RM Answers

Q 1) You have been hired by a company which is planning to enter the textile market offering uncrushable/wrinkle free shirts for the working executives. How would you define the marketing research problem in this case?

Ans 1) A company is planning to enter into textile market offering the uncrushable/wrinkle free shirts for the working executive class. To ensure that there will be a market for the product, the company shall perform demographic analysis, opportunity-cost assessment for production, distribution and marketing - and locates special focus groups to test the use of these shirts among the working executives. To adopt a new launching strategy, the suitable title for the project can be as follows:

Title: A detailed report on the launching strategy of offering wrinkle free shirts by M/s ABC Ltd.

a) Objective of the study: To create awareness among the working executives about the proposed launch of

wrinkle free shirts. To brief them about its needs and its convenience. To take their feedback on the proposed shirt so that their demands and expectations

can be met. To know their reaction about this kind of offering. To identify the competition present and also the opportunities and threats available

in the external environment of the company.

b) Identifying the target market and the area where the research will be carried out:

The demand for these kinds of shirts for working executives will be huge, considering the fact that India has a large working class. So it is not possible for the company to scrutinize the entire market. Hence the area should be chosen carefully. Even though the term working executives can be used for both blue and white collar jobs but here our focus will be majorly for white collar jobs i.e. for skilled workers. Hence the area should be chosen carefully.

If suppose the area chosen is Mumbai, then probably we can chose “Bandra Kurla Complex” and “Fort” area, as we can easily find the working executives in these areas.

c) Duration of the study:

As the company is a new entrant in the textile market, so the marketing research for the particular type of shirt will take some time. As the location is Mumbai, then the estimated time period can be between 10 – 15 days and also the researcher has to cover up a large

number of companies in order to collect the relevant information. Apart from that collecting information about the estimation of competition, demand and the nature of business environment is also not a very easy task.

d) Methods of data collection and data analysis:

The data can be compared by doing empirical study. Hence it is advised not to use the questionnaire method, as their might be a case that people may not provide correct information or they may not take in seriously and these may provide misleading results to the company which may defeat the purpose of the study. However, for the analysis, data analysis can be used as it is the best tool available for the analysis of primary and secondary data.

e) Expected Outcome:

Some of the parameters for drawing conclusion for this kind of research may be advertisement, branding, promotion, acceptance and reflection criteria are used. A majority of today’s marketing depend upon this. Customers have become conscious about the quality of the product which he is purchasing. While talking about the acceptance and rejection criteria of the wrinkle free shirts, it is totally based on the personal experience and perception of the customers. Also most of them are aware of the concept of the wrinkle free shirts. However, customers may also think that there may be usage of some chemicals to make it wrinkle free which is obviously hazardous to health which may also cause some skin disease. It is one of the strongest reason for a customer to argue upon.

Therefore, the marketing research can be done wisely by considering the above mentioned factors carefully and also taking the probable issues/queries which may be raised by the customer.