1.

INTRODUCTION

1.1 INTRODUCTION TO THE TOPIC

Gone are the days when consumers were least bothered about their Footwear and
wore whatever was offered to them how they need strong and sustainable brand which
can offer sound tangible benefits, a footwear which is durable , comfortable as well as
stylish which can enhance their looks.

India is a country, which has always appreciated a naval ideal and a naval product.
When woodland and Mescos ventured into the Indian market they would have not
anticipated that their product would be so readily accepted by the Indian consumers,
in spite of being targeted at a premium price, people accepted it because it was not
only a new thing but also offered value for their money. Seeing the success of this
footwear MNC’s like as Nike, Reebok, and Adidas did not wait for the second call
and with their regular promotional activities the message was clearly penetrated in the
mind of the consumers about the benefits of the brand. In spite of being highly priced,
these companies are doing well in the Indian market, for that is Nike; Nike is
constantly creating new niches and protecting niches by the designing shoes for
different sports activities. After creating marketing for a particular niche they expand
the niche by designing different version.

In this first moving world with accelerating awareness through the electronic and
communications devices consumer consciousness as gained the tremendous
momentum. They simply do not make purchase of a product if they are not aware of
its entity. Footwear companies are always into vigorous research to hold the
consumers into their hands by satisfying their needs and wants. Emerging
competitions from competitors help the consumers to enjoy the benefits of the tussle.
Every company wants to occupy the heart of every consumer and please them in a
way they like. The quotation “consumer is not a king but a queen” rightly fits in the
era.

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Bata limited is the largest footwear company in the Asia and always analyses the
market potentiality and consumers perception and to offer them the product of their
need, wants and demands and satisfy them to the fullest.

The main purpose of this project is to provide an approach for analyzing market
structure in terms of brand loyalty and brand awareness for the purchase of Bata
products. Ideally, your brand should be the first one that comes to your mind within
specific product categories and associated with key consumer benefits. Consumers
should be able to identify which products and services Bata brand offers. They should
also be able to identify which benefits are associated with the brand. It is also useful
to segment the market, based on brand loyalty and brand awareness and to understand
the needs of loyal customers and potential awareness, as well as their attitude towards
key brand attributes. The goal of this project is to create awareness among the
consumers that there are different brands in the product categories in which the brand
operates, and also to measure the consumer's behavior of repeatedly purchasing a
specific brand over a certain period of time. It is also useful to segment the market,
based on brand loyalty and brand awareness and to understand the needs of loyal
customers and potential awareness, as well as their attitude towards key brand
attributes. A person's attitude toward a brand is relevant to the degree of their brand
loyalty. Brand awareness is linked to consumers brand preferences, that salient brands
are high in both intentions to buy the brand and brand loyalty. It is a well known fact
that a distinctive brand identity is one of the most influential factors in determining
how consumers differentiate between similar products and services. Both tools are
separate in practice, but also used in combination with each other. It is the also the
key to attracting new customers and retaining existing customers. The intent of this
study is to provide insights of the needs of two groups of customers, repeat buyers and
operations of the brand, in order to help corporations develop appropriate marketing
strategies.

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1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

To study the effects of brand image on consumer taste preference and to know the
various factors influencing the purchase of BATA footwear and to find out the market
shares of these BATA brand in the market.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

 To study the effects of brand image on consumer taste preference with special
reference to BATA company.
 To know about the marketing skills used while convincing the customers.
 To find out the market shares of this BATA brand in the market.
 To determine the awareness of BATA brand among various shoe brands.
 To study the influence of various factors on the purchase of BATA footwear’s.
 Price
 Quality
 Brand awareness

1.4 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This project is done to provide and approach for analyzing market structure in terms
of brand loyalty and brand awareness for the purchase of Bata products.

Ideally, your brand should be the first on that comes to the minds with in specific
product categories and associated with key consumer benefits. Consumer should be
able to identify which products and services Bata brand offers. They should also be
able to identify which benefits are associated with the Bata brand.

The study also gives the extent of satisfaction and dissatisfaction among the users so
that the company can take the desired step to minimize the dissatisfaction level. Study
of the various factors which plays a major role in purchasing decision with provides
the opportunity for the company to get the information about the most common
factors which influences the purchase decision. The study helps to determine the
average annual expenditure of the customers and the price that is affordable for them
to purchase footwear. In order to frame its price range accordingly.

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The intent of this study is to provide insight of the needs of two groups of customers,
repeat buyers and operations of the brand. In order to help corporations develop
appropriate marketing strategies.

The result of this stud will help the Bata Company to rectify their mistakes and to
come out with new plan and promotional activity which helps them to create a good
position in footwear industry again.

1.5 METHODOLOGY OF RESEARCH

Research Methodology is a way to systematically solve the research problem it not

only takes the research methods but also consider the logic behind the methods. The
study of research methodology for developing the project gives us the necessary
training in gathering materials and arraigning them, participation in the field work
when required.

DISCRIPTIVE RESEARCH: - Also known as statistical research, describes

data and characteristics about the population or phenomenon being studied. Hence the
researcher will be using this technique as it is feasible for the study purpose.

The research study tends to follow and achieve specific objectives. The objectives of
this particular study are:- To know the personal views of the people regarding various
branded shoes. To study which branded shoe is mostly preferred by people as per
their choices. Comparison between various branded shoes. Find out factors
influencing the people at the time of purchasing shoes such as Quality, Durability,
Variety, Price, And Use in Sports.

SAMPLING METHOD

The sampling used for the study is convenient sampling. This sampling is selected by
the researcher for the purpose of convenience to access.

SAMPLE SIZE

Data for this study will be collected from a sample of 50 respondents who are
working in various Sections In BATA.

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1.6 DURATION OF STUDY

The study was taken ninety days duration commencing from October to December.

1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

 While surveying I encounter with some problems like- In some of the retail
showroom it is not allowed to get the questionnaire filled.
 Many of the respondents were not willing to fill the questionnaire. Some
people were not willing to respond and few of them who responded were in
hurry hence the active participation was lacking.
 Difficulties in collecting information regarding our questionnaire.
 Another problem which I face was that people were hesitating to give
information about their views freely.

1.8 CHAPTER SCHEME

CHAPTER NUMBER CHAPTER NAME
1 INTRODUCTION
2 INDUSTRY PROFILE
3 COMPANY PROFILE
DATA ANALYSIS AND
4
INTERPRETATION
FINDINGS, SUGGESTIONS &
5
CONCLUSION
6 BIBILIOGRAPHY
7 APPENDIX

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 2. INDUSTRY PROFILE
Footwear is estimated to have started its long history of human use during the ice age
some 5 million years ago. Unkind weather conditions are said to have created the
necessity of the footwear. Other evidences show that footwear came to use at end of
the Paleolithic period, at about the same time the early humans learned the art of
leather training.
Early pieces of footwear were made of wrappings, usually made of leather or dried
grasses later on pieces were developed for an oval piece of leather which is bound by
a piece of strong leather throngs. Sandals which are first crafted footwear are the
successors to these wrappings.
In Egyptian funeral chambers, paintings show the different stages in the preparation
of leather and footwear. The images also show that in Egypt, footwear depicted power
and class.
The pharaoh’s sandals were distinguished by the turn up toes, a characteristic which is
missing in the commoners’ footwear. The images also show that in Egypt footwear
depicted power and class.
The Egyptian sandals were crafted using straw, papyrus or palm fiber. Later on
Egyptian women adorned their footwear with precious stones and jewels.
Footwear is demanded by all income group people. Middle and lower income group
prefer low cost, durable, wear and tear resistant footwear that can be used in all type
of domestic condition where as high income group prefer fashion oriented footwear.

