M.B.A. (General) DEGREE EXAMINATION,
NOVEMBER 2017
Third Semester
BUSINESS MARKETING
(CBCS 2016 onwards)
Time 3 Hours Maximum 75 Marks
Section A x 3 15)
Answer all the questions.
1. List out the need of business marketing.
2. Distinguish between RFP and RFQ.
3. What are the usefulness of marketing research in
understanding customers and competitors?
4. What are the reasons for new product failures?
5. What do you understand by channel width?
Section B 10 50)
Answer all the questions.
6. Discuss the concept of marketing. How is marketing
orientation relevant to business?
Or
Explain the classification of business products and
services.
Sub. Code
641325
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7. Briefly explain the factors that influence consumer
behavior.
Or
Describe the various stages in the buying decision
process.
8. Discuss the significance of segmentation, targeting
and positioning for industrial products.
Or
What do you understand by Marketing information
systems Explain various elements of MIS in
detail?
9. List and explain the factors that affect the pricing
strategy of the company.
Or
What is business advertising? Discuss its objectives
and problems in India
10. Explain the various Channels of distribution.
Or
Give brief notes on channel relevance and channel
participants. Explain various issues in industrial
distribution.
Section C 10 10)
Compulsory
11. CONSUMER RESEARCH ON HORLICKS:
It's a brand that's been growing steadily over the years
and increasing the audience that it addresses as well.
The new ad campaign of the Rs. 600 crore Horlicks brand
is just hitting national networks and the message is clear,
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'many things to many people. Although Horlicks features
in the top 10 of most consumer surveys this is one of its
highest ratings so far. Says Simons J. Scarf, managing
director, Smith Kline Beecham Consumer Healthcare
"We are delighted at the rating that Horlicks
has got in the ET survey. Were obviously aware of the
power of Horlicks through our closeness to consumers,
but it is always nice to get independent acknowledgement
of the fact."
The flagship of SBCH, Horlicks has been showing
consistent annual value growth of about 25 per cent in
the last three years. And more is expected. Which is why
SBCH is busy setting up a Rs. 250 crore dedicated
Horlicks facility at Sonepat, Haryana.
Invented in 1873 by James Horlicks, the brand has been
available in India for 70 years. From being a drink taken
only during convalescence the brand has repositioned
itself since the seventies as a 'great family nourished'.
Explains Scarf, "We have nurtured the equity of Horlicks
carefully over the years and this has resulted in a unique
relationship between the brand and millions of
consumers across India".
In fact, the company's consumer research shows that
consumers over time and experience have developed an
emotional bonding with the brand. That's something they
find more powerful than a rational bonding, Vibrancy has
been maintained despite its mature age by avoiding
complacency. Most big brands with huge equities tend to
fall to the temptation of sitting tight. And that in turn
can result in a brand losing relevance
But Horlieks has taken a proactive stance. Explains
Shyam Sundar, head of marketing — nutritional
business, SBCH, "Our learning has been that if there is a
big brand with a lot of equity and it does nothing new,
someone else usually comes in and segments the market.
If Instead, the market leader is the one to segment, he
can gain the most". So before anyone else could, the
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company stake out some new turf. Which is why Horlicks
has come out with new products such as Junior Horlicks,
Mother's Horlicks and Horlicks Biscuits? The idea here is
to extend the core values to new formats and benefits.
And that in turn grows the market. Take biscuits.
They've meant a different distribution and marketing
technique-allowing access to the brand at a low price.
And that gives the brand a means to get into smaller
outlets — including the corner pan-bidi shop where it
never could have been before. Even if products like Junior
Horlicks cannibalize the mother brand, at least
80 percent of its users are new incremental consumers.
Questions
Discuss the role of brand research in marketing.
Discuss the objectives of brand research.
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