Primaxci MARCH 2014

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Karnataka Reg. No. : 48/159/CE/0103/2013 ISSN No.

2321-3604

PG Dept. of Commerce Computer Application


ST. JOSEPH'S COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS)
Affiliated to Bharathidasan University
rd
Re-accredited with 'A' Grade in 3 Cycle by NAAC
Tiruchirappalli-2, Tamil Nadu, India.

Special Issue March 2014

This Seminar Pinches the Probing MIND

National Conference on Mo
dern
Dynamics in E-Commerc
e

www.primaxijcmr.com
Sponsored by
Primax International Journal of Commerce and Management Research
( Primax Commerce and Management Research Academy, Bangalore- 60, Karnataka)
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS

Prof. T. Rajeswari, M.Sc.,M.A(Eng).,M.B.A.,M.A.,(Sociology)


Founder, Primax Commerce and Management Research Academy,
Bangalore-60, Karnataka.
Ph: +91 8971725451, Email: [email protected]

Dr. K.V.Ramanathan., M.Com.,M.Phil.,P.G.D.B.S.,M.B.A.,Ph.D


Professor of Finance and Marketing, Research Advisor,
Bangalore -60, Karnataka.
Ph: +91 9986530012, Email:[email protected], [email protected]

Dr.V. Selvaraj Dr. M. Chandrasekarna,


Head & Associate Professor, Professor- Marketing & Finance,
Nehru Memorial College (Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan College. Perambalure. Trichy.
Dr M.Muthu Gopalakrishnan Dr. R. Rajan
Associate Professor, Founder,
Acharya Bangalore B School, Bangalore. Navraj Educational and Charitable Trust, Coimbatore.
Organization Committee
Dr. L. Manivannan, DR. Abhinaya Chandra Saha
Reader in Corporate Secretaryship, Director, Institute of Business Administration (IBA),
Erode Arts College, Erode. University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh.
Dr.G.Ganesan , Dr. Waleed Hmedat
Professor & Head, Director, School of Commerce , Dean, Oman College of Management & Technology,
Bharathiar University, Coimbatore. Barka, Sultanate of Oman
Dr. B.Rajasekaran, Dr. R.Karunakaran
Professor& Head, Department of Management Studies, Associate Professor, College of Business and Economics
Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli. Hawassa University, Awassa, Ethiopia.
Dr.M.Selvam, Dr G. Ramesh
Professor and Head, Department of Commerce and Financial Faculty - Business Studies, IBRA College of Technology,
Studies,Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli. Sultanate of Oman.
Dr. A. Elangovan, Dr. Mohammad Ayub Islam
Professor and Head, Department of Commerce, Professor – Common wealth Fellow, Department of Accounting
Periyar University, Salem. & Information Systems, University of Chittagong, Bangladesh.
Dr.S.Kevin, Dr. Mubarak,
Director, TKM Institute of Management, Professor – Finance, Oman College of Management &
Former Pro Vice-Chancellor, University of Kerala. Technology, Barka, Sultanate of Oman.
Dr.M Gomatheeswaran, Dr. Veena Tewari Nandi
Associate Professor & Head, Commerce and Research Faculty of Business Management,
Department, CMS College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore. Majan college (University College), Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.
Dr.D.Mavoothu, Dr. T. Ravi,
Associate Professor in HRM & Ethics, Assistant Professor in Accounting & Finance,
School of Management Studies, Cochin University of Science Modern College of Business & Science, Sultanate of Oman.
and Technology, Kochi- Kerala. Dr.M. Tamilselvan,
Dr.N.Panchanatham, Associate Professor, Department of Management studies, IBRI
Professor and Head, Department of Business Administration, College of Technology, Sulthanate of Oman.
Annamalai University, Annamalainagar. Dr. T. Srinivasa Rao
Dr. G. Raju Professor, Senior Lecturer, Business Management
Department of Commerce,University of Kerala, International College of Automotive (ICAM)Pekan, Malaysia
Thiruvenanthapuram, Kerala Dr. E. Mubarak Ali,
Dr. Mohammad Israr Associate Professor & Research Adviser, Jamal Mohamed
Principal, Balaji Engineering College Junagadh Gujarat. College ( Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli

Peer Review Members


Review Members
Chief In Editor Prof. J. Rajees Prof. A. Hendry Ruban
Dr. D. John Prabakaran Dr.F.X.Virgin Fraga Dr.N. Maheswari
Head, Dept. of Commerce CA. Prof. J.Arputha Sahaya Raj Prof. S.Jerome
Primax International Journal of Commerce and Management Research ISSN : 2321-3604

Primax International Journal of


Commerce and Management Research
(PIJCMR)

• Research Papers • Articles • Case studies

Primax Commerce and Management Research Academy


# 1432, 11th Cross, Kengeri Satellite town,
Bangalore -60. Karnataka. Ph:09986530012
Email: [email protected], [email protected]
www.primaxijcmr.com

Vol.2,Special Issue March 2014 Page I


Primax International Journal of Commerce and Management Research ISSN : 2321-3604

Managing Editor:
Prof. T. Rajeswari., M.Sc.,M.A(Eng).,M.B.A.,M.A.(Soc).,

Coordinator:
Dr.K.V.Ramanathan.,
Professor –in –Finance
Dayananda Sagar Business School,
Bangalore -78

Dr.V.Selvaraj
Head & Associate Professor,
Nehru Memorial College (Autonomous),Tiruchirappalli.

Dr M.Muthu Gopalakrishnan
Associate Professor,
Acharya Bangalore B School, Bangalore.

Publisher:
Primax Commerce and Management Research Academy, Bangalore-60
(Karnataka Reg.: 48/159/CE/0103/2013)

Issue:

Special Issue – Volume – II, March 2014

COPYRIGHT:
1. All rights reserved. And Copyright © 2013, Primax Commerce and Management Research
Academy.
2. Reproduction of any part of this Journal in the whole or in part without written permission from the
publisher is prohibited .
3. All rights reserved ISSN: 2321-3604

Contact:
Prof. T. Rajeswari., M.B.A.,M.A(Eng.) M.Sc.,M.A(Soc)
Founder and Managing Editor,
Primax Commerce and Management Research Academy,
#1432, 11th Cross, Kengeri Satellite town,
Bangalore -60.
Karnataka. Ph: +91 9986530012, +91 8971725451
Email: [email protected], [email protected],

Vol.2,Special Issue March 2014 Page II


Primax International Journal of Commerce and Management Research ISSN : 2321-3604

Editor Desk "


Dear All

Greetings to one and all…….

Since several years I was aspiring to reach all my colleagues of commerce and management fraternity
through print and social media. This journal “Primax International journal of Commerce and Management
Research” is reflection of this yearning desire.
I am aware “Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent
direction and skilful execution”. My colleagues are with me as “pillars of strength” resonating the same
values.
I seek your help in this pursuit of excellence by the contribution of excellence articles stimulating innovative
ideas for dynamic market needs, which is powered by speed and quality concepts.
I reassure you, I keep in mind the great words of our former president of India A.P.J. Abdul Kalam “as a
citizen of India, armed with knowledge, technical expertise, and above all a great sense of patriotism, we
must realize that small aim is a crime”.
Primax International journal of Commerce and Management Research not only aims to encourage the
qualitative research work but also it is felt that the extent of contribution by the Management Academicians
and Institution is highly imperative at this juncture than any other discipline.

Authors have the liberty to extend valuable contributions in their specialized areas in a broader spectrum.
The contribution shall be from transitions and challenges in areas such as marketing, finance, human
resource, logistics and supply chain, event management, product, production and operation management,
consumer buying behavior, talent management, knowledge management, best practices of notable
corporate houses and businesses. We welcome reviews on books, blogs, case studies, research papers,
working papers and so forth to express that you intend to communicate. Your suggestion will help for
further enrichment of the journal to stand ahead of the rest. It is best assured it will maintain its quality and
timely presentation of the authors that shall be shared by all. “Please enrich me not to give a fish to eat but
teach to catch a fish”, your stimulating contribution is the diet for this journal.

I once again thank all my colleagues, well-wishers, friends and above all God almighty who stood by me
from concept to commissioning of this journal.

Wish you all a grand success!

With Regards

Prof. T.Rajeswari., M.Sc.,M.A(Eng.).,M.B.A.,M.A (Soc)


Managing Editor- PIJCMR.

“The secret of life is not enjoyment, but education through experience”. And Experience is
the only source of knowledge.
-Swami Vivekananda

Vol.2,Special Issue March 2014 Page III


Primax International Journal of Commerce and Management Research ISSN : 2321-3604

Contents
Sl.No. Title of the Articles Page No.

1. Impact of Vat In Tamil Nadu – A Study In Dindigul District 1-7


- Dr. D. John Prabakaran
2. Micro Finance And Women Entrepreneurship - A Study of Milk Vendors 8 - 12
-Dr.M.Sindhuja

3. Financial Performance of Steel Industries – Sail And Tata – A Comparision 13 - 18


- M.Benedict, Dr.M.Sindhuja

4. An Inquiry on Consumer Satisfaction of Care Mineral Water In Tiruchirappalli 19 - 25


- Miss. R. Vinola, Dr. R. Swaminathan
5. A Study on Stress Among The Employees of Shipping Industry With 26 - 29
Reference To Thoothukudi - S.rajaram
6. A Study On The Internet Access In Mobile - An Overview 30 - 34
- S.Abirami, F.Ramesh Kumar
7. A Comparative Study on The Modern Marketing Service Rendered 35 - 40
By Hdfc And Sbi In Trichy Town -S.Leo , Dr.D.Johnprabakaren

8. “A Study on Consumer Preference Towards Flipkart online Shopping With 41 - 46


Special Reference To Hostel Students, St.joseph’s College”
- Vignesh K
9. A Study on The Effects of Product Endorsements By Celebrities 47 - 52
on Consumers - S. Maris Shinia Clarissia

10. Implication of Customer Relationship Management: A New Vistas of Indian 53 - 58


Business In Global Scenario -B. Augustine Arockiaraj

11. Recent Developments In Web/Internet Marketing And E-commerce 59 - 63


- Dr. T. Joseph Rex , J. Arputha Sahaya Raj
12 . The Need of Virtual Learning In Education Environment 64 - 66
- Suganthi. R , Dr.C.EugineFranco
13. An Inquiry Into Hr Accounting Practices of Selected Indian Organizations 67 - 75
- Suzanne Faustina Felix

14. A Study On Employees Quality of Work Life With Special Reference To 76 - 80


Toolfab Engineering Private Ltd Company, Thuvakudi.
- J.Vanmathi, M.Suhanya, R.NagaLakshmi

Vol.2,Special Issue March 2014 Page IV


Primax International Journal of Commerce and Management Research ISSN : 2321-3604