HISTORY OF FOOTWEAR
Spanish cave drawings from more than 15000 years ago show humans with animal
skins or furs wrapped around their feet. The body of a well-preserved “ice-man”
5000 years old wears leather foot coverings stuffed with straw. Shoes in some form or
another, have been around for a very long time. The evolution of foot coverings, from
sandal to present-day athletic shoes that are marvels of engineering, continues even
today as wSe find new materials with which to cover our feet.
Has the shoe really changed that much though? We are, in fact still wearing sandals-
the oldest crafted foot covering known to us. Moccasins are still readily available in
the form of the loafer. In fact, many of the shoes we wear today can be traced back to

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another era. The Cuban heel may have been named for the dance craze of the 1920s,
but the shape can be seen long before that time.
Platform soles, which are one of the most recognizable features of footwear in the
1970s and 1990s were handed down to us from 16th century chopines. The high soles
were a necessity to keep the feet off of the dirty streets. Today they are worn strictly
for fashion’s sake. The poulaine, with its ridiculously long toes is not that different
from the winkle-pickers worn in the 1960s.
If one can deduce that basic shoe shapes have evolved only so much, it is necessary to
discover why this has happened.it is surely not due to a lack of imagination-the colors
and materials of shoes today demonstrate that. Looking at shoes from different parts
of the world, one can see undeniable similarities .while the venetians were wearing
the chopine, the Japanese balanced on high-soled wooden shoes called get. Though
the shape is slightly different, the idea remains the same.
The venetians had no contact with the Japanese, so it is not a case of imitation. Even
the mythical Chinese practice of foot binding has been copied (though to lesser
extent) in our culture. Some European women and men of the past bound their feet
with tape and squashed them into too tight shoes.in fact, a survey from the early
1990s reported that 88 percent of American women wear shoes that are too small.
As one examines footwear history, both in the west and in other parts of the world, the
similarities are apparent. Though the shoemakers of the past never would have
thought to pair a sandal with a platform sole, our shoe fashions of today are, for the
most part, modernized adaptation of past styles.
INDUSTRY CONCENTRATION
The Global Footwear Manufacturing Industry is considered to have a low
concentration level. The four largest players in the sector are expected to account for
around only 6.9% of industry revenue in 2010. The high labor intensity of most of the
industry's production lends itself toward small operations. While large scale
manufactures operate in the industry, developing countries also have a large number
of microenterprises that manufacture footwear.
The top eight major players in the sector are expected to account for about 8% of total
industry revenue. While industry concentration is considered to be low, based on the

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top four and eight companies, the overall footwear market is more consolidated than
other apparel markets.

Concentration within the industry has increased in recent years due to mergers and
consolidation of industry participants. This trend is expected to continue in the future.
For example, the major player in this industry, Yue Yuen, has absorbed several
footwear manufacturing operations over the last year. The level of industry
concentration is expected to increase in the next five years as firms merge or
consolidate operations.

GEOGRAPHICAL SPREAD

North Asia will be by far the largest footwear manufacturing region. In 2009, it is
estimated to have contributed 59.6% of world production and 53.4% of employment
in the industry. China will be the largest producer in the Global Footwear
Manufacturing Industry and manufactured approximately 7 billion pairs of shoes or
an estimated 58% of total world production. Taiwan and Korea were previously large
regional producers. While many large footwear manufacturing companies have
headquarters in these countries, nearly all of the manufacturing takes place in China.

South East Asia is expected to be the second-largest region in terms of pairs

produced, making up about 13.3% of total production and 12% of employment. These
regions included Vietnam, which has grown from about 542.6 million pairs produced
in 2004 to an estimated 964.8 million in 2009. Vietnam's emergence illustrates how
China itself has become vulnerable to cut-rate competitors.

This is in contrast to other Asian economies such as Thailand, which sought to align
themselves with China. Countries such as Thailand and Indonesia are still significant
manufacturers, although not to the extent that they were in the 1990s.

India and Central Asia should make up about 9.6% of world production with India the
largest contributor and Turkey the second largest. Despite this, this region still made
up about 19.8% of employment due to the large number of micro businesses that are
involved in footwear manufacturing in India.
The Indian industry has grown considerably over the last few years as larger levels of

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overseas investment from US, Europe and Taiwan has seen the country become a
viable location for producing mid-priced footwear products. The large domestic
market also gives India the potential to grow considerably from an estimated 7.4% of
world production in 2009.
South America should make up 6.9% of world production and 5.5% employment. The
Brazilian footwear industry is expected to be the main contributor in 2009 with about
6.5% of pairs produced and 4.9% of employment.
While some Eastern European regions such as Romania are growing, most
manufacturers in Western and Southern Europe have struggled to compete against the
increasing level of import penetration from Asia. world production and 5.2% of
employment in 2009. Italy is expected to be largest producer in Europe, contributing
about 1.9% of total pairs produced, the majority of which are high- to medium- priced
shoes. Many Italian companies have changed their business models and shifted
production to other viable areas - some in Eastern Europe, others in China and some
in India.
North American footwear manufacturing has declined substantially over the last ten
years after years of offshoring and import penetration in the US. In 2009, it
represented only about 2.5% of world production and 1.9% of employment. Mexico
has also been struggling against import competition but still contributes about 1.9% of
world production and 1.6% of employment. Growth in US manufacturing is likely to
occur in niche markets as demand from middle-class consumers from developing
nations such as China and India grows.

DEMAND DETERMINANTS
Real household disposable income levels are an important demand factor for
footwear. This factor can influence the quantity, quality and frequency of footwear
purchases. As the level of real household disposable income increases, it can prompt
greater demand for footwear. Accordingly, as real household disposable income
declines, so too does the frequency at which consumers purchase discretionary items.
This is also related to the price of footwear. If the price of clothing and other related
goods increase at a faster rate than footwear, people will tend to purchase greater
volumes of shoes.

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Advertising and marketing of brand names are important ways for footwear producers
to differentiate their products. Consumers are influenced by advertising and brand
image. Improving these can lead to higher sales. Established products such as Nike,
Adidas and high-end fashion brands, like Manolo Blahnik, Prada, DKNY and Gucci,
can limit the effect of new footwear styles on the market as they hold such a large
portion of the market. Greater spending on advertising is attributed to the power of
branding and the larger the manufacturer the greater the success of creating a strong
and popular brand. Fashion is also a form of differentiation and has influenced
advertising and marketing. Fashion and social trends lead to changing demand for
certain footwear styles in the same way that the popularity of sporting activities
affects sales in athletic footwear.
The level of fitness awareness and the age of the population are social factors that
affect demand. These affect the demand for particular types of shoes. For example,
with an ageing population in some developed countries, the demand for walking shoes
may gradually increase over sport shoes and school shoes. Seasonal factors and
weather conditions also cause changes to demand conditions. Footwear sales vary
according to seasonal and weather conditions around the world. For example, during
the cold winter months, the sale of sandals will decrease and the sale of galoshes will
increase.
Population growth is key driver in this industry. A higher global population leads to
greater demand for consumer products, particularly for basic necessities such as basic
footwear. This can lead to growth in the industry. The quality of locally made shoes
compared to imports can also create changes in demand and consumer perceptions,
especially for shoes categorized as discretionary purchases. Domestic consumers may
prefer local products due to a sense of loyalty to local firms. Consumers may also be
willing to pay more footwear made in certain countries, such as Italy, over footwear
manufactured in developing countries.
INDUSTRY VOLATALITY
While revenue from footwear manufacturing changes from year to year, it is a product
that most consumers in the world purchase. Growth is mainly driven by world
population growth and GDP growth. The world's population will continue to grow in
2010, despite weaker global economic conditions. Because of this, revenue from

