Most women began smoking below

the age of 18 which is against the laws laid down by the Indian

government. Popular actors or actresses have a significant impact on

the younger age group. This is assumed to be the major factor

responsible for inducing the habit of smoking among the youngergeneration.

68%

24%

8%

0%

Age when women started smoking

Under 18

18-25

26-40

Above 40


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Reasons for starting smoking: The common reasons which had a

significant impact on women starting smoking were Smoking as an

expression of freedom, Smoking as a style statement, Peer pressure to

begin smoking. These reasons behind women starting smoking can be

related to the general view among the teenagers who perceive smoking

as a style statement and peers who do not smoke are sometimes

con

sid

ere

d

as

an

out

cas

t.

The Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) with an objective of

educating the younger generation regarding the harmful effects of

smoking need to promote views which are opposed to the reasons that

induce the habit of smoking among teenagers.

38%

26%

18%

13%

5%

Reasons for starting smoking

Expression of freedom

Style Statement

Peer Pressure

Stress relief

Others


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Factors that women like about smoking: The common factors that

were found that women like about smoking are that it is considered as

a style statement and smoking for stress relief.

40%

37%

13%

10%

Factors that women like about smoking

Style statement

Stress relief

Smell or smoke

Chance to be the part of a

group


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The activities that women associate with smoking: The common

activities that women associate with smoking were concluded as In

parties and Smoking while consuming alcohol. This however

contradicts one of the factors that women like about smoking where it

was found that stress relief was one of the major factors.

34%

32%

12%

12%

10%

Activities that women associate with

smoking

Parties

With alcohol

Office

After waking up

After meals


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Places where women smoke: All the women who participated in the

research indicated that they prefer smoking outdoors as compared to

smoking indoors. Places like office, pubs would be the common choices

where women prefer to smoke.

47%

0%

33%

20%

Places where women smoke

Outdoors

Indoors

Clubbing

At work


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Reasons why women dislike smoking: Almost all the negative

implications known about smoking have been chosen why women

dont like smoking. However, health hazards and the smell on clothes

have been particularly cited as reasons why women dont like smoking.

39%

11%11%

30%

9%

Reasons why women dislike smoking

Health hazards

Cost

Being considered as a social

outcast

Smell

Being dependent or addicted


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Factors that trigger smoking among women: Stress and boredom have

been found to be the common factors that trigger smoking among

women. Another factor which has been identified that triggers smoking

among women is loneliness.

58%23%

10%

9%

Sales

1st Qtr

2nd Qtr

3rd Qtr

4th Qtr


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A womans understanding about mens perception towards women

smokers: Most women feel men perceive women who smoke as being

sexy. This can be cited as one of the reasons why women start smoking.

However, some women feel that men perceive women who smoke as

being repulsive.

28%

7%

39%

21%

5%

Perception of men about women

Cool

Uncool

Sexy

Repulsive

Unaffected


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Bibliography

The Economy of Tobacco and Tobacco Taxation in India. Availablefrom

http://www.tobaccofreeunion.org/assets/India_Tobacco_Econom

ics_full_en.pdf

Growing Women Smokers in India. Available fromhttp://www.southasianconnection.com/blogs/1486/Growing-

Women-Smokers-In-India-.html
http://www.tobaccofreeunion.org/assets/India_Tobacco_Economics_full_en.pdfhttp://www.tobaccofreeunion.org/assets/India_Tobacco_Economics_full_en.pdfhttp://www.tobaccofreeunion.org/assets/India_Tobacco_Economics_full_en.pdfhttp://www.southasianconnection.com/blogs/1486/Growing-Women-Smokers-In-India-.htmlhttp://www.southasianconnection.com/blogs/1486/Growing-Women-Smokers-In-India-.htmlhttp://www.southasianconnection.com/blogs/1486/Growing-Women-Smokers-In-India-.htmlhttp://www.southasianconnection.com/blogs/1486/Growing-Women-Smokers-In-India-.htmlhttp://www.southasianconnection.com/blogs/1486/Growing-Women-Smokers-In-India-.htmlhttp://www.tobaccofreeunion.org/assets/India_Tobacco_Economics_full_en.pdfhttp://www.tobaccofreeunion.org/assets/India_Tobacco_Economics_full_en.pdf

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