15. An Analytical Inquiry On Customer’s Attitude Towards Credit Cards With 81 - 85


Special Reference To State Bank of India In Trichy Town
- D. Selvalakshmi , Dr. K. Kumar
16. An Analysis On Consumer Behaviour of Cosmetic Users In Trichy District 86 - 90
- R. Santhaseela , Dr. R. Saravanan
17. Pros And Cons of Bancaassurance 91 - 95
-E. Miracle Muthu Mary, T. Shanmuga Priya
18. A Study On Customer Satisfaction & Awareness On E-banking 96 - 104
W Special Reference To Trichy Town
-R. Manikandan, Dr. S. Christuraja
19. A Study On Consumer Preferance Towards Laptops With Special 105 - 110
Reference To Tiruchirappalli Town - J. Arputha Sahaya Raj,
B.Adikkalamary , Y. Milton , B. Santhiya
20. The Journey of Ecommerce In India : A Road Map Showing The Surfacing 111 - 113
Prospects And Hurdles
- M. Antony Jesuraja , S. Domnic Xavier
21. A Study on Analysis of Employees Working Environment With 114 - 119
Special Reference To Srf Pvt Ltd.viralimali
- V.Vignesh, N. Gobinath , N.Guru, Dr. D. John Prakaran
22. Study On Quality Of Work Life In Baby Engineering Industries, Trichy 120 - 123
- Prof. A. Hendry Ruban , B. Sudha , S. Kathiravan, A. Saranya
23. A Study on Customer Satisfaction In E-banking With Special 124 - 129
Reference To Iob, Icici Banks In Tiruchirappalli Town
-Y. Moydheen Sha
24. A Study On Customer Satisfaction Towards Professional Courier 130 - 134
Services Response In Trichirappli
- Rajees.J , Matharasi Vidhyabharathi.V, Aravinth.R, Kowsalya devi S
25. A Comparative Study On Modern Marketing Services Rendered 135 - 139
By Sbi And Icici In Trichy District
- Dr.F.X.Virgin Fraga, M.Merin Fernando, D.Vedha Lakshmi, T.Ramya

26. A Study On Women Empowerment Through Entrepreneurship 140 - 144


With Special Reference To Tiruchirappalli Town
- Pradeepa Sriniwasan

27. A Study On Depression And Stress Among College Students 145 - 149
In Tiruchirappalli Town
- Dr. N. Maheswari, B. Poornima

28. A Study On Consumer Behavior Towards Drinking Water In Trichy District 150 - 157
- T. Priyanka, Dr. N. Mahewari

Vol.2,Special Issue March 2014 Page V


Primax International Journal of Commerce and Management Research ISSN : 2321-3604

29. A Study On Internet Marketing Research: Opportunities And Problems 158 - 161
- M.G. Saranya, Prof. A. Hendry Ruban
30. A study on performance Appraisal and services of Government 162 - 165
Hospital in Trichy
- Palanichamy.S, Dr A Francis Vijayakumar
31. The Study of Market Potential And Customer Preferences of 166 - 170
Spencer Retail Private Limited In Tiruchirappalli District
- Robert nelson.J, Dr. Francis Vijayakumar.A
32. Benefits Of Currency Hedging To Export Companies 171 - 175
- Dr. R.Mayakkannan, S.Jayashree
33. A Study on Women Entrepreneurs In Tiruchirappalli District of Tamilnadu 176 - 180
- Dr.P. Jayakumr, Dr. M. Vincentsahayaraj

34. Study on Select Bancassurance Companies In India - M.ESWARI 181 - 186

35. A Study On Customer Satisfaction Towardsairtel Mobile Sim 187 - 189


Service In Trichirappalli District - Vaidheeswaran. G
36. A Study on Customer’s Satisfaction Towards Retail Services in Trichy. 190 - 193
- Joe Johny Britto.J
37. Corporate Social Responsibility 194 - 198
- G. Praveena, A.vellimalarRuby
38. “A Study On Satisfaction Level Of E-marketing User.” 199 - 204
- B. Nalini, F.Ramesh Kumar

39. A Study on Implementation of 5‘S’in Hotel Ramyas Pvt Ltd. Tiruchirappalli 205 - 211
- Venkatesan.S
40. The Study on Corporate Social Responsibility In Emerging 212 - 214
Markets-itc E-choupal - R.Ethelbert Preethi
41. A Study on The Reducing Stress In The Workplace of Select Private 215 - 222
Sector Sugar Mill In Tamilnadu - F. Ramesh kumar, B.Nalini
42. A Study on Problems Faced By Shgs In Lalgudi Taluk, Trichy
223 - 227
- S. Anitha, M.Revathi , Dr. N. Maheshwari
43. A Study on Consumer Preference For Compact Fluorescent
Lamp (Cfl) In Tiruchirappalli City 228 - 235
- M. Thiru Murugan, Dr. N. Maheshwari

44. Business Case For Corporate Social Responsibility 236 - 237


- P. Reeta, P. Kalaivani

Vol.2,Special Issue March 2014 Page VI


Primax International Journal of Commerce and Management Research ISSN : 2321-3604

45. A Study on The organizational Climate In Ordnance Factory, Tiruchirappalli 238 - 241
- Dr. F.X. Virgin Fraga
46. Stress Management Models And Techniques
242 - 245
- A.Chinnakaruppan, Dr. L. Leo Franklin

47. A Study on Assessment of Employability Skills Among 246 - 250


Final Year Arts And Science College Students In Tiruchirappalli Town.
- Dr. S. Joseph Xavier, J. Rajees
251 - 257
48. An Empirical Study on E-banking Practices And Customer Satisfaction
- Dr. S.P. Dhandayuthapani
49. Marketing Mix Strategies of Private Label Brands (Plbs) In Organized 258 - 264
Retail Outlets In Chennai, Tamilnadu - An Empirical Investigation
- K.R. Mahalaxmi1, Dr. A. Velanganni Joseph

Vol.2,Special Issue March 2014 Page VII


Primax International Journal of Commerce and Management Research ISSN : 2321-3604

IMPACT OF VAT IN TAMIL NADU – A STUDY IN DINDIGUL


DISTRICT
1
Dr. D. JOHN PRABAKARAN

ABSTRACT
Rationalization and harmonization of commodity taxation is a serious problem of the Indian tax system. The root of
this problem lies in federal structure of the Indian constitution which makes intricate arrangements for the division of
taxation powers between the central and state government. Many trading communities, enterprises, dealers and the
general public are not aware of VAT in its fullest context. In the existing sales tax structure there are problems of double
taxation on commodity and multiplicity of taxes, resulting in cascading tax burden. Today’s global economy, demands
a consistent, legal and regulatory tax framework to support electronic transactions across stage, national and international
boundaries. This study makes an attempt to study the VAT and its implementation process.

INTRODUCTION is a special type of indirect tax in which a sum of money


In the Globalized economy, almost all the countries in is levied at a particular stage in the sale of a product or
the world have come through many changes in the mode service.
of their taxation and policy in order to accommodate
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
new economic order. India is not an exception to this
order of the day. Rationalization and harmonization of commodity taxation
is a serious problem of the Indian tax system. The root
As many countries predict, India is going to be the super of this problem lies in federal structure of the Indian
economic power in the years to come and also very constitution which makes intricate arrangements for the
much ready and be accommodative always in accepting division of taxation powers between the central and state
the new changes in the economic order, the government government. The problem has been further compounded
of India reaps fruits from the changes they have by the confrontation politics pursued by different political
undergone in the last ten years. Value Added Tax (VAT) parties ruling at the centre and in the states.
is also an important and new dimension programme by
which the Government of India is ready to venture in the Many trading communities, enterprises, dealers and the
taxation policies and procedures. It was first initiated general public are not aware of VAT in its fullest context.
in Brazil in 1960 and then in the European countries in In the existing sales tax structure there are problems of
the early 1970’s. But in India it was implemented on the double taxation on commodity and multiplicity of taxes,
1st April 2005 and in Tamil Nadu it was introduced in resulting in cascading tax burden.
2007.
Initially, the public hue and cry against the introduction
VAT is aiming at the creation of the national common of Value Added Tax (VAT) had posed a great problem in
market. It is also required under the General Agreement its implementation. The traders and business men had
on Tariff and Trade (GATT) 1994, of World Trade projected VAT as the root cause of increase in price of
Organization. It means, any internal Indirect Tax imposed goods. Business community exploited that VAT will lead
by a member state should be neutral for the smooth to price rise and as such it is unconstitutional to replace
flow of world trade in goods and services. It is also it with existing sales tax. However the real reason is
agreed that in international trade, the principles of equal different. There is less scope of tax evasion under VAT
treatment should be followed. Therefore VAT is seen and there will be strict tax compliance. The trading
as reflection of the successful way in which the tax can community wants to retain the scope of tax evasion, as
be used in the growth of world trade, because of its it existed under sales tax structure.
neutral aspect. Today’s global economy, demands a consistent, legal
Value Added Tax or VAT is levied on top of the cost of a and regulatory tax framework to support electronic
product or service and generates revenue for the transactions across stage, national and international
government. Value Added Tax, popularly known as ‘VAT’ boundaries. This study makes an attempt to study the
VAT and its implementation process.

1
Asst. Professor of Commerce and Head, Dept. of Commerce CA, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy.

Vol.2, Special Issue March 2014 Page 1


Primax International Journal of Commerce and Management Research ISSN : 2321-3604

OBJECTIVES
1. To study the details about the VAT system.
2. To study the price and revenue trends in Dindigul District after implementation of VAT.
3. To give suggestions to implement VAT system in an effective manner.

METHODOLOGY
The secondary data were collected from journals, periodicals, books and reports, published articles, and also
through the data provided by the Commercial Tax Office, Dindigul to collect more information relevant to this research.

DINDIGUL DISTRICT COMMERCIAL TAX ASSESSMENT CIRCLES

S.No Name of the Name of the Assessment


C.T District Circles
1 Dindigul-I, Assessment Circle
2 Dindigul-II, Assessment Circle
3 Dindigul-III, Assessment Circle
4 Dindigul-IV, Assessment Circle
5 DINDIGUL Dindigul-V, Assessment Circle
6 Dindigul Rural Assessment Circle
7 Palani-I Assessment Circle
8 Palani-II Assessment Circle
9 Nilakottai Assessment Circle
10 Kodaikanal Assessment Circle
Source : Office of Deputy Commissioner (CT)(FAC), Dindigul.

REVENUE TREND
VAT is an efficient and tax payer-friendly system of taxation of goods and services in the country, in line with
international best practices as well as the special characteristics of the Indian economy. The main objective of VAT
is improving tax compliance and also increases the revenue of the government. Keeping this objective in view, this
is an attempt has been made to analyze the revenue trend of Dindigul district commercial tax division.

4.4.1 Revenue Collection of Dindigul District AC- 1 Division

Collection
S.No Years Trend Value
(Rs. in lakhs)
1. 2002-03 147.79 169.29

2. 2003-04 168.71 165.94

3. 2004-05 167.73 162.59

4. 2005-06 187.27 159.24

5. 2006-07 180.62*** 155.89

6. 2007-08 114.50 152.54

7. 2008-09 148.48 149.19


***
( 2006-2007 inclusive of three months VAT period 1.1.2007 on wards)

Vol.2, Special Issue March 2014 Page 2


Primax International Journal of Commerce and Management Research ISSN : 2321-3604

The table 4.4.1 which shows the revenue collection of Dindigul District AC- 1 Division and its trend values. During
the periods 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 the revenue collection was Rs. 147.79 lakhs, Rs. 168.71
lakhs, Rs. 167.73 lakhs, Rs. 187.27 lakhs respectively and their trend values were 169.29, 165.94, 162.59,159.24.
During the periods 2007-08 and 2008-09 the revenue collection was Rs. 114.50 lakhs, Rs.148.48 lakhs respectively.
Their trend values were 152.54 and 149.19. In the TNGST period there were uneven ups and downs in the collection
of the tax revenue whereas after implementing VAT system tax revenue was in an increased trend. Generally
revenue collection has decreased during the VAT period comparing to TNGST period. In Dindigul District AC- 1
Division within the VAT period the revenue has increased during 2008-09 comparing it to the previous year.