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footwear manufacturing is still expected to grow.
Volatility can be created by fashion changes. These can fluctuate rapidly and are
difficult to predict. A change in fashion can make footwear styles outdated and lead to
poor sales. Changing fashion can also make some footwear more popular.
Styles of footwear and the popularity of different products may change, but as long as
world population is growing, in the long term, revenue from footwear manufacturing
is likely to continue to grow steadily.
Fluctuating competition from imports can create volatility. Import levels vary as price
competitiveness relative to domestic footwear changes. This is also influenced by
exchange rates and the presence of tariff restrictions and quotas.
TECHNOLOGY AND SYSTEMS
Technological advancement in the Global Footwear Manufacturing industry is
deemed to be low. Much of the production is still very labor intensive as it comprises
of sewing and cutting machines that still need to be operated with human intervention.
Internet technology has connected the world and is used to communicate product
information globally. This has further internationalized global supply chains in the
worldwide footwear manufacturing industry with companies operating in various
international locations. For example, product design, strategy and marketing are often
done in developed countries while manufacturing often takes place in other parts of
the world. While this still took place before the advent of internet technology, the
speed of conversion from footwear design to manufacturing has increased.
Most research surrounds the development of new material components and improved
production procedures. The implementation of production cost saving measures at all
levels is ongoing. Companies such as Adidas have recently made significant progress
to increasing their speed to market, including taking 30 days out of the footwear
production process.
Computerizing functions performed by machines, such as the introduction of
computerized stitching improved efficiency aided efficiency. Machines now perform
the functions of "roughing", which is the removal of the top surface of leather, which
previously required highly skilled labor. Injection molding (which enabled mass
production of items such as synthetic soles and heels) and computerized cutting by
water jets (to replace manual cutting processes) were both significant developments.

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Tagless labeling technology is expected to allow for increased consumer comfort,
branding opportunities, cost savings and security management. The garment
manufacturer or contractor can incorporate brand logos, anti-counterfeiting tools,
barcodes and potentially radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology into labels,
in one relatively simple process.
BASIS OF COMPETITION
Firms compete with each other on the basis of price, quality and service. Price can be
construed to signify the quality of the product. A firm can gain an advantage in the
market by providing good quality products at a reasonable price. The main factor for
imported footwear having such a strong competitive position is that generally,
footwear comes from low labor cost countries such as China, which allows consumers
in developed nations to take purchase cheaper shoes. At the other end of the market is
high quality footwear, which is usually sourced from Western European countries
such as Italy, who are renowned for their high-quality inputs, such as leather and
fabrics.
Product innovation is a significant differentiating factor. This is increasingly
becoming a large competitive consideration for manufacturers. Design teams are
constantly creating various ranges of new style footwear, which include added
features such as air pocket soles for outdoor activity shoes. This product
differentiation is perceived as one of the main factors on which consumers choose
specific products, aside from price.
A Study of Customer Perception towards Reebok Shoes:-
Perception is a process by which individuals organize and interpret their sensory
impressions in order to give meaning to their environment. However, what one
perceives can be substantially different from objective reality. It need not be, but there
is often disagreement. For example, it’s possible that all employees in a firm may
view it as a great place to work- favorable working conditions, interesting job
assignments, good pay, an understanding and responsible management but, as most
of us know, it’s very unusual to find such agreement.

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FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE PERCEPTION :-
A number of factors operate to shape & sometimes distort perception. These factors
can reside in the perceiver, in the object or target being perceived, or in the context of
the situation on which the perception is made.
(a) Factors in the perceiver -
•Attitudes
•Motives
•Interests
•Experience
•Expectations
(b) Factors in the situation –
•Time
•Work setting
•Social setting
(c) Factors in the target

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 3. COMPANY PROFILE
BATA
Asia‘s largest footwear company strives to maintain its lead with an image of
superiority, professionalisms and round the clock efficiency. A visit to any factory or
office in the country bears testimony to that. Bracing to meet the 21st century, Bata is
gearing itself with the latest in technology and a forward-looking approach to human
resource development. Staggering 16,000 people work at various functional centers in
Bata India.
Early History and Evolution of BATA
The Bata Shoe Organization (BSO) is one of the world’s largest manufacturers and
retailers of footwear. The company rapidly expanded after its foundation in 1894 and
by 1930s it operated in Switzerland, Germany, England, France, Yugoslavia, Poland,
India and Holland. This expansion continued and by 1960, Bata employed over
42,000 employees, owned thousands of company stores and many factories across the
world including almost every continent.
It has a retail presence in over 50 countries and production facilities in 26 countries.
The company has sold more than 14 billion pairs of shoes till now. Every day, about 1
million customers are being served throughout its 4,600 retail stores worldwide.
EARLY HISTORY
The company was founded in 1894 in Zlín (Czech Republic) by Tomas Bata whose
family had been cobblers for generations.
A large order from the army, military shoes and rising demand for them, during
World War I started rapid growth and small manufacture turned into modern
industrial concern, one of the first mass producers of shoes.
TOMAS BATA
Tomas Bata was recognized for his social conscience, establishing housing, cinemas
and advancement programs for his employees. He saw technology as a means of
progress, and wanted to make the shoes as cheaply as possible so that the greatest
number of people could access them.
He employed 16,560 people, maintained 1,645 shops and 25 enterprises. The total
international contribution to the Bata organization at the time of Tomas

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JAN ANTONIN BATA
After Tomas Bata’s plane crash his half-brother Jan Antonín Bata becomes head of
the company; at this time the company continues the diversification into the
production of tires, aircraft, bicycles, machineries. Under Jan Antonín Bata the
company grew quickly, continued its expansion throughout Europe, North America,
Asia, and North Africa.
EFFECT OF WORLD WAR-II:
After the Second World War the Bata Shoe Organization was led by Thomas J. Bata
(Tomáš Bata’s Junior), son of Tomas Bata and the company grew significantly under
Thomas J. Batas driving leadership. In 2002 the headquarters was moved to Lausanne
Switzerland and the Organization has been led by Thomas G. Bata, grandson of
Tomas Bata.
KEY DATES
1894: The Bata family establishes a company in Zlin, located in what is now the
Czech Republic.
1931: The Company was incorporated in India.
1932: Founder Tomas Bata dies in an airplane accident.
1939: The Company relocates to Canada after the movement of German military
forces into Eastern Europe.
1945: Czechoslovakia business operations are nationalized by the new communist
government following World War II.
1991: Bata returns to the Czech Republic following fall of the communist regime.
1994: Thomas J. Bata, the son of the company’s founder, retires.
2001: Thomas J. Bata, Jr., becomes chairman and CEO."It doesn’t matter at all that
you make the best shoes in the world if there is no one around to afford them." -
Tomas Bata
While another 2,00000 are indirectly employed.
The world of Bata India: There are four factories, at Batanagar near Calcutta now it is
Kolkata, at Faridabad in Haryana, Bataganj near Patna in Bihar and at Peenya in
Bangalore. Taking stock of them all means accounting for thousands of trained men
and women, millions of pairs of footwear on the production line.

