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9339

- C 13 - III

S MBA (R)

- CBCS - Nov.

2013

THIRD SEMESTER M.B.A DEGREE EXAMINATION,2013

Manageme,nt
C 13

- RURAL MARKETING

Time : One Hour and a Half

Maximum: 25 Marks
Section A

1. Answer any five subquestions. Each question carries 1 mark :

(a) What is rural marketing?
(b) What are rural myths?
(c) What do you mean by rural culture?
(d) What is PRA?
(e) What do you understand

by rural ~arket

segmentation?

(f) What is distribution challenge in Rural India?

(5 x 1 = 5 marks)

SJ'ction B
Answer any two questions.
Each question carries 5 marks.
2. Explain the evolution of Rural Marketing.
3. Explain STP process in rural market.
4. What are challenges in rural communication?
(2 x 5

=10 marks)

Section C (Compulsory)
5. Read the followingcase and answer the questions given at the end:

The universal dakiya (postman), the permanent sYJPbolof rural ~dia laboriously traversing miles
to deliver a postcard or money order may now become the mascot of a new-look India Post. As
the largest retail network in the country faces upto multi-pronged competition from internet, IT,
mobile telephony, banks and couriersllogistics companies, local more lenders and more, change
is a must.
Despite the telecom revolution, the large areas of rural India, post offices remain the only connect
with larger world, as a bank, Public Call Office (PCO) and retail outlet rolled in one. Now, this

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9339

S MBA (R) - CBCS

- Nov. 2013

countrywide network ,of 1.54 lakh Post Offices (POs) almost 90% of them in Rural areas - aims
to deliver more than just the mail. The new focus cover financial services, telecom services and
retail in a resurgent rural India. The Department of Posts has commissioned KPMG to work out
the modalities to enable the Indian Josts make rural pas the, one-stop shop for range of services
including banking. Says Dayanidhi Maran, IT and Communications Minister, "We have already
initiated talks with Ministry of Finance and other authorities to get the required approvals. There,
is no reason why pas cannot offer banking services as they are already collecting deposits and
repaying them on maturity. It's time to re-orient and become financially strong.
AP,an introduction, ICICI/Bank has begun to sell tractor loan through pas. Now FMCG companies
want to use pas to increase rural penetration. For starters, Emami products are being already
sold in rural pas in Maharashtra's 8 districts and other companies plan to follow suit. India post
has also tied up with IDB! Capital Markets Services Limited to retail government securities (Gse~s). IDBI Capital will provide quotes for purchase/sale to select pas in Tamil Nadu, Andhra
Pradesh, Mumbai and Delhi.
India Post, set up in 1855 by the British as the telegr~ph department, employs 5.5 lakh people
and delivers 53 million pieces of mail daily. It has also provided parcels, money order, banking,
insurance and mutual fund services down the yeai-s. But in the past decades, private courier firm,
e-mail, short messaging services and e-commerce have eaten into its revenues. According to World
Bank Survey conducted two yearS ago, though the Rs. 2,490 crore domestic courier industry was
growing at a feverish

pace, India's

Post share was a meager

10%

Questions..
(a)

Do you think it is good idea to promote goods and services of other companies through
pas?

(b)

AP,a marketing consultant, what strategies would you recommend to India Post to
counter the competition of couriers, e-mails, SMSs and e-commerce?

(c) Explain your views-Can postman perform the role of a opinion leader?
(10 marks)

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