4.4.2 Revenue Collection of Dindigul District CTO - 2 Division

Collection
S.No Years Trend Value
(Rs. in lakhs)
1. 2002-03 251.18 241.23

2. 2003-04 285.85 262.82

3. 2004-05 229.53 284.41

4. 2005-06 306.91 306.00

5. 2006-07 351.23*** 327.59

6. 2007-08 343.74 349.18

7. 2008-09 373.56 370.77


***
( 2006-2007 inclusive of three months VAT period 1.1.2007 on wards)
Source : Commercial Tax Office, Dindigul

The following details have been observed from the table 4.4.2 which shows the revenue collection of Dindigul District
CTO - 2 Division and its trend values. During the periods 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 the revenue
collection was Rs. 251.18 lakhs,Rs. 285.85 lakhs, Rs. 229.53 lakhs, Rs. 306.91 lakhs respectively and their trend
values were 241.23, 262.82, 284.41, 306.00. During the periods 2007-08 and 2008-09 the revenue collection was
Rs. 343.74 lakhs, Rs.373.56 lakhs respectively. Their trend values were 349.18 and 370.77. In the TNGST period
there were uneven ups and downs in the collection of the tax revenue; whereas after implementing VAT system tax
revenue was in an increased trend. Generally revenue has increased after implementation of VAT in Dindigul II
assessment circle.
4.4.3 Revenue Collection of Dindigul- III Assessment Circle

Collection
S.No Years Trend Value
(Rs. in lakhs)
1. 2002-03 253.88 197.91

2. 2003-04 235.28 218.66

3. 2004-05 188.41 239.41

4. 2005-06 222.88 260.16

5. 2006-07 212.80*** 280.91

6. 2007-08 334.86 301.66

7. 2008-09 373.02 322.41


***
( 2006-2007 inclusive of three months VAT period 1.1.2007 on wards)
Source: Commercial Tax Office, Dindigul

Vol.2, Special Issue March 2014 Page 3


Primax International Journal of Commerce and Management Research ISSN : 2321-3604

The following details have been observed from the table 4.4.3 which shows the revenue collection of Dindigul-III
Assessment Circle and its trend values. During the periods 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 the revenue
collection was Rs. 253.88 lakhs, Rs. 235.28 lakhs, Rs. 188.41 lakhs, Rs. 222.88 lakhs respectively and their trend
values were 197.91, 218.66, 239.41, 260.16. During the periods 2007-08 and 2008-09 the revenue collection was
Rs. 334.86 lakhs, Rs.373.02 lakhs respectively. Their trend values were 301.66 and 322.41. In the TNGST period
there were uneven ups and downs in the collection of the tax revenue whereas after implementing VAT system tax
revenue was in an increased trend. Generally revenue has increased after implementation of VAT in Dindigul III
assessment circle.
4.4.4 Revenue Collection of Dindigul –IV Assessment Circle

Collection
S.No Years Trend Value
(Rs. in lakhs)
1. 2002-03 94.89 104.03

2. 2003-04 122.44 128.81

3. 2004-05 165.03 153.59

4. 2005-06 188.33 178.37

5. 2006-07 211.73*** 203.15

6. 2007-08 222.10 227.93

7. 2008-09 244.13 252.71


***
( 2006-2007 inclusive of three months VAT period 1.1.2007 on wards)
Source : Commercial Tax Office, Dindigul

The following details have been observed from the table 4.4.4 which shows the revenue collection of Dindigul-IV
Assessment Circle and its trend values. During the periods 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 the revenue
collection was Rs. 94.89 lakhs, Rs. 122.44 lakhs, Rs. 165.03 lakhs, Rs. 188.33 lakhs respectively and their trend
values were 104.03, 128.81, 153.59, 178.37. During the periods 2007-08 and 2008-09 the revenue collection was
Rs. 222.10 lakhs, Rs.244.13 lakhs respectively. Their trend values were 227.93 and 252.71. Before and after
implementation of VAT system the tax revenue was in an increasing trend. Generally revenue has increased after
implementation of VAT in Dindigul IV assessment circle.

4.4.5 Revenue Collection of Dindigul-V Assessment Circle

Collection
S.No Years Trend Value
(Rs. in lakhs)
1. 2002-03 242.05 269.07

2. 2003-04 313.44 299.79

3. 2004-05 330.01 330.51

4. 2005-06 358.93 361.23

5. 2006-07 441.54*** 391.95

6. 2007-08 426.05 422.67

7. 2008-09 416.59 453.39


***
( 2006-2007 inclusive of three months VAT period 1.1.2007 on wards)
Source: Commercial Tax Office, Dindigul

Vol.2, Special Issue March 2014 Page 4


Primax International Journal of Commerce and Management Research ISSN : 2321-3604

The following details have been observed from the table 4.4.5 which shows the revenue collection of Dindigul-V
Assessment Circle and its trend values. During the periods 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 the revenue
collection was Rs. 242.05 lakhs, Rs. 313.44 lakhs, Rs. 330.01 lakhs, Rs. 358.93 lakhs respectively and their trend
values were 269.07, 299.79, 330.51, 361.23. During the periods 2007-08 and 2008-09 the revenue collection was
Rs. 426.05 lakhs, Rs.416.59 lakhs respectively. Their trend values were 422.67 and 453.39. Under TNGST period
the tax revenue was in an increasing trend, but after implementation of VAT the tax revenue was decreased.
Generally revenue collection has increased during the VAT period comparing to TNGST period. In Dindugul V
Assessment circle, within the VAT period the revenue has decreased during 2008-09 comparing to previous year.
4.4.6 Revenue Collection of Dindigul (Rural) Assessment Circle

Collection
S.No Years Trend Value
(Rs. in lakhs)
1. 2002-03 2334.97 2696.68

2. 2003-04 2860.37 2873.82

3. 2004-05 3204.34 3050.96

4. 2005-06 3311.46 3228.10

5. 2006-07 4344.84*** 3405.24

6. 2007-08 3076.39 3582.38

7. 2008-09 3464.09 3759.52


***
( 2006-2007 inclusive of three months VAT period 1.1.2007 on wards)
Source : Commercial Tax Office, Dindigul

The following details have been observed from the table VAT registered dealers in Dindigul District AC - 1 Division
4.4.6 which shows the revenue collection of Dindigul were 350 as on 31.03.2009. In the TNGST period there
(Rural) Assessment Circle and its trend values. During were uneven ups and downs in the collection of the tax
the periods 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 the revenue whereas after implementing VAT system tax
revenue collection was Rs. 2334.97 lakhs, Rs. 2860.37 revenue has come down. Generally revenue collection
lakhs, Rs. 3204.34 lakhs, Rs. 3311.46 lakhs respectively has decreased during the VAT period comparing to TNGST
and their trend values were 2696.68, 2873.82, 3050.96, period.
3228.10. During the periods 2007-08 and 2008-09 the
revenue collection was Rs. 3076.39 lakhs, Rs.3464.09 The revenue trend of the Dindigul District CTO – 2 Division
lakhs respectively. Their trend values were 3582.38 and was increased during the VAT period. The number of
3759.52. Before and after the implementation of VAT VAT registered dealers in Dindigul District CTO – 2
system the tax revenue was in an increasing trend. Division were 414 as on 31.03.2009. In the TNGST period
Generally revenue collection has decreased during the there were uneven ups and downs in the collection of
VAT period comparing to TNGST period. In Dindugul the tax revenue; whereas after implementing VAT system
(Rural) Assessment circle, within the VAT period the tax revenue was in an increased trend. Generally revenue
Revenue has increased during 2008-09 comparing it to has increased after implementation of VAT in Dindigul
the previous year. District CTO – 2 Division.

MAJOR FINDINGS The revenue trend of the Dindigul –III Assessment Circle
was increased during the VAT period. The numbers of
Dindigul district is divided into 10 assessment circle.
VAT registered dealers in Dindigul III Assessment Circle
The revenue impact of VAT in the above said 10 circles
were 426 as on 31.03.2009. In the TNGST period there
were studied. The findings of that study were
was uneven ups and downs in the collection of the tax
summarized and given below:
revenue whereas after implementing VAT system tax
The revenue trend of the Dindigul District AC – 1 Division revenue was in an increased trend. Generally revenue
was decreased during the VAT period. The numbers of has increased after implementation of VAT in Dindigul III
assessment circle.

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The revenue trend of the Dindigul –IV Assessment Circle were 122 as on 31.03.2009. Before and after
was increased during the VAT period. The numbers of implementation of VAT system the tax revenue was in
VAT registered dealers in Dindigul-IV Assessment Circle an increasing trend. Generally revenue has come down
were 293 as on 31.03.2009. Before and after after the implementation of VAT.
implementation of VAT system the tax revenue was in
an increasing trend. Generally revenue has increased It is concluded that after implementation of VAT among
after implementation of VAT in Dindigul IV assessment the 10 circles in Dindigul revenue district five assessment
circle. circles tax revenue has been increased. (Dindigul District
CTO – 2 Division, Dindigul-III Assessment Circle,
The revenue trend of the Dindigul –V Assessment Circle Dindigul-IV Assessment Circle, Dindigul-V Assessment
was increased during the VAT period. The numbers of Circle and Dindigul (Rural) Assessment Circle. The
VAT registered dealers in Dindigul-V Assessment Circle remaining five assessment (Dindigul District AC – 1
were 456 as on 31.03.2009.Under TNGST period the Division, Palani –I Assessment Circle, Palani –II
tax revenue was in an increasing trend, but after Assessment Circle, Nilakottai Assessment Circle and
implementation of VAT the tax revenue was decreased. Kodaikanal Assessment Circle) circle tax revenue has
Generally revenue collection has increased during the been decreased due to the following reasons;
VAT period comparing to TNGST period.
™ After implementation of VAT due to the threshold
The revenue trend of the Dindigul (Rural) Assessment limit of turnover numbers of tax payers are reduced.
Circle was decreased during the VAT period. The
numbers of VAT registered dealers in Dindigul (Rural) ™ After implementation of VAT in Dindigul district
Assessment Circle were 663 as on 31.03.2009. Before dealers in Dindigul District AC – 1 Division, Palani
and after the implementation of VAT system the tax –I Assessment Circle, Palani –II Assessment Circle,
revenue was in an increasing trend. Generally revenue Nilakottai Assessment Circle and Kodaikanal
collection has decreased during the VAT period Assessment Circles have been traded maximum
comparing to TNGST period. number of exempted goods.