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The people –our assets: The Company firmly believes that giving its people the right
encouragement, yields incomparable rewards. Even with technology and progress
man doesn‘t take second place at Bata India. Emphasis is given to man management
and every opportunity is given so that people can grow with the organization. Each
year a large number of regional, national and international courses are held to train
Bata employees.
it is a Bata policy to provide equal opportunity, to promote on merit and to stimulate
it‘s people into thinking globally .always abreast with current trends and technology,
Bata India brings latest in line technology in factory, and the workers to many all to
mated industries where work force shrink in direct proportion to their rate of
technological thinking .
Bata India keeps its employment levels steady. Bata India is the largest retailer and
leading manufacturer of footwear in India and is a part of the Bata Shoe Organization.
Incorporated as Bata Shoe Company Private Limited in 1931, the company was set up
initially as a small operation in Konnagar (near Calcutta) in 1932. In January 1934,
the foundation stone for the first building of Bata‘s operation - now called the Bata. In
the years that followed, the overall site was doubled in area.
This township is popularly known as Batanagar. It was also the first manufacturing
facility in the Indian shoe industry to receive the ISO: 9001 certification. The
Company went public in 1973 when it changed its name to Bata India Limited.
Today, Bata India has established itself as India‘s largest footwear retailer.
BATA INDIA
The Company was incorporated in the year 1931 as Bata Shoe Company Pvt. Ltd. in
Konngar,West Bengal, which was then shifted to Batanagar. Batanagar was the first
manufacturing facility in the Indian shoe industry to receive the ISO 9001
certification. The Company went public in 1973.
They changed their name to Bata India Ltd. Over the years, Bata India has established
a leadership position in the footwear industry and is easily the most trusted name in
branded footwear. The Company has entered into an agreement with BataLtd of
Toronto, Canada for supply of technical know-how and services such as Footwear
technology and design, brand development, product development, retailing and
information systems for a period of ten years from January 1, 200.

16
The company bagged the Retailer of the year award for the year 2006 in the footwear
category as a part of the Reid and Taylor Award for Retail Excellence which was
presented during the Indian Retail Summit 2006. Bata was honored with Most
Admired Brand of the year 2006-07 in Footwear category.
They have been rated as one of the Top 10 super brands in India and awarded Super
Brands Award on April 122007.Bata has entered into the retail segment and is
currently has 1250 stores all over India.2. Initial Positioning and Subsequent
Repositioning Bata has positioned itself as a one stop family store for all footwear and
related products. It has traditionally positioned itself as providing product lines
catering to the middle class segment of the society; it has also tried targeting the high
class customers.
Bata had become a need brand .In terms of the needs, Bata was in a way successful in
positioning itself as a brand having stores with products to meet the needs of almost
all members of the family, since it had product ranges for children, men, women etc.
Till the 1980s, Bata enjoyed an almost monopolistic position in the organized
footwear market.
It’s simple, yet iconic, brown leather sandals and blue-and-white rubber slippers were
instantly recognizable and also are still recognized. Bata was the choice for everyone
in the family. Whether it was shoes for the monsoon, school shoes, formal wear or
even comfort wear for the elderly, the brand had something for every member in the
Indian household.
There was a period in the past in India when anyone mentioned shoes or chappals,
there would be a single name Bata. It was one of the most popular names after Tata.
The brand Bata was household name then. It ruled market as leader till recent years
when various national and international brands came up.
The Bata shoe lovers were so addicted with Bata for them thinking shoes other than
Bata were an unpatriotic act. People wore Bata proudly (Said by Mr. Manmohan
Singh). It has also come out with new set of brands like hush puppies, Marie Claire
brand offering the latest patent, metallic and ethnic styles in footwear. The recently
introduced ladies hand bags have also met with a very good response from the youth.
EXAMPLES: Dr. Scholl: Dr. Scholl’s which is positioned well as medicated footwear
with a trendy look.

17
These are prescribed by doctors for people having problems in the nerves, diabetics
and related diseases. This product was initially brought on prescription but now
people are buying it out of their own interest and hence have good growth
opportunity. Bata has designed this product in various models giving a better
advantage over the local physiotherapy made standard designs."It doesnt matter at all
that you make the best shoes in the world if there is no one around to afford them." -
Tomas Bata
Its retail network of over 1200 stores gives it a reach / coverage that no other footwear
company can match. The stores are present in good locations and can be found in all
the metros, mini- metros and towns Bata‘s smart looking new stores supported by a
range of better quality products are aimed at offering a superior shopping experience
to its customers.
The Company also operates a large non retail distribution network through its urban
wholesale division and caters to millions of customers through over 30,000 dealers.
Bata has the following brands operating under its umbrella: Bata, Mocassino, North
Star, Marie Claire, Bubble gummers, Ambassador, Hush Puppies, Scholl, Comfit,
Power, Sparx, Reebok, Weinbrenner, Naturalized, Bata and I.
But the promotional campaign has to be designed only for the original and classic
brand ―Bata‖, which is about finding STYLE – that agrees with the consumers‘tastes,
meet their diverse needs, meet their budget, and fulfill their well-being. Product
Attributes:-
 Comfortable and Trendy Footwear
 Easy to Maintain
 Contemporary Styles with International Know-How
 High Quality at affordable prices
 Versatile products to suit each occasion
GROWTH STRATEGY
The organization is the world‘s largest manufacturer and marketer of footwear. It has
83 companies spread all over the globe both in developed and developing countries.
The organization is the leader in the use of modern technology and the latest
management and marketing techniques. Its 73 manufacturing units produce a vastly
comprehensive line of footwear from women‘s high fashion shoes to artic boots;

18
men‘s dress shoes to popular sports shoes for the children. It operates 6300 company
owned stores all over the world.
This includes Bata family Athletes world Bubble gummers, Rizzi, Heyraud and Marie
Claire stores. In addition Bata has around 50 thousands retailers the combined
production and sales total 270,000,000 pairs of shoes per year.
The Bata shoe organization has 67 thousands employees on its roles today. Bata
limited; the world headquarters of Bata shoe organization located in Toronto is
manned by experts in manufacturing, marketing, finance, product development and
personnel. A work force that is available for training and guidance in all operations in
the field. Today Bata India has become a legend behind it‘s a sage of determination
and pursuit of excellence.
A spirit of enterprise that has made Bata India a complex, multidimensional giant ever
at the service of millions of people in India. How did it all begin? Today the largest
footwear manufacturer is India. The biggest footwear market has wide wingspan-it
covers the entire length and breadth of the country.
The company prides itself in having your manufacturing units, two tanneries, and a
number of ancillary units. Pursuing an active policy of encouraging exports since
1935, Bata India exports the largest number of canvas shoes from the country.
BRAND IDENTITY
The brand identity and position of Bata has been carefully crafted and painstakingly
embedded as a value proposition in the minds of consumers for generations. It
certainly promises a lot of value by virtue of consistent quality and positive word-of-
mouth.
SLOGAN
 NO ONE IN THE WORLD KNOW SHOES LIKE WE DO.
 ONE BATA,ONE WORLD.
VISION AND MISSION VISION
Vision is that igniting spark that can inspire and energize people to do better the focus
of vision is to reach out hungrily for the future and drag it into the present.
Bata India today wishes to reposition itself as a market driven fashion conscious
lifestyle. Focus on a variety of customer groups.

19
MISSION
A mission statement articulates the philosophy of the company with respect to the
business in specific and society in general once the mission statement of company is
finalized and adapted; it provides a readymade guideline to employees of the
organization about its principles, policies and practices.
Bata will provide its products and services to all the age groups in the community will
also provide the finest quality through customer involvement. Bata India is the largest
retailer and leading manufacturer of footwear in India and is a part of the Bata Shoe
Organization. The parent company Bata was founded by three siblings;
Tomas Bata, his brother Antonin and his sister Anna with a small inheritance in the
town of Zlin, Czechoslovakia on August 24, 1894. Initially known as Bata Shoe
Company, it was one of the world‘s first shoe ―manufacturers‖; a team of stitches
and shoemakers creating footwear not only for friends and local residents, but also for
distant retail merchants.
Key Events:-
 1905: Tomas Bata introduced mechanized production techniques that allowed
the Bata Shoe Company to become one of the first mass producers of shoes in
Europe.
 1914: The Company had a significant development due to military orders.
 1928: The company‘s head factory in Zlin was expanded as demand for the
inexpensive shoes grew rapidly.
 1931: Bata Shoe Organization setup factories in
 Germany,
 England,
 The Netherlands,
 Poland,
 France,
 Austria,
 Romania,
 Sweden,
 Switzerland,

20
  Egypt,
 Belgium,
 Finland,
 Luxembourg,
 Hungary,
 Italy,
 Indonesia,
 Singapore
 India
 1932: Tomas Bata died in a plane crash and control of the company was
passed to his half-brother, Jan, and his son, Thomas John Bata.
 1939: Due to the outbreak of World War II Thomas Jan Bata decided to move
Bata Shoe Organization to Canada established the Bata Shoe Company of
Canada.
 By 1950: Bata was positioned as the world‘s leading footwear exporter. From
its new base in Canada, the company gradually rebuilt itself, expanding into
new markets throughout Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.
 In 1970s, 80s and 90s: Bata continued to grow through its new, innovative
strategies guided by Bata‘s founding principles which focused on customers,
marketing and employees.
Today, Bata has a retail presence in over 70 countries across five continents, with a
million customers per day. It employs more than 40,000 people in its 5,000 retail
stores, manages 27 production facilities. It is estimated that since the day it was
founded over 120 years ago, Bata has sold more than 14 billion pairs of shoes which
is more than the number of human feet that have walked the earth.
The acting headquarters of Bata Shoe Organization is located in Lausanne,
Switzerland. There are 3 main Business Units: Bata Europe, based in Italy; Bata
Emerging Market (Asia Pacific, Africa and Latin America), based in Singapore, and
Bata Protective (worldwide B2B operations), based in the Netherlands.

21
BATA INDIA LTD
Bata is a name that needs no introduction to Indians. Incorporated as Bata Shoe
Company Private Limited in 1931, Bata India is the largest retailer and leading
manufacturer of footwear in India and is a part of the Bata Shoe Organization. In
1932, an experimental shoe production plant was built in Konnagar, West Bengal with
75 Czechoslovak experts.
Jan Antonin Bata then built an industrial manufacturing city called Batanagar in
South 24 Paraganas District in West Bengal in 1934, as well as other factories in
Digha near Patna, and elsewhere it India, employing more than 7,000 people. Later
Batanagar became one of the bigger suburban towns near Kolkata.
The Company went public in 1973 when it changed its name to Bata India Limited. In
1993, it became the first manufacturing facility in the Indian shoe industry to receive
the ISO: 9001 certification. It is one of the largest footwear manufacturers in India
and sells a wide range of canvas, rubber, leather, and plastic footwear. Its retail
network of over 1500 stores gives it a reach that no other footwear company can
match in India.
The stores are present in good locations and can be found in all the metros, mini-
metros and towns. The Company also operates a large non retail distribution network
through its urban wholesale division and caters to millions of customers through over
30,000 dealers. It has 26 Wholesale depots, serving more than 500 wholesalers.
The company has a licensed capacity of 628 lakh pairs per annum spread across its
five manufacturing units at Batanagar (Kolkata), Faridabad (Haryana), Bataganj
(Bihar), Peenya (near Bangalore), and Hosur (Tamil Nadu). The company has two
tanneries - one at Batanagar and the other at Mokameghat (Bihar).
The latter is the second largest in Asia. In total, Bata India employs more than 12000
people. Bata sells over 60 million pairs of shoes every year. South India is a major
market for Bata, from where it earns around 40% of its revenue.
The company is the market leader in South, with 16% share of the organized footwear
market. Of the overall revenue, it derives nearly 85% through retail networks, 14%
from non-retail channels (dealers/institutional/industrial sales) and remaining 1%
through exports. Thus, the domestic market is the mainstay as far as revenues are
concerned. Bata India is today traded on the Kolkata and Bombay Stock Exchanges.

22
It has also consistently outperformed the Sensex and broader Nifty year after year. For
the first time in its history, Bata India's Turnover crossed the coveted mark of Rs.
20,000 Million for the financial year 2013 by achieving a total turnover of Rs.20,
984.1 Million. It also recorded a Net Profit of Rs.1, 907.4 Million for the year 2013.
INITIAL POSITIONING & SUBSEQUENT REPOSITIONING
Bata India was primarily known as a manufacturing company and it comes with a
baggage of being an old-school, no-frills footwear maker and retailer. It has
traditionally positioned itself as providing product lines catering to the middle class
segment of the society.
Bata was in a way successful in positioning itself as a brand having stores with
products to meet the needs of almost all members of the family, since it had product
ranges for children, men, women etc. Bata enjoyed an almost monopolistic position in
the organized footwear market in India until late 1980's. It‘s simple, yet iconic, brown
leather sandals and blue-and-white rubber slippers were instantly recognizable and
also are still recognized.
Bata was the choice for everyone in the family. Whether it was shoes for the
monsoon, school shoes, formal wear or even comfort wear for the elderly, the brand
had something for every member in the Indian household.
The brand Bata was household name then and was the first choice footwear of
theIndian middle class. But with time, Bata India had to come in line with the
changed retailing landscape with the arrival of malls and big retail chains. It also had
to shed its image as a low-cost functional footwear brand that appeals to the 40-plus
age group.
Bata started gradually losing its position as market leader in the 1990's when its profit
margins reduced drastically. Bata has suffered due to an un- favorable impression of a
perception drag and has been unable to connect with the youth.
This was due to a number of factors like :-
(a) Crowded store formats;
(b) Subdued store staff,
(c) Lack of presence in the media, etc.