The revenue trend of the Palani -I Assessment Circle SUGGESTIONS


was decreased during the VAT period. The numbers of ™ At present Tamil Nadu Value Added Tax Act have
VAT registered dealers in Palani-I Assessment Circle four slab rates of tax. Those are 0%, 4%, 12.5%
were 350 as on 31.03.2009. Except the assessment and exempted. These multiple rates of tax have been
year 2005-06 tax revenue was in an increasing trend in creating classifications and interpretational disputes
TNGST and VAT periods. Generally revenue has come and other complications for business man. It is
down after the implementation of VAT. suggested that the number of rates should be two
rates among 1% - 4% for all goods that would be
The revenue trend of the Palani -II Assessment Circle covered for VAT.
was decreased during the VAT period. The numbers of
VAT registered dealers in Palani-II Assessment Circle ™ At present different rates of tax structure has been
were 323 as on 31.03.2009. Under TNGST period the followed under VAT system in different states of India.
tax revenue was in an increasing trend, but after It has created the problem of in inter-state sales,
implementation of VAT the tax revenue was decreased. relationship among states and in their administration.
Generally revenue has come down after the So, it is suggested uniform rates of tax should be
implementation of VAT. followed in all states of India. That would create good
relationship among the states, encourage inter-state
The revenue trend of the Nilakottai Assessment Circle sales and create a common market.
was decreased during the VAT period. The numbers of
VAT registered dealers in Nilakottai Assessment Circle ™ VAT is believed to be a complicated tax system; tax
were 352 as on 31.03.2009. Under TNGST period the payers may have many doubts and fears about VAT
tax revenue was in an increasing trend, but after requirements and VAT recording and accounting
implementation of VAT the tax revenue was decreased. system. It is suggested that state government should
Generally revenue has come down after the create a VAT public unit to address the tax payer’s
implementation of VAT. queries.

The revenue trend of the Kodaikanal Assessment Circle ™ VAT requires more preparation than any other form
was decreased during the VAT period. The numbers of of commodity tax and many difficulties in
VAT registered dealers in Kodaikanal Assessment Circle understanding VAT system for common people and

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there was a scope for negotiation, personal REFERENCE:


interruption and corruption. It is suggested that a
very simple, clear and adequate VAT law should be ™ Alan M. Cushnir, VAT and the Surrender of Leases,
formulated. An extensive general information Journal of Property Finance, 1992, Vol:3, Issue:2,
campaign to educate the public, businessmen and pp. 17-26.
traders on VAT should be launched. Information may ™ Amaresh Bagchi, VAT and State Autonomy,
be disseminated through media such as radio, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol XL No 18, April
television, newspaper leaflets and should organize 30-May 6, 2005.
seminars, workshops, training programmes, public
™ Amit Suresh Tolani & Nandkishor Ramkrishna Udgiri,
talk programmes, forums and meetings.
The Chartered Accountant Student, Vol. 10 ,No. 7,
CONCLUSION December 2006, pp. 9-13
VAT was aiming at the creation of the national common ™ Andrew D. Wells, VAT and property management:
market. Any internal Indirect Tax imposed by a member current details, Property Management, Vol:10,
state should be neutral for the smooth flow of world trade Issue:3,1992.
in goods and services. The value added tax system
™ Adams, Charles 1998, Those Dirty Rotten Taxes,
was designed to address various problems associated
with the conventional sales tax system. In General sales The Free Press, New York Ny.
tax, there was no provision for input tax credit, which ™ Adams, Charles, 1993, For Good and Evil: The
meant that the end consumer may pay tax on an input Impact of Taxes on the Course of Civilization,
that had already been taxed previously. This was known Madison Books.
as cascading effect and which lead to increase in
™ Astha Ahuja 2004, Value Added Tax Indian and Global
consumer tax and price levels, which resulted increasing
Experiences, New Century Publications, New Delhi,
the rate of evasion which is more detrimental to the
India.
economic growth. The main motive of implementing VAT
is to increase the revenue to the government by ™ Chittora B.K 2005, Value Added Tax, Mark
preventing tax evasions and unfair trade practices, Publishers, Jaipur, India.
prevailing in the modern market.

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MICRO FINANCE AND WOMEN


ENTREPRENEURSHIP - A STUDY OF MILK VENDORS
1
Dr.M.Sindhuja
ABSTRACT
This paper is an attempt to analyze the impact of micro finance on income and entrepreneurship of women in Milk
vending. The study was conducted in Ottanchathiram and Battalagundu blocks of Dindigul District where NABARD
and commercial banks and MahalirThittam extended micro finance to poorest among the poor women to take up Milk
vending venture as Income Generating Activity (IGA). Data collected through pre–tested schedule by personal
interview method. The Kollapatty village of K.Pudur Panjayat in Ottanchathiram block and Lakshmipuram village of
Mallarampatti Panchayat in Battalagundu block were selected. The total maintenance cost per annum per buffalo
was found Rs. 15188.23 in Ottanchathiram block and in Battalagundu block it was Rs.12893.75. The net return was
found to be Rs. 17599.31 in Ottanchathiram block and in Battalagundu block it was Rs.25655. In Dindigul district,18
NGO’s have been approved by the Tamil Nadu Corporation for Women Development for the year 2012-13. As on date
14609 SHGs groups have been formed under Mahalir Thittam with 2,21,562 women enrolled as members. Nearly 20
per cent of the SHG members in this District are involved in milk vending activity.

Introduction: the present paper to analyse the impact of this


Women constitute half of the world’s population, perform programme on empowerment of rural poor women as
nearly two thirds of its work hours but receive only one- dairy entrepreneurs after its 3 to 4 years operation in
tenth of income and own one-hundredth of property. They the study area. The assessment of impact of micro
are vital part of the Indian economy, constituting one finance on empowerment of rural women in terms of
third of the national labour force and forming a major income and employment may help bankers, planners
contributor to the survival of family. About 89 per cent of and policy makers to extend similar financial assistance
total female labour is involved in agriculture and allied for poor women entrepreneurs in other areas.
sectors. Women have extensive work load with dual
Objectives:
responsibility of farming in general and livestock and
household production in particular. • To Study the Socio- economic status of rural women
beneficiaries.
Micro finance is a broad term that includes deposits,
loans, payment services and insurance to poor. In • To Assess the Impact of Micro finance on income
general this concept is understood as providing poor and employment of rural women through dairy
families with small loans to help them to engage in enterprise.
productive activities or expand their tiny businesses.
Among various activities taken up by women, dairy Methodology :
enterprise has been considered as a potential means of To encourage the rural women, who are poorest among
alleviating large scale employment, especially in rural the poor in rural area and interested to take up dairy
areas. Women play a key role in animal, farm and home enterprise as an income generating activity were provided
management. Successful dairy not only improves the financial support for purchase of dairy animals particularly
socio-economic status of rural women, but also assures buffaloes through Self Help Groups in two villages of
a sustained and assured means of income to supplement Ottanchathiram and Battalagundu blocks in Dindigul
their income from the main enterprise. district, 10 women beneficiaries of Lakshmipuram village
in Battalagundu block and in Ottanchathiram block, 20
To improve the socio-economic conditions of rural women beneficiaries of Kollapatty village were selected
women, the Mahalir Thittam has extended micro finance for providing financial support. In all, 30 rural women
to poorest women entrepreneurs in the selected blocks beneficiaries who have availed financial support from the
of Dindigul district through SHGs during 2011-12 and Mahalir Thittam were selected for the present study.
2012-13. The main objective of this financial support for The data were collected from the respondents by personal
poor women entrepreneur was to improve their socio- interview method using pre-tested schedule prepared for
economic condition by engaging them in dairy enterprise the purpose. The secondary data relating to profile of
for generation of additional employment opportunity and the rural women beneficiaries prior to providing financial
enhancing their family income. An attempt is made in support was obtained from the reports maintained in the
1
Assistant Professor of Commerce, Saraswathi Narayanan College, Madurai

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office of the Mahalir Thittam Dindigul district. The tabular analysis and percentages were used to analyze the data.

Socio-Economic Status of Women Milk entrepreneurs :


The socio-economic status of women milk entrepreneurs in the selected blocks was analysed in Table-1 with the
help of the factors such as age, education, marital status and family type of the respondents.

Table - 1
Socio-economic profile of Women dairy Entrepreneurs
1. Age Group

Particulars OCMNumber ( % ) BLUNumber ( % ) Overall Number ( % )

Young (18 to 35 yrs ) 8 ( 40% ) 6 ( 60% ) 14 ( 46.67% )


Middle (36 to 50 yrs ) 12 (60 % ) 3 ( 30% ) 15 (50.0 % )
Old (over 50 yrs ) 0 (0 % ) 1 ( 10% ) 1 (3.33 % )
Total 20 (100 % ) 10 (100 % ) 30 ( 100% )

2. Education Status

Particulars OCMNumber ( % ) BLUNumber ( % ) Overall Number ( % )


Illiterate 10 ( 50% ) 5 ( 50% ) 15 ( 50% )
Primary 7 (35 % ) 2 ( 20% ) 9 (30 % )
Middle School 2 ( 10 % ) 1 ( 10% ) 3 (10 % )
High School 1(5%) 1 (10% ) 2 (6.67% )
College 00 1 (10%) 1 (3.33%)
Total 20 (100%) 10 (100%) 30 (100%)

3. Marital status

Particulars OCMNumber ( % ) BLUNumber ( % ) Overall Number ( % )


Married 19 ( 95%) 9 ( 90% ) 28 ( 93.33% )
Unmarried 0 0 0
Widow 1(5%) 1 ( 10% ) 2 (6.67 % )
Total 20 (100 % ) 10 (100 % ) 30 (100% )

4. Family type

Particulars OCMNumber ( % ) BLUNumber ( % ) Overall Number ( % )


Nuclear Family 18 ( 90% ) 9 ( 90% ) 27 ( 90 % )

Joint Family 2 (10%) 1 (10%) 3 (10%)

Total 20 (100 % ) 10 ( 100% ) 30 (100 % )

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The age distribution pattern of women beneficiaries indicated that half of the respondents (50.00%) were in middle
aged group, nearly 47 per cent were in young age group and only 3.3 per cent were in old age group. The educational
status of beneficiaries indicated that 50 per cent of the beneficiaries were illiterates and nearly one third (30%) of
them had primary education followed by 10 per cent had middle schooling, 6.67 per cent had secondary education
and only 3.33 per cent were educated up to college level in the study area. The analysis of marital status of the
beneficiaries revealed that about 93.33 per cent of the beneficiaries were married and the rest of them (6.67%) were
widows in the study area. The family profile of beneficiaries indicated that majority of the beneficiaries had nuclear
family (90.00%) and 10 per cent of them had joint family in the study area.