23
RE-POSITIONING
After three straight years of losses, Bata started to script a turnaround story from
2005. Marcelo Villagran took over Bata India‘s operations in 2005 and he brought
about many changes in the company that have led to a turnaround. He is credited as
being the man who brought back Bata India from the brink of bankruptcy.
The focus was on revamping retail — large format stores were opened and existing
ones re- modelled. Sandwiched between luxury brands from the top and mass market
offerings at the bottom, Bata had to leverage its considerable equity. The erstwhile
Bata stores had a very congested layout and the display of all SKUs was at times
either not possible or not accessible
However, with the revamping of stores, the company has now improved the design
and layout to make more products visible and available for touch and feel to the
consumer. The company has also extended the store timing by two hours (from the
earlier 10 am – 7 pm to 10 am – 9 pm). The company has also decided to keep stores
open on Sundays.
This led to higher footfalls and, therefore, improved inventory turnover. A drastic cut
in employee headcount and outsourcing labor-intensive operations helped in pruning
costs. As part of the restructuring plan set out by Mr Villagran, Bata opened 718
stores, closed down 524 and remodeled 296 stores during CY05-12.
The new stores opened were decided in a phased manner and designed according to
the target audience that it catered to. The company now categorizes stores as:- 1.
Metro 2. Metro & Mini metro 3. Smaller towns. Based on this classification, it
decides the store layout, product profile and location based on that.
While stores in metros are air-conditioned and stock more premium and fashion
brands, the metro and mini-metro stores are non-air-conditioned and stock products
catering to the aspirational upper middle class consumers.
Similarly, in small towns, the stores are non-air- conditioned and stock economy and
mid-range products meant for mass markets. In its strategic pursuit, Bata India
continues to open approx. 100 new retail stores every year across India and shut down
or relocate unviable stores. Most of the new stores are of large format having space of
more than 3,000 sq. ft. and delicately designed to display each category of footwear
and accessories.

24
These large format stores are designed to provide an excellent ambience and
delightful shopping experience to the customers. Bata has also overhauled its
merchandise strategy. It literally threw out its entire low-margin inventory in 2005.
They fixed a certain operating margin and have decided not to sell any shoes whose
margins are below that margin. And the efforts appear to be paying off as Bata is the
market leader with over 16% share in the organized footwear segment.
The company now plans to increase the average store size to 5000 sq ft. Bata India
Ltd has witnessed constant growth over the past few years, which endorses its strong
understanding of the consumer needs and lifestyle. The footwear collection has vastly
improved over the years and many contemporary and fashionable designs of footwear
have been launched. The new designs have helped Bata to constantly increase its
customer base while meeting the changing lifestyle needs of the loyal customers.
The manufacturing facilities of Bata have also been upgraded with introduction of
improved quality, better technology and materials for producing footwear with a
trendier look and comfort to meet the ever-changing market requirements.
An exclusive range of ladies footwear and a variety of products for the kids and
children were launched, which have been well accepted by the customers. Bata
continues to be the market leader in Men's formal footwear, with Ambassador,
Comfit, Moccasino - all brands recording a high growth. In ladies segment, Marie
Claire and Sundrop brands of footwear have recorded a good growth. The footwear
range for the children - Bubblegummer and Angry Birds continued to be the most
favourite brands in India. Other popular brands like Power, North Star, Scholl and
Weinbrenner - all have registered growth in volume in the year 2013.
HUSH PUPPIES BATA- India's premium Brand.
Hush Puppies has been expanding in line with the overall retail expansion program
and continues to open exclusive stores and shop-in-shop stores in premium
departmental stores. At the end of year 2013, Hush Puppies had 34 exclusive stores
and 37 shop- in-shops.
FOOTIN BATA- India's new retail concept.
FOOTIN offers a new range of footwear focusing on affordable fashion and trendy
styles. In FOOTIN stores, customers can get fashionable, young looking and

25
affordable footwear presented through a high density display concept. It is one of the
new business models with a different approach to improve volume growth of the
company. Since 2012, Bata has opened 8 new FOOTIN stores across India, with
range of footwear for both men and women focusing on fashionable and trendy styles
at an affordable price.
NON RETAIL Bata India's Industrial division is now recognized as the leading
supplier in the safety footwear market. The product range has been refreshed by
launching new molds as well as new PU- Rubber soles collection. The customer
service function has been strengthened to provide immediate response to the queries
raised by the industrial buyers.
The strategy to focus on segments like defence, canteens, education, corporate, etc.
has been fruitful for Bata India and resulted in achieving good market penetration. A
new range for the healthcare segment has been launched with specialized footwear to
be used in hospitals for Doctors, Nurses, front office staff, maintenance team, etc
E-COMMERCE
Bata India generated a volume growth of almost 100% in online business during the
year 2013 as compared to the previous year 2012. Its E-Commerce business reached
approx. 750 cities across India with its shipments. In order to attract more e-
customers, new partnerships have been entered into by tying up with leading on-line
players e.g., Flipkart, Jabong, E-bay, HomeShop18, Myntra, Rediff, India times, etc.
As a part of the strategy, Cash on Delivery service was launched for the end customer
to facilitate the shopping ease. The Company‘s website www.bata.in has experienced
a tremendous growth in traffic of approx. 2.5 Million visitors.
ADVERTISING, SALES PROMOTION & SEGMENTATION
STRATEGY FOLLOWED by the BATA
BATA India has traditionally spent less than 1 percent of its total revenue on
advertising. This is far less than their competitors who spend anywhere between 5 and
10% of their revenue on advertising. ―Location -is a mantra for retail success.
BATA has banked on building its retail store presence in middle of bustling bazaars in
rural and urban areas and near urban suburban train stations. Coupling the location
with VFM (Value for Money) shoes for the entire family has helped Bata sustain itself

26
for three quarters of a century.
The target segment for the brand used to be the lower and middle income segment of
the population. Like any other retail brand in the business, BATA too holds sales
promotions at specific time periods in the year.
These sales promotions are advertised through different mediums:
SALES PROMOTION STRATEGY.
1. PRICE PROMOTION: - Price promotion refers to ‗price discounting. It is done by
two ways, namely
a) DISCOUNTS: - A discount on the normal selling price of the product. For
example Bata a family footwear brand with showrooms all over the city, is
offering discounts ranging up to 50% on shoes, sandals, chapels, ladies footwear,
kid‘s footwear and men‘s footwear. This offer is available at all Bata footwear
showrooms across the country
b) END OF SEASON SALE: - Bata often has ‗End of Season sale‘ which helps in
boosting up the sales figure.

27
 4. DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Table 4.1: Table showing how frequently the respondents purchase footwear

Particulars No. of respondents Percentage

Once in a month 05 10
Once in 3 months 04 08
Once in 6 months 14 28
Once in a year 20 40
Once in awhile 07 14
Total 50 100
Source: primary data
Chart 4.1: Chart showing how frequently the respondents purchase footwear

No. of respondents

20
18
16
14
12
10
No. of respondents
8
6
4
2
0
Once in a Once in 3 Once in 6 Once in a Once in
month months months year awhile

Interpretation:

From the 50 respondents I asked opinion, 28% purchase footwear once in 6 months,
40% purchase once in year and 10% purchase footwear once in a month. There are
14% respondents who purchase footwear once in a while.

28
Table 4.2: Table showing respondents brand consciousness

Particulars No. of respondents Percentage

Yes 39 78

No 11 22

Total 50 100
Source: primary data
Chart 4.2: Chart showing respondents brand consciousness

No. of respondents
45

40

35

30

25

No. of respondents
20

15

10

0
Yes No

Interpretation:

The above table shows the respondents brand consciousness. 78% respondents are
conscious and remaining 22% are not conscious.

29
Table 4.3: Table showing respondent’s option of brand they choose while buying
a pair of shoes

Particulars No. of respondents Percentage

Bata 22 44
Nike 05 10
Puma 10 20
Others 13 26
Total 50 100
Source: primary data
Chart 4.3: Chart showing respondent’s option of brand they choose while buying
a pair of shoes

No. of respondents

25

20

15
No. of respondents

10

0
Bata Nike Puma Others

Interpretation:

It can be framed out from the above table and chart that majority (i.e., 44%) of my
respondents opt Bata shoes. 10% respondents like to buy Nike shoes, 20% would like
to buy Puma shoes and remaining 26% go for other brands.

30
Table 4.4: Table showing the most important element that affects the
respondent’s selection of footwear

Particulars No. of respondents Percentage

Brand 07 14
Quality 14 28
Price 07 14
Packaging 04 8
Comfort 05 10
Personality 06 12
Other 07 14
Total 50 100
Source: primary data
Chart 4.4: Chart showing the most important element that affects the
respondent’s selection of footwear

No. of respondents
14
12
10
8
6
No. of respondents
4
2
0

Interpretation:

The above chart depicts that quality is the most important element while the consumer
select footwear. There 14% of the respondents who choose a footwear looking into its
brand and price. There is only 8% respondents who purchase footwear seeing its
packaging.

31
Table 4.5: Table showing respondent’s loyalty towards any brand in terms of
footwear industry

Particulars No. of respondents Percentage

Bata 21 42
Nike 08 16
Puma 07 14
Reebok 05 10
Regularly switch to other
09 18
brands
Total 50 100
Source: primary data
Chart 4.5: Chart showing respondent’s loyalty towards any brand in terms of
footwear industry

No. of respondents

25

20

15

10
No. of respondents
5

0
Bata Nike Puma Reebok Regularly
switch to
other
brands

Interpretation:

On the survey on which loyalty of the respondents is being asked, only 16% of the
respondents are very loyal to Bata brand.42% of my respondents are loyal customers
of Nike brand. 18% respondents regularly switch to various brands.

32
Table 4.6: Table showing the factors that affect the respondent’s decision for
switching the brand of footwear they use

Particulars No. of respondents Percentage

Quality 22 44
Price 14 28
Innovation 06 12
Advertisement 04 08
Other 04 08
Total 50 100
Source: primary data
Chart 4.6: Chart showing the factors that affect the respondent’s decision for
switching the brand of footwear they use

No. of respondents

25

20

15

10
No. of respondents

Interpretation:

The above figures are regarding the factors that are effecting in switching from one
brand to other. 44% , i.e, majority of the respondents switch from one brand to other
when they are dissatisfied with the quality of the product. 28% switch because of the
price , 12% seeing innovations in other products and 8% by advertisements.

33
Table 4.7: Table showing whether any kind of marketing or branding programs
influenced the buying decision of the respondent

Particulars No. of respondents Percentage

Yes 16 32
No 34 68
Total 50 100
Source: primary data
Chart 4.7: Chart showing whether any kind of marketing or branding programs
influenced the buying decision of the respondent

No. of respondents
40

35

30

25

20
No. of respondents

15

10

0
Yes No

Interpretation:

The above picture is depicting whether the buyer is influenced by any ways of
marketing or branding programs. 68% of the respondents said that they are not
influenced and 32% opinion that they are influenced.

34
Table 4.8: Table showing respondents opinion on whether they consider
environment friendliness in choosing the footwear

Particulars No. of respondents Percentage

Yes 08 16
No 42 84
Total 50 100

Source: primary data

Chart 4.8: Chart showing respondents opinion on whether they consider

environment friendliness in choosing the footwear

No. of respondents
45

40

35

30

25

No. of respondents
20

15

10

0
Yes No

Interpretation:

It is evident from the above table that 84% of the respondents do not consider
environment friendliness in using footwear and 16% consider environment
friendliness.

35
Table 4.9: Table showing whether the respondent is aware of Bata offering
personalized or customized footwear

Particulars No. of respondents Percentage

Yes 30 60
No 20 40
Total 50 100
Source: primary data
Chart 4.9: Chart showing whether the respondent is aware of Bata offering
personalized or customized footwear

No. of respondents
35

30

25

20

No. of respondents
15

10

0
Yes No

Interpretation:

It can be inferred from the above table that majority (60%) are aware of the
personalized or customized footwear offered by Bata and remaining 40% are not
aware of that.

36
Table 4.10: Table showing whether the respondent thinks that Bata is a one stop
family store

Particulars No. of respondents Percentage

Yes 14 28
No 36 72
Total 50 100
Source: primary data
Chart 4.10: Chart showing whether the respondent thinks that Bata is a one stop
family store

No. of respondents
40

35

30

25

20
No. of respondents

15

10

0
Yes No

Interpretation:

As per the above table and chart we can interpret that 72% respondents does not feel
Bata as a one stop family store but there is 285 respondents who consider Bata as a
one stop family store.

37
Table 4.11: Table showing whether the respondent purchase any footwear at
cheaper price with less brand and quality

Particulars No. of respondents Percentage

Yes 21 42
No 29 58
Total 50 100

Source: primary data

Chart 4.11: Chart showing whether the respondent purchase any footwear at
cheaper price with less brand and quality

No. of respondents
35

30

25

20

No. of respondents
15

10

0
Yes No

Interpretation:

It is obvious from the above data that 58% customers do not purchase footwear with
cheaper price, less quality and low brand. 42% respondents do purchase footwear of
low quality, brand and cheaper price.

38
Table 4.12: Table showing whether the respondent feels that branded shoes
represent the status symbol of a person in the society

Particulars No. of respondents Percentage

Yes 36 72
No 09 18
Indifferent 05 10
Total 50 100
Source: primary data
Chart 4.12: Chart showing whether the respondent feels that branded shoes
represent the status symbol of a person in the society

No. of respondents

40

35

30

25

20 No. of respondents

15

10

0
Yes No Indifferent

Interpretation:

The above table reveals that 72% respondents feel using branded footwear as a status
symbol and 18% do not agree with this statement. While there are 10% with
indifferent opinion.

39
Table 4.13: Table showing the preference of the customer in buying any product
when he or she is aware about the validity of that product in the market

Particulars No. of respondents Percentage

Bata 20 40
Nike 14 28
Puma 10 20
Adidas 04 08
Other 02 04
Total 50 100

Source: primary data

Chart 4.13: Chart showing the preference of the customer in buying any product
when he or she is aware about the validity of that product in the market

No. of respondents

20

15

10 No. of respondents

0
Bata Nike Puma Adidas Other

Interpretation:

Validity plays important role in the buying decision, according to customer views
Bata has the highest validity while comparing to branded footwear in the present
market. As per the analysis we found that the BATA is most popular brand among
consumers so it serves the majority and have strong competition with other brands.