Cost and Return of Women Milk Entrepreneurs:


The maintenance cost of the buffalo and the return of income has been anaysed in Table-2 with the help of the
various components of the costs and incomes

Table - 2
Costs and Returns of dairy Enterprise in Dindigul District
Rs. Per buffalo/annum

Particulars OCM Block (%) BTL Block (%)

A. Variable Cost (Rs.)


Dry Fodder 2339.75 (18.16%) 1400.33 (12.98%)
Green Fodder 425.63 (3.3%) 406.07 (3.76%)
Concentrates 054.30 (8.18%) 1004.7 (9.32%)

Labour 6900.50 (53.55%) 5920.50 (54.89%)


Miscellaneous 540.72 (4.19%) 417.38 (3.88%)
Interest on working capital 1625.86 (12.62%) 1635.81 (15.17%)
Total Variable Cost 12886.76 (100%) 10784.79 (100%)

B.Fixed Cost
Depreciation on Fixed Capital 1075.84 (46.74%) 1060.40 (50.28%)
Interest on Fixed Capital 1225.63 (53.26%) 1048.56 (49.72%)
Total Fixed Cost 2301.47 (100%) 2108.96 (100%)

C.Total Cost 15188.23 12893.75


D.Returns
Milk Production (Litres) 1208.06 ( 3.68%) 1336.93 (3.47%)
Value of Milk 28993.44 (88.43%) 32086.32 ( 83.24%)

Sale of FYM and Calf 2586.04 (7.89%) 5125.56 ( 3.29%)


Gross Return 32787.54 ( 100%) 38548.81 ( 100%)
E.Net Returns 17599.31 25655.06

Total cost incurred per annum for maintaining a dairy buffalo was found to be Rs. 15188.23 in Ottanchathiram block
and it was Rs. 12893.75 in Battalagundu block. Among the variable cost, labour cost constituted highest, it was
found Rs. 12886.76 and Rs.10784.79 per annum in Ottanchathiram and Battalagundu blocks respectively. This is

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because of the dairying operations like, cleaning of animals, roughage collection and transportation, grazing of
animals, cleaning of shed, milking and transportation of milk for marketing and the like. The per unit cost of labour
was high. In dairy enterprise, whether it is one animal or a unit of 4-5 animals labour required is more or less same.
Thus the cost of labour could be reduced substantially by expanding the dairy unit. The other components of
maintenance cost of dairy unit are cost of dry fodder, concentrates and interest on working capital. These all put
together accounted for 46 per cent in the study area.

The milk production was found to be 1208.06 litres and 1336.93 litres in Ottanchathiram and Battalagundu blocks
respectively. Milk production is associated with feeding of green fodder, concentrates and technology adoption.
The gross return and net return was found Rs. 32787.54 and Rs 17599.31 respectively in Ottanchathiram block,
whereas in Battalagundu it was found to be Rs.38548.81 and Rs. 25655.06 respectively.

Impact of Micro Finance on Employment and Income Generation:


The impact of Micro finance on the increase in the level of employment and increase in the income of the women
in the study area are analysed in Table-3 and Table-4

Table 3
Impact of Micro Finance on Employment and Income Generation in Ottanchathiram Block

N Categories Before Micro Finance After Micro Finance

EMPLOYMENT(Man days/Annum)
1. Low (Less than 107.93) 10 (50%) -
2. Medium (107.93-126.32) 4 (20%) -
3. High (More than 126.32) 6 (30%) 20 (100%)
Total 20 20
Mean 117.15 283.98
SD 21.58 39.86
INCOME (Rs./Annum)
1. Low (Less than Rs.7986.45) 4 (20%) 3 (15%)
2. Medium (7986.45 to 13713.15) 11 (55%) 8 (40%)
3. High (More than 13713.15) 5 (25%) 9 (45%)
Total 20 (100%) 20 (100%)
Mean 10850 15311.53
SD 6737.76 8059.42

Table 4
Impact of Micro Finance on Employment and Income Generation in Battalagundu Block
N Categories Before Micro Finance After Micro Finance

EMPLOYMENT(Man days/Annum)
1. Low (Less than 95.83) 2 (20%) -
2. Medium(95.83.-113.27) 6 (60%) -

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3. High (More than 113.27) 2 (20%) 10 (100%)


Total 10 10
Mean 104.40 264.58
SD 20.88 28.76
INCOME (Rs./Annum)
1. Low ( Less than Rs.4314.03) 4 (40%) 1 (10%)
2. Medium (4314.03- 6885.97) 3 (30%) -
3. High (More than 6885.97) 3 (30%) 9 (90%)
Total 10 (100%) 10 (100%)
Mean 5600 10914.41
SD 3025.81 3240.03

The changes in employment level of the beneficiaries in References :


Ottanchathiram block (Table 3) under high employment Misra, J.P. and Pandey, B.K., 1986, An economic
category per annum had increased from 30 per cent analysis of banks dairy financing scheme for small and
before availing microfinance to 100 per cent after providing marginal farmers and agricultural laborers under IRDP
microfinance. In case of Battalagundu block (Table 4) in Basti district of U.P. Indian Coop. Rev., 24 : 34-42.
it is observed that the percentage of beneficiaries under
high employment category increased from 20 per cent Sarada, O., 2001, Empowerment of rural women in Self
before providing microfinance to 100 per cent after Help Groups in Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh-
providing microfinance. It was observed that the number An analysis. M.Sc. Thesis, Univ. Agric. Sci., Bangalore
of beneficiaries in Ottanchathiram block with high (India).
income increased from 25 per cent before providing
microfinance to 45 per cent after providing microfinance. Savitha, S. Shetter, 2004, Role of rural women in Animal
In case of Battalagundu block (Table 4) it is observed Husbandry. M.H.Sc. Thesis, Univ. Agric. Sci., Dharwad
that the percentage of the beneficiaries with high income (India).
increased from 30 per cent before providing microfinance Josily Samuel, 2006, Women empowerment through
to 90 per cent after providing microfinance. Majority of micro finance in Dindigul District of Tamil Nadu – An
the beneficiaries (90%) fell under high income category economic analysis. M.Sc. (Agri.) Thesis, Univ. Agric.
after providing microfinance. Sci., Dharwad (India).
Conclusion: Subodh Kumar, Hema Tripathi and Mandape, M. K.,
Empowering women is vital in developing countries like 2008, Income and employment status among SHG
India. Hence, conscious and continual effort is members in dairy husbandry. Indian Dairy Man., 60 :
demanded in this regard for the upliftment of society. In 40-46.
Dindigul District, the income of the SHG women
entrepreneurs have been increased through the
Microfinance and if they are continuously motivated in
the right direction, they would develop the micro
entrepreneurship throughout the district soon.

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FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF STEEL INDUSTRIES – SAIL


AND TATA – A COMPARISION
1 2
M.Benedict Dr.M.Sindhuja

ABSTRACT
India is currently the fourth largest producer of crude steel in the world and is expected to become the second largest
in the near future. The total market value of the Indian steel industry stood at $ 57.8 billion in 2011 and is predicted
to touch $95.3 billion by 2016. The sector contributes to nearly 2 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) and
employs over 5,00,000 people. In the present research paper an attempt has been made to study the financial
performance of two selected companies of public and private steel industry such as SAIL and TATA STEEL. The
present study covers the five year period for both companies. In the paper, it has been tried to compare and analyze
the Profitability, Liquidity and Management Efficiency of both the units with various financial tools and statistical
techniques has been also derived some findings from the analysis. In the overall analysis, the performance of TATA
is found to be better than SAIL during the study period. Due to the global economic slowdown, both SAIL and TATA
performance during the study period were not good.

INTRODUCTION: Profitability Liquidity and Management efficiency of both


Steel is inevitable to the development of global economy units with various financial tools and techniques.
of modern life style. The degree of per capita consumption
Finance India, Vol xxvii No;2, June 2013 pages 547-554.
of steel is treated as on important index of the level of
“Financial performance of Iron and Steel industry in India;
socioeconomic development and living standard of the
An analytical and comparative study of some selected
people in any nation. It is a product of large and
companies 1995-2005. To measure and assess financial
technological complex industry having strong forward and
performance in terms of liquidity leverage, assets
downward linkages in terms of turnover and income
management and profitability of the selected public sector
generation. Steel industry was the vanguard in the
and private sector companies.
liberalization of
Finance India,Vol XXVI No.3, Sep 2012, Page 961-970
industrial sector and has made rapid strides since then.
“A study on the investment Behavior of university and
Being a core sector, the steel industry reflects the overall
Government College Teachers in Tamilnadu”. The study
growth of an economy in the long term. The demand for
analyses the financial profile by applying summary
steel is also derived from other sectors such as
statistical measure like profitability ratio and solvency
automobiles, consumer durables and infrastructure. The
ratio, compound Growth ratio, one way ANOVA; Trend
Indian steel sector enjoys advantages of domestic
analysis; Factor analysis step wise multiple linear
availability of raw materials and inexpensive labour. Iron
regression analysis have been used.
ore is also available in abundant quantities, providing a
major cost advantage to the domestic steel industry. Indian journal of accounting volume XLII(1)Dec 201,
The liberalization of industrial policy and other initiatives “cash management performance evaluation by
taken by the Government of India have given a definite SudiptaGhosh. This study is comparison between TSL
impetus for entry of private sectors in the steel industry. and SAIL. The empirical findings of the study reveal that
While the existing units are being modernized and TSL on the average has utilized its cash more efficiently
expanded, a large number of new steel plants have also in comparison to SAIL. TSL has better capacity to
come up in different part of the country based on modern, convert its sales into cash than that of SAIL.
cost effective, state of the arty technologies.
Mrs.Asha Sharma and R.B.Sharma, 2011. This study
REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE: is an attempt to identify and study the movement of key
Indian journal of applied research volume 3/issue 4/April financial performance and their relationship with
2013"A comparative analysis of financial performance profitability of textile industry. In this study the key
of SAIL and JSW. The study covers the five year period identified parameters move in a synchronous way going
of both companies. It has been tried to analyze the up and coming down with basic profitability parameters.

1
Research Scholar, GTN Arts College, Dindigul, Tamilnadu, India.
2
Assistant Professor Saraswathi Narayanan College, Madurai.

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Objectives of the study:


1. To evaluate the liquidity and profitability position of the steel industries.
2. To ascertain the overall earning capacity of the selected units.

Hypothesis of the study


H1: There is significant difference in profitability, liquidity position, Management efficiency of both the selected units.