40
Table 4.14: Table showing customers satisfaction level according to the brands
available in the market

Particulars No. of respondents Percentage

Bata 17 34
Nike 12 24
Puma 13 26
Adidas 03 06
Other 05 10
Total 50 100

Source: primary data

Chart 4.14: Chart showing customers satisfaction level according to the brands
available in the market

No. of respondents

18
16
14
12
10
No. of respondents
8
6
4
2
0
Bata Nike Puma Adidas Other

Interpretation:

The vast majority of the clients are fulfilled by the Bata items, after Bata clients are
fulfilled by the results of panther. The image of the brand affects the purchasing
decision; study concludes that BATA is popular brand among other brands with
highest number of respondents i.e., 34%.

41
Table 4.15: Table showing whether the respondents feel that brand loyalty refers
to that a customer being permanent consumer of a brand and he never switch
over to other brand

Particulars No. of respondents Percentage

Yes 20 40
No 30 60
Total 50 100
Source: primary data
Chart 4.15: Chart showing whether the respondents feel that brand loyalty
refers to that a customer being permanent consumer of a brand and he never
switch over to other brand

No. of respondents
35

30

25

20

No. of respondents
15

10

0
Yes No

Interpretation:

As per the analysis we found that, only 40% is the loyal customers and 60% will
change their brands if all the qualities are available with the new product.

42
Table 4.16: Table showing whether the respondents feel that the prices are
generally determined by market conditions

Particulars No. of respondents Percentage

Yes 46 92
No 04 08
Total 50 100
Source: primary data
Chart 4.16: Chart showing whether the respondents feel that the prices are
generally determined by market conditions

No. of respondents
50

45

40

35

30

25
No. of respondents
20

15

10

0
Yes No

Interpretation:

According to the analysis we found that majority of the customer’s change their
purchasing decision if there is any increase in price. 46 customers said that prices are
determined by seeing market condition, but another 4 customers are against this.

43
Table 4.17: Table showing how many members of the respondent’s family uses
Bata footwear
Particulars No. of respondents Percentage
None 03 06
Just myself 12 24
Many 35 70

Total 50 100
Source: primary data
Chart 4.17: Chart showing how many members of the respondent’s family uses
Bata footwear

No. of respondents

35

30

25

20
No. of respondents

15

10

0
None Just myself Many

Interpretation:

From the above figures it is clear that 24%respondents are using Bata footwear for
themselves. 70% responded that many members of their family use Bata footwear.
Only 6% said no one of their family is using Bata footwear.

44
Table 4.18: Table showing customers opinion on the statement: “Bata is an
Indian brand”

Particulars No. of respondents Percentage

Agree 20 40
Disagree 18 36
Not aware 12 24

Total 50 100

Source: primary data

Chart 4.18: Chart showing customers opinion on the statement: “Bata is an

Indian brand”

No. of respondents

20

18

16

14

12

10 No. of respondents

0
Agree Disagree Not aware

Interpretation:

As per above analysis 40% respondents know that Bata is an Indian brand. Only 24%
respondents are there who are not aware of this fact.

45
 5. FINDINGS, SUGGESTIONS & CONCLUSION

5.1 FINDINGS:

 We found that 78% of the people are brand conscious while purchasing shoe
for themselves, where as 22% do not consider brand name.
 When the respondents were asked about the their brand preferred BATA is
42% of the people occupy
 The deciding factors for buying shoes for people are mainly based on
 Comfort
 Quality
 Brand Name
 Price
 As per the survey people are not prepared to a signal brand
 We found that Packaging and personality do not matter the People

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5.2 SUGGESTIONS:
 The brand is the major to the people we the brands should be quality and
the nominate price
 The price of the branded shoes must be reduced to increase sales
 New lines of collections should be introduced to increase the sales and
preference of the customers
 Brand is the major one so the quality should match to the price
 Customers should feel the Fuser Friendly with the brands.

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5.3 CONCLUSION:
Bata India is the largest retailer and leading manufacturer of footwear in India and is a
part of the Bata shoes organization .it is having more than 3000 dealers all over the
country. The customer satisfaction study conducted in Bata shows the majority of the
respondents are overall satisfied with the product provided by Bata. The satisfied
customer contributes greater favors to the company in their growth and development
.a minority of customer are dissatisfied. This dissatisfaction occurs due to minor and
natural reason. Now the company is trying to analyses and studies the fast changing
customer expectation and makes steps to fulfill that in a good manner.

The organizational culture and experiences enables the researcher about the endless
opportunities which are enjoyed by the company. The existing excellent infrastructure
in company provides a strong foundation for the company’s future progress

The research design has quoted two hypothesis know as null hypothesis and
alternative hypothesis at the end of my research, on the basis of respondents response
to my questionnaire I would like to accept the alternative hypothesis’s. Alternative
hypothesis clearly specifies that there is an association between the customer
satisfaction and products and services provided by Bata Company.

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 6. BIBLIOGRAPHY

BOOKS:

1. NareshK. Malhotra, “Marketing Research: An Applied Orientation”, 4th Edition.

Prentice Hall, 2004.
2. Philip Kotler, Kevin Lane Keller, Abraham Koshy, MithileshwarJha., “Marketing
Management – A south Indian perspective”, 13thedition.Pearson Education, 2009.
3. Kothari C R, “Research Methodology”, 2nd edition.New Delhi; New Age
International Publication, 2009.
WEBSITES:

4. www.articlebase.com

5. www.scribbed.com

6. www.bata.com

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 APPENDIX

QUESTIONNAIRE

I, Riswana C, pursuing my final year BCom under SDE Kannur University. As a

part of curriculum requirements I am conducting a survey entitled: “A Study on
the effect of brand image on consumer taste and preference with special reference
to Bata Company”. I would be grateful to you, if you could spare a few minutes
and fill up this questionnaire. I assure you that the information filled will remain
confidential.
Thank you
RISWANA C

NAME :
GENDER :
PROFESSION :

1. How frequently do you purchaser footwear?

Once in a month once in 3 month once in 6 months
Once in a year Once in a while
2. Are you brand conscious of footwear?
Yes No
3. If you are going to buy a pair of shoes, which brand would you like to choose?
Bata Nike Puma Others
4. Which is the most important element while you select footwear?
Brand Quality Price Packaging
Comfort Personality Others
5. Are you brand loyal to any brand below in terms of footwear industry?
Bata Nike Puma Reebok
Regularly switch to other brands
6. What are the main factors if you switch to buy the footwear of another brand?
Quality Price Innovation Advertisement
Other

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7. Have you bought any footwear influenced by any ways of marketing or branding
programs?
Yes No
8. While buying, do you consider environment friendliness in the footwear?

Yes No

9. Do you know whether Bata is offering personalized or customized footwear?

Yes No

10. Do you consider Bata to be a one stop family store?

Yes No

11. Do you buy any footwear at cheaper price with less brand and quality?

Yes No

12. The branded shoes represent status symbol of a person in the society?

Yes No Indifferent

13. Rate the preference of the customer buying any product when he or she aware
about the validity of that product in the market?

Bata Nike Puma Adidas

Others

14. A customer like only that brand which provide him or her more satisfaction as
compared to other brands available in the market?

Bata Nike Puma Adidas

Others

15. Brand loyalty refers to that a customer being permanent consumer of brand and he
never switch over to the other brand?

Yes No

16. Prices are generally determined by market conditions?

Yes No

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17. How many members in your family use Bata footwear?

None Just myself Many

18. Given below is a statement about the brand Bata. Express your opinion about
same:”Bata is an Indian brand”?

Agree Disagree I am not aware

19. Any suggestions

…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………

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