Research Design:
1. Sample : The universe of the study consists of all the limited steel companies working in India and listed in
stock exchange in India. Here, researcher has selected two companies such as SAIL and TATA for this comparative
study.
2. Tools and techniques: Ratio Analysis and other basic Statistical Techniques such as Mean, Standard Deviation
and Correlation are used to analyse the secondary data Profitability ratio shows the financial soundness of the
steel units. The stake holders are interested to know its operational efficiency in terms of profitability. The
profitability of SAIL and Tata is presented in Table-1

Table-1
Profitability of SAIL and TATA during 2009-2013

YEARS
INDICATORS UNITS 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Mean S.D

OPERATING SAIL 20.41 22.69 16.37 13.15 10.34 16.59 5.07


PROFIT MARGIN
TATA 37.68 35.70 39.06 33.99 29.12 35.11 3.86

(T-value: 6.50; Table value 2.84)

Profit Before SAIL 16.61 18.35 12.33 9.41 7.04 12.75 4.75
Interest And Tax
Margin TATA 33.27 30.95 34.54 29.82 24.25 30.57 3.99

(T-value: 6.42; Table value 2.84)

Gross Profit SAIL 17.48 19.40 12.88 9.74 7.20 13.34 5.12
Margin
TATA 33.69 31.36 35.16 30.60 24.83 31.13 3.96

(T-value: 6.15; Table value 2.84)

SAIL 13.40 15.73 11.04 7.44 4.76 10.47 4.43


Net Profit Margin
TATA 21.09 19.96 22.94 19.23 12.94 19.23 3.79

(T-value: 3.36; Table value 2.84)

SAIL 27.61 20.46 12.88 10.91 6.67 15.71 8.32


Return on Capital
Employed TATA 15.01 13.06 14.86 14.77 12.80 14.10 1.08

(T-value: – 0.41; Table value 2.84)

Return on Net SAIL 22.06 20.27 13.23 8.89 5.29 13.95 7.19
Worth TATA 21.10 13.48 14.68 12.72 9.17 14.23 4.35
(T-value: 0.08; Table value 2.84)

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¾ Operating Profit Margin of TATA in the year 2011 was 14.10 in the period of 2009-2013. So the SAIL has a
39.06% which is the highest during the study period better position during this period, but the standard
when comparing with SAIL , Operating Profit Margin deviation of SAIL is more compared to TATA this
for the year 2009 was 20.41%. So the profitability of indicates that there is a fluctuation in the values.
TATA is higher than SAIL. During the study period, During the study period , the calculated T-value is
the calculated T-value is higher than the Table value less than the Table value
(6.50 > 2.84). Hence the hypothesis has been
¾ (–0.41< 2.84). Hence the hypothesis has been
accepted. It is inferred from the analysis that, there
is a significant difference in the Operating Profit rejected. It is inferred from the analysis that, there
Margin between TATA and SAIL. is a no significant difference in the Return on Capital
Employedbetween TATA and SAIL.
¾ In the matter of Profit before Interest and Tax Margin,
Correlation Matrix
from view point of mean performance of SAIL is very
high compared to TATA. During the study period, S.No Units SAIL TATA
the calculated T-value is higher than the Table value 1 SAIL 1
(6.42> 2.84). Hence the hypothesis has been
2 TATA 0.687466 1
accepted. It is inferred from the analysis that, there
is a significant difference in the Profit before Interest
According to the correlation matrix we conclude that,
and Tax Margin between TATA and SAIL.
there is a relationship between SAIL and TATA which is
¾ The Gross Profit Margin of SAIL and TATA show a (0.69) positive.
fluctuated trend during the study period and also
Trend Analysis
show that TATA has high Gross Profit Margin
compared to SAIL. During the study period, the SAIL VS TATA
calculated T-value is higher than the Table value 45.00
(6.15> 2.84). Hence the hypothesis has been 40.00
accepted. It is inferred from the analysis that, there 35.00
30.00
is a significant difference in the Gross Profit Margin y = 0.524x + 26.41
TATA

25.00
between TATA and SAIL. R2 = 0.472
20.00
15.00
¾ In the Net Profit Margin, from view point of mean, 10.00
SAIL is higher than TATA. During the study period, 5.00
the calculated T-value is higher than the Table value 0.00
(3.36> 2.84). Hence the hypothesis has been 0.00 5.00 10.00 15.00 20.00 25.00
accepted. It is inferred from the analysis that, there SAIL
is a significant difference in the Net Profit
Marginbetween TATA and SAIL.
Liquidity ratio shows the liquidity position of the steel
¾ Mean Return on Capital Employed of SAIL is higher
units. Liquidity position of both SAIL and Tata during
which is higher (15.71) compared to TATA which is
the study period is given in Table-2

Table-2
Liquidity ratios of SAIL and TATA during 2009-2013
YEARS
INDICATORS UNITS 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Mean S.D

CURRENT SAIL 1.61 1.60 1.21 1.22 1.01 1.33 0.26


RATIO TATA 0.91 1.12 1.53 0.93 0.86 1.07 0.28
(T-value: 6.50; Table value 2.31)

QUICK RATIO SAIL 1.24 1.53 1.35 0.82 0.68 1.12 0.36

TATA 0.57 0.76 1.31 0.69 0.61 0.79 0.30


(T-value: 1.60; Table value 2.31)

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DEBIT EQUITY SAIL 0.27 0.50 0.54 0.40 0.52 0.45 0.11
RATIO TATA 1.34 0.68 0.56 0.45 0.47 0.70 0.37
(T-value: - 1.47; Table value 2.31)

LONG TERM SAIL 0.21 0.39 0.32 0.29 0.33 0.31 0.07
DEBIT EQUITY
RATIO TATA 1.31 0.68 0.56 0.45 0.47 0.69 0.36
(T-value: - 2.38; Table value 2.31)

¾ The current ratio of SAIL showed progressive and Analysis :-


fluctuating trend during the study period. The current In second category of financial ratio is liquidity ratio.
ratio of TATA also having fluctuating trend. It shows Various parties are interested in the liquidity position &
that TATA has not maintained standard 2:1. Looking long term soundness of the unit. The liquidity ratio shows
to the result of ‘t’, it can be concluded that current the liquidity position of the units.
ratio position of both the units are not same. During
the study period, the calculated T-value is higher Trend Analysis
than the Table value (6.50 > 2.31). Hence the
SAIL VS TATA (Current Ratio)
hypothesis is accepted. It is inferred from the analysis
that, there is significant difference in the Current 1.80
Ratio between TATA and SAIL. 1.60
1.40
Liquidity Rations

¾ A quick ratio of 1:1 is the standard norms for 1.20


evaluating solvency position of business. The quick 1.00
ratio of SAIL is more than Standard norms and the SAIL
0.80
quick ratio of TATA is not equal to standard norms. It TATA
0.60
shows the better solvency position of SAIL. Both 0.40
the units are not significantly differing for this ratio. 0.20
During the study period, the calculated T-value is 0.00
less than the Table value (1.60< 2.31). Hence the 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
hypothesis has been rejected. It is inferred from the
analysis that, there is a no significant difference in
Correlation Matrix
the quick ratio between TATA and SAIL.
S.No Units SAIL TATA
¾ Debt equity ratio shows the relating contribution of
1 SAIL 1
creditor and owners. In general lower the debt equity
ratio, higher the degree of protection enjoyed by 2 TAT A 0.438653 1
creditors. From the view point of mean SAIL has a
good position. During the study period , the
calculated T-value is less than the Table value (– 2.00
1.47< 2.31). Hence the hypothesis has been 1.50
rejected. It is inferred from the analysis that, there y = -0.183x + 369.1
R2 = 0.645
is a no significant difference in theDebit Equity ratio 1.00 SAIL
between TATA and SAIL. TATA
0.50
¾ In case of long term debt equity ratio, from view point
0.00
of mean TATA has a better position in long term debt
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
equity ratio. During the study period , the calculated
T-value is less than the Table value (–2.38 < 2.31).
Hence the hypothesis has been rejected. It is inferred According to correlation matrix we conclude that, there
from the analysis that, there is a no significant is a relationship between SAIL and TATA which is (0.44)
difference in theLong TermDebit Equity ratio between positive.
TATA and SAIL

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Primax International Journal of Commerce and Management Research ISSN : 2321-3604

The management efficiency of SAIL and Tata with the help of various management efficiency indicators such as
investment turnover ratio, debtors turnover ratio and assets turnover ratio are analysed during the study period
through Table-3
Table - 3
Management Efficiencyof SAIL and TATA during 2009-2013
YEARS
INDICATORS UNITS 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Mean S.D
IVESTMENT SAIL 5.86 6.02 5.13 3.71 2.79 4.70 1.41
TURNOVER
RATIO TATA 9.36 10.30 7.44 6.98 7.27 8.27 1.47

(T-value: - 3.92; Table value 2.31)

DEBTORS TURN SAIL 9.71 10.30 11.11 12.46 14.43 11.60 1.89
OVER RATIO
TATA 41.29 46.58 68.46 51.10 44.91 50.47 10.66

(T-value: - 8.03; Table value 2.31)

FIXED ASSETS SAIL 1.35 1.20 1.16 1.15 1.09 1.19 0.10
TURN OVER RATIO
TATA 1.22 1.12 1.32 1.48 1.01 1.23 0.18

(T-value: - 0.43; Table value 2.31)

ASSETS TURN SAIL 1.42 0.95 0.79 0.81 0.75 0.94 0.28
OVER RATIO
TATA 0.48 0.42 0.43 0.45 0.49 0.45 0.03

(T-value: 3.94; Table value 2.31)

¾ Investment Turnover ratio both same. Both the ratios analysis that, there is a significant difference in the
of SAIL and TATA are highest in the year 2010 i.e., Debtor Turnover Ratio between TATA and SAIL.
6.02 and 10.30 respectively. From view point of mean
TATA has a good position. During the study period, ¾ Fixed assets turnover ratio both are same. But the
the calculated T-value is greater than the Table value ratios of SAIL was highest in the year 2009 i.e.,
(–3.92 > 2.31). Hence the hypothesis is accepted. 1.35 and FATR of TATA was highest in the year 2012
It is inferred from the analysis that, there is a i.e., 1.48. From the view point mean of FATR of both
significant difference in the Investment Turnover ratio are almost same. During the study period, the
between TATA and SAIL. calculated T-value is lesser than the Table value (–
0.43 < 2.31). Hence the hypothesis is rejected It is
¾ Debtor Turnover Ratio is in decreasing trend. But inferred from the analysis that, there is a no significant
SAIL has a better position as compared to TATA difference in theFixed assets turnover ratio between
because in the 2013, DTR of SAIL is 14.43 days TATA and SAIL.
and TATA has 44.91 days. From view point of mean
SAIL has a good position. Moreover the co-efficient ¾ From view point of mean Assets Turn Ratio of SAIL
of variation of SAIL is less compared to TATA, So was higher than the TATA. The value of ATR in SAIL
SAIL is consistent. It is supported by t – value that is good. During the study period, the calculated T-
both units are not same in debtor’s turnover value is greater than the Table value (3.94 < 2.31).
ratio.During the study period, the calculated T-value Hence the hypothesis is accepted. It is inferred from
is greater than the Table value (–8.03 > 2.31). Hence the analysis that, there is a significant difference in
the hypothesis is accepted. It is inferred from the theassets turnover ratio between TATA and SAIL

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Trend Analysis should give concentration to make optimum utilization


SAIL Vs TATA (DTR) of available resources. Because during the study period
SAIL has failed to utilize the various assistance provided
80.00
70.00
by the Government and it fails to make more earnings
60.00 compared with TATA. But TATA has lowest financial
50.00 position compared with SAIL, however it can earn more
DTR

40.00 profit or achieve high profit volume. Due to adverse


30.00 SAIL movement in prices of imported coking coal and global
20.00 TATA Economic slowdown there is a decreasing trend of overall
10.00
financial performance of both the units during the study
0.00
period.
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Year REFERENCE
International Journal of marketing, financial services and
Correlation Matrix management research Vol.1|Issue10|Oct 2012, An
empirical study of profitability analysis of selected steel
S.No Units SAIL TATA companies in India
1 SAIL 1
Ashasharma and R.B.Sharma “study on A comparison
2 TAT A 0.093228 1 financial performance in Textile industry”. International
Journal on Business Management Economics and
Information Technology|Vol-3, Jan 2011 PP 175-180.

Asian Journal of Management Research |2010|


M.SRamaratnam, R.Jayaraman, “A study on
measuring the financial soundness of select firms with
special reference to Indian steel industry”.

Gupta L.C|1999|”Financial Ratios as forewarning


Indicators of corporative sickness”, Feb 1999.

Beaver.W.H.,|1996|”Financial ratios and predictions of


failure;Empirical research in according selected
studies”, Journal of Accounting Research, 77-111.

From the above correlation Table , the correlation value Gupta.R.L and M.Radhasamy|1995|, “Financial
for SAIL & TATA is 0.093. This shows that there is very Management Analysis”, 5th edition, Sultan Chand and
less correlation between SAIL & TATA. sons, New Delhi-45.

Findings of the study: Dr.S.K.KhartikTitto Varghese, Profitability Analysis


1. The profitability position of TATA is better than SAIL. ofPublic Sector Undertaking: A case Study of Hindustan
Newsprint Limited, The management accountant, Nov
2. In the overall finding of efficiency of assets utilization
2011|Vol46|No 11|PP 1067-1073.
of TATA has a better position when compared with
SAIL. Indian Bureau of Mines |2011b|,Iron and steel-Vision 2020
3. SAIL has better position in DTR, FATR and ATR when
compared with TATA Indicus Analytic|2009| “Indian Steel Industry| final report
prepared for the competition commission of India.
4. TATA has a better position in ITR compared with
SAIL. Websites:
Conclusion: www.worldsteel.org
It is inferred from the analysis, that the profitability of www.sail.co.in|
both SAIL and TATA is more or less depending upon the www.tatasteel.com|
better utilization of resources. TATA should have to www.moneycontrol.com
concentrate in improving the Debtors Turnover Ratio,
Fixed Assets Ratio and Assets Turnover Ratio. SAIL

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Primax International Journal of Commerce and Management Research ISSN : 2321-3604

AN INQUIRY ON CONSUMER SATISFACTION OF


CARE MINERAL WATER IN TIRUCHIRAPPALLI
1 2
Miss. R. Vinola Dr. R. Swaminathan

INTRODUCTION by natural processes. The pollutants include sewage,


Satisfaction is the consumer’s fulfillment response. It industrial chemicals and effluents, slit, oil and other
is a judgment that a product or service feature or the wastes. Besides chemicals from air dissolved in rain
product or service itself provides a pleasurable level of water and fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides soaked
consumption related fulfillment. from the land and pollute water. The water may have
been distilled for purity, it can leach out essential minerals
- Richard.L.Oliver
as it travels through the body. Many soft drinks are
Production of goods and services, unless it is also satisfy made with purified water – a fact which disturbs many
human wants. Consumer satisfaction is an ambiguous dieticians and health experts. The quantity of waste water
and abstract concept and the actual manifestation to charged directly into the Cauvery is approximately 87,600
the state of satisfaction will vary from person to person. cubic meters per day. The river has a total dissolved
The level of satisfaction can also vary depending on other solid level of 1450 mg which is t times higher than the
options; consumption is the role and end purpose of all WHO’s permissible limit. WHO permissible limit is 500
production. There is an intimate connection among mg.
product, service quality, customer’s satisfaction and
The economic importance of water is obvious and with
company profitability. Consumers consider price, quality
growing needs all the water resources especially ground
availability and convenient before purchasing any
water. There have also been reports of fraud in which
products. If the consumer becomes habitual with
ordinary tap water has been added to used mineral water
consumer products they stick on the same product for
bottled and sold as a original article. So the study is
more time. Higher levels of quality result in higher levels
mainly concentrate on product use and the consumer
of consumer satisfaction.
satisfaction of care mineral water. The study aims at
Company’s first task is to create customers. But the analyzing the consumer satisfaction of Care Mineral
consumers fall a vast essay of product and reward Water of products, and also to obtain suggestion for
choices, prices and suppliers. Customers are value improvement of product and service and also helps for
maximizers, within the bounds of search costs and finding out the satisfaction level of consumers. Thus the
limited knowledge mobility and income. To win today’s researcher has carried out the study under the title “A
market the companies must be consumer oriented. Study on Consumer Satisfaction of Care Mineral Water
Consumer satisfaction is both a goal and a marketing in Tiruchirappalli”.
tool. Companies need to the especially concerned today
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
with their customer satisfaction level because the internet
provides a tool for consumers to spread bad word of According to Jagdeep Kapoor, Samsika marketing
mouth as well as good word of mouth – to the rest of the consultants Ltd, “Good brands in general are those which
world. A customer centered organization makes it easy are built in the minds and hearts of consumers, not ad
for customer to register suggestions and complaints. agencies, good brands respond proactively to
consumers. Bad brands just react”.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
According to Mustafa, “Power product is one occupies
Water is a very vital source for the survival of life and the
the relevant consumer appeal and price positions. These
extent of their source such an important component of
brands are selected using criteria such as absolute size,
the earth system is being polluted. India has a very low
brand strength, brand strength, brand relevance
capital availability of drinking water. Nearly 40000 or
competitive advantage and potential for sustained
more villages in the country may not be having drinking
profitable growth”.
water. Water pollution occurs when chemicals, nutrients
or wastage enter water faster than they can be removed

1
Asst. Professor in Commerce and Management, Sri Saradha College for women, Perambalaur.
2
Director, Commerce and Management studies, Thanthai Hans Rovers College, Perambalaur

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According to Philip Kotler, “Customer from service 2. To identify the typical use of Care Mineral Water.
expectations from many sources. Such as past
3. To identify factors influencing purchase Care Mineral
experiences, word of mouth, and advertising. In general
customer compares the perceived service with the Water.
expected service”. 4. To findout the level of satisfaction among various
consumers.
According to Sanjeev Duggai, “Brand image is a set of
images, symbol, ideas that a person has in mind when 5. To find out the consumer preferences among various
he thinks of a brand”. brands.

In other words, brand image is the view (or) perceptions 6. To give suggestions for improvement of Care Mineral
that a person has a brand. Water.

According to John Deere, “Customer Loyalty – nearly HYPOTHESES


98 per cent annual retention in some product areas – 1. There is no relationship between educational
uses retired employees to interview defectors and qualification and factors creating brand awareness.
customers”.
2. There is no relationship between age and brand
According to Sabrat Sabu and Bharat Dalal, “It’s not an preferences.
easy would for bands these days. The domestic
3. There is no relationship between income and brand
slowdown is causing customers to down trade, putting
pressure on high value branded products”. preferences.

Care Mineral Water AREA OF THE STUDY


Care Mineral water have succeeded in winning the hearts Tiruchirappalli, one of the major towns in Tamilnadu,
of Trichy people by their quality and services. Now the which has been recently upgraded as corporation, is
occupy the No.1 position in the market. Ultra modern situated on the national highway connection Chennai
ozonised method like UV treated water are treated by and Kanniyakumari. The town has rich and historical
seven methods and it has been tested by experts of association, which can be seen in the temples and
quality control in lab then it has been sent as products fortress in the centre of the town.
for sale. Care Mineral Water contains some minerals
which are less in their composition in order to complete SAMPLE DESIGN
quality before sales. Manufacturers of Care Mineral Water For the purpose of the study 100 respondents were
have been following the rules of ISO standards and the selected by convenience Sampling Method.
quality is assured in Indian Standards. They are the Ist
Company to receive ISO 9001-2000 which is an METHODOLOGY AND TOOLS FOR THE
international quality award in Trichy. COLLECTION OF DATA
This study on “Consumer Satisfaction of Care Mineral
SCOPE OF THE STUDY Water in Tiruchirappalli” is based on survey method.
The study is exclusively conducted among the consumer Primary data is collected from 100 respondents using
of Care Mineral Water of products which are dispersed Interview Schedule. In order to collect the primary data,
in the area of Priyanga Nagar, Annamalai Nagar and interview schedule method was adopted. The primary
Thillai Nagar of Tiruchirappalli District. Therefore this data was collected from 35 respondents in Priyanga
study proposes to survey the users of product with regard Nagar, 35 respondents in Annamalai Nagar, and 30
to their loyalty and awareness towards Care Mineral respondents in Thillai Nagar in Tiruchirappalli District.
Water of Products. This may be useful to the policy The researcher used primary data and secondary were
makers of brands to know the buyer behavior. It will
collected from the magazines, books, newspaper and
also helps to develop new features in the products. Due
from various websites.
to time factor the survey was restricted to small sample
of buyers in Priyanga Nagar, Annamalai Nagar and Thillai ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Nagar in Tiruchirappalli District.
The data collected has been analyzed by means of
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY percentage analysis and researcher has used graph and
The objectives of the study are, diagrams to represent the interpretation. Chi-square test
is used to test the hypothesis.
1. To find out the factors that influences the consumer
to buy the Care Mineral Water.

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TESTING OF HYPOTHESES
INTRODUCTION
This chapter deals with the factors influencing Consumer Satisfaction among the respondents of Care Mineral
Water brand of products. Factors namely age and educational qualification and income have been identified to find
out whether they influence brand awareness and preferences. In order to see whether there is any relationship
between these factors Chi-square test has been applied.

Source of Upto10th & Post


Illiterate Graduation Professional Total
Awareness +2 Graduation

Advertisement - — 6 60 38 76 22 84 9 64 75
Friends — — — — 7 14 2 8 2 14 11
Retailers — — 2 20 2 4 — — — — 4
Relations — — 1 10 1 2 2 8 2 16 6
Others — — 1 10 2 4 — — 1 8 4
Total — — 10 100 50 100 26 100 14 100 100

The above table shows that 60% of the respondents who have studied upto 10th and +@ std, 76% of graduation,
84% of Post graduation and 64% of professionals qualified persons came to know about Care Mineral Water
through advertisements.

NULL HYPOTHESIS
There is no relationship between educational qualification and brand awareness
In order to see whether there is any relationship between educational qualification and brand awareness,
chi-square test has been applied.
CHI-SQUARE TEST
Relationship between Educational Qualification and Brand Awareness

Item O E (O-E)2 (O-E)2/E

R1C1 0 0 0 0

R1C2 6 7.5 2.25 0.3

R1C3 38 37.5 0.25 0.006

R1C4 22 19.5 6.25 0.321

R1C5 9 10.5 2.25 0.214

R2C1 0 0 0 0

R2C2 0 1.1 1.21 1.1

R2C3 7 5.5 2.25 0.409

R2C4 2 2.86 0.739 0.259

R2C5 2 1.54 0.212 0.137

R3C1 0 0 0 0

R3C2 2 0.4 2.56 6.4

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R3C3 2 2 0 0

R3C4 0 1.04 1.082 1.04

R3C5 0 0.56 0.314 0.56

R4C1 0 0 0 0

R4C2 1 0.6 0.16 0.267

R4C3 1 3 4 1.333

R4C4 2 1.44 0.314 0.218

R4C5 2 0.84 1.345 1.602

R5C1 0 0 0 0

R5C2 1 0.4 0.36 0.9

R5C3 2 2 0 0

R5C4 0 1.04 1.082 1.04

R5C5 1 0.56 0.194 0.346

16.452

Degree of freedom = (R-1) (C - 1)


= (5-1) (5 -1)
= (4) (4) =16
Table value at 5% level = 26.296
Calculate value = 16.452

Since, the calculate value is less than the table value, the hypothesis is accepted. So, there is no relationship
between Educational Qualification and factors creating Brand Awareness.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AGE AND BRAND PREFERENCE

Brands Below 20 21 - 30 31 - 40 41 - 50 Above 50 Total

Care 14 70 29 85 19 90 10 67 8 80 80
Andavar 3 15 2 6 1 5 2 13 — — 8
Boor 2 10 1 3 1 5 — — — — 4
Nile — — 1 3 — — — — 1 10 2
VIP — — — — — — 1 7 — — 1
Sprinkle 1 5 1 3 — — — — 1 10 3
Spy — — — — — — 2 13 — — 2
Total 20 100 34 100 21 100 15 100 10 100 100

It is clear from the above table, that 70% of the respondents belong to the age group of below 20, 85% of the
respondents belong to the age group of 21-30, 90% of the respondents belong to the age group of 31-40, 67% of the
respondents belong to the age group of 41-50, and 80% of the respondents belong to the age group of above 50
prefer the brand of care Mineral Water.

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NULL HYPOTHESIS
There is no relationship between age and brand preferences.
In order to see whether there is any relationship between age and preferences. Chi-Square test has been applied.

CHI-SQUARE TEST
Relationship between Age and Brand Preference

Item O E (O-E)2 (O-E)2/E

R1C1 14 16 4 0.25

R1C2 29 27.2 3.24 0.119

R1C3 19 16.8 4.84 0.288

R1C4 10 12 4 0.333

R1C5 8 8 0 0

R2C1 3 1.6 1.96 1.225

R2C2 2 2.72 0.518 0.191

R2C3 1 1.68 0.462 0.275

R2C4 2 1.2 0.64 0.533

R2C5 0 0.08 0.64 0.8

R3C1 2 0.8 1.44 1.8

R3C2 1 1.7 0.49 0.288

R3C3 1 1.05 0.0025 0.0002

R3C4 0 0.75 0.563 0.75

R3C5 0 0.5 0.25 0.5

R4C1 0 0.4 0.16 0.4

R4C2 1 0.68 0.102 0.150

R4C3 0 0.42 0.176 0.42

R4C4 0 0.03 0.09 0.3

R4C5 1 0.2 0.64 3.2

R5C1 0 0.2 0.04 0.2

R5C2 0 0.34 0.116 0.34

R5C3 0 0.21 0.044 0.21

R5C4 1 0.15 0.7225 4.81

R5C5 0 0.1 0.01 0.1

R6C1 1 0.6 0.16 0.27

R6C2 1 1.02 0.0004 0.0003

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R6C3 0 0.63 0.396 0.63

R6C4 0 0.45 0.203 0.45

R6C5 1 0.3 0.49 1.633

R7C1 0 0.4 0.16 0.4

R7C2 0 0.68 0.462 0.68

R7C3 0 0.42 0.176 0.42

R7C4 2 0.3 2.89 9.63

R7C5 0 0.2 0.04 0.2

31.797

Degree of freedom = (R-1) (C-1)


SUGGESTIONS
= (7-1) (5-1) 1. The manufacturer of Care Mineral Water should
= (6) (4) =24 concentrate on all parts of Tamil Nadu, for marketing
Table value at 5% level = 36.4 their product.
Calculate value = 31.797 2. The manufacturer must give wide publicity for their
product.
Since, the calculate value is less than the table value,
the hypothesis is accepted. So, there is no relationship 3. The company must take remedial measure to improve
between age and brand preferences. the quality of the product in order to satisfy the people
of all walking of life.
SAMPLE FINDINGS 4. Mineral water is needed because of pollution on the
1. 90% of the respondents are female. main water source of Cauvery River. If the company
2. 34% of the respondents belong to the age group provides good quality water with added minerals, it
21-30 years. will increase the sales volume.

3. 50% of the respondents are Graduates. 5. The manufacturer or Care Mineral Water should try
to supply the water in different quantity water
4. 20% of the respondents are employees of various packets should be made available.
concerns.
6. The price of the Care Mineral Water can be reduced
5. Family size of the 44% of the respondents are 3-4. to increase the consumers of Care Mineral Water
6. 26% of the respondents are in the income group of increases the sales.
Rs. above 20,00. 7. Continuous study indepth and Continuous study on
7. 100% of the respondents are buying the Mineral attitudes taste and preference of consumer is
Water for day to day life. essential in order to satisfy the needs of the
consumer.
8. 80% of the respondents have stated that they prefer
Care Mineral Water for daily use. CONCLUSION
9. 75% of the respondents have been influenced by The ultimate aim of any organization is to satisfy the
advertisement in purchase of mineral water. needs and wants of consumers. Consumers consider
price, quality, durability and convenience before
10. 56% of the respondents prefer Care Mineral Water purchasing any products especially consumable
because of its good quality. products. Mostly if the consumer becomes habitual with
11. More than 56% of the respondents are using Care consumer products they stick on to the same product
Mineral Water for more than 6 months. for more time. Income, sex, profession and age play
very important role in determining the preference of any
12. 50% of the respondents purchase Care Mineral product. Only if the consumers are understood fully, it
Water Daily in day to day life. will be easy for any organization to take decisions on

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many variables. For consumers centered companies, JOURNALS


customer satisfaction is both a goal and marketing tool. 1. Aditya Prakash Tripathi, “Trademark Law” The Indian
The link between consumer satisfaction and consumer Journal of Marketing, Oct-2007.
loyalty is not proportional. Higher satisfaction creates
an emotional bond with the brand loyalty. many 2. Dr. K. Mallikarjana Reddy, “Consumer Behaviour,
company’s today are aiming for total consumer Indian Journal of Marketing, March/April-2002.
satisfaction. Some companies thick that they are getting 3. Jagadeep Kapoor, “Difference Perceived; Advertising
a sense of consumer satisfaction by tallying consumer and Marketing”, Indian Journal of Marketing, Jan-
complaints. Suggestions forms and e-mail address serve 2002.
this purpose. Many product improvement ideas come
from listening consumer satisfaction. 4. Mustafa “Power Brands” Indian Management, Oct-
2002.
References 5. “Marketing Mastermind”, The ICFAI University Press,
1. Domald Lehman and Russell Winer “Product April-2006.
Management”, The third Edition.
6. Ranee Jhala, “Managing Brand Relationship for
2. Eric Arnould, Linda Price, George Zinkhan Management Success” Indian Management, April-
“Consumers”, The First Edition. 2003.
3. James M. Carman “Marketing Principles and
Methods” University of California.
4. Kevin Lane Keller, Philip Kotler, “Marketing
Management” The 12th Edition.

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A STUDY ON STRESS AMONG THE EMPLOYEES OF SHIPPING


INDUSTRY WITH REFERENCE TO THOOTHUKUDI
1
S.RAJARAM
ABSTRACT
Stress is a perceived dynamic state involving uncertainty about something important. The dynamic state can be
associated with opportunities, constrains, and demand. Stress is frequently a disabling human phenomenon. Stress
at work has detrimental effect on the behavior of people, which results in personal and organizational inefficiency. The
present study highlights the stress among the employees working in shipping industry with reference to Thoothukudi.
For the purpose of the study the primary data were collected from 120 sample respondents of various shipping
companies and shipping agencies i.e., clearing and forwarding agencies in Thoothukudi.

Keywords: stress, shipping industry, job performance, job satisfaction

Introduction of absenteeism and turnover, job performance, health


Stress is a perceived dynamic state involving uncertainty care cost, destructive and aggressive behaviour resulting
about something important. The dynamic state can be in strikes and the sabotage. Hence, an attempt is made
associated with opportunities, constrains, and demand. through this study, how to cope with stress effectively.
Stress is frequently a disabling human phenomenon.
Scope of the Study
Stress at work has detrimental effect on the behavior of
people, which results in personal and organizational The present study is devoted to study on stress among
inefficiency. Job stress can be described as a condition the employees working in shipping industry in
where job related factors interact with the worker to Thoothukudi. For the purpose of the study the primary
change his or her psychological and physiological data were collected from 120 sample respondents of
conditions, so that the person’s mind and/or body is various shipping companies and shipping agencies i.e.,
forced to deviate from its normal way of functioning. Due clearing and forwarding agencies in Thoothukudi. The
to the pervasiveness of stress in all aspects of work, study covers the time period of 6 months between
the attainment of healthiest work environment is much December 2012 and May 2013.
needed. This requires an understanding of the types of
Objectives of the Study
physical and psychological stressors in work
environment. The interaction of stressor with the The following are the prime objectives of the study;
individual characteristics and their interventions may be • To study the socio – economic status of the
formulated in the reduction of these stressors in the work employees.
place and improved well – being of the employees. In • To examine the various factors of stress that affects
this context, the present study highlights the stress the employees.
among the employees working in shipping industry with
reference to Thoothukudi. • To find the impact of stress among the employees.
• To provide valuable suggestions to cope with stress
Statement of the Problem
effectively.
The Oxford dictionary gives the meaning of stress as
“mental, emotional or physical strain or tension”. Stress Hypotheses of the Study
could be identified through pressures that can be good In tune with the objectives the following hypotheses were
only when it can get us motivated to do something. framed. They are as follows;
Nevertheless, prolonged exposure to high levels of
• There is no significant association between the
pressure can lead to physical and mental problems. The
gender of the respondents and their level of stress.
individual health or happiness has been savaged by the
effects of stress and the organizations performance and • There is no significant association between the age
well – being are also not left untouched. A considerable of the respondents and their level of stress.
burden is shared in the organization as well in the form
• There is no significant association between the monthly
income of the respondents and their level of stress.
1
M.Phil Scholar, Department of Commerce, St.Xaviers college (Autonomous), Palayamkottai.

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Collection of Data
Both primary and secondary data were used in this study. The primary data was collected through questionnaires
designed exclusively for the study. The secondary data were collected from books, journals, magazines, newspapers,
research papers and websites.

Sampling Design
The sample size consists of 120 respondents from Thoothukudi, Tamilnadu. These one hundred and twenty
respondents were selected based on a simple random sampling method.

Tools of Analysis
The data collected were processed employing the following statistical tools namely; descriptive (or) percentage
analysis, chi-square test and ranking analysis

Analysis and Interpretation of Data


The collected primary data were tabulated and interpreted by the researcher and presented in the form of bar
diagrams, pie charts, etc., and the statistical tools such as chi-square test, and ranking method were also used.

Table 1: Socio-economic profile

Gender Frequency Percentage


Male 97 80.8
Female 23 19.2
Total 120 100
Age Frequency Percentage
20 – 30 51 42.5
31 – 40 33 27.5
41 – 50 17 14.1
Above 51 19 15.9
Total 120 100
Educational Qualification Frequency Percentage
School Level 16 13.3
UG 56 46.7
PG 26 21.6
Professional Studies 22 18.4
Total 120 100
Monthly Income Frequency Percentage
Below Rs. 5,000 22 18.3
Rs. 5,001 – 10,000 56 46.7
Rs. 10,001 – 15,000 22 18.3
Above Rs. 15001 20 16.7
Total 120 100

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Table 2: Rankings given by the respondents regarding the factors causing stress

S. Factors Strongly Agree Undecided Disagree Strongly Total % Rank


No. Agree Disagree
1. Job requirements 120 160 84 44 6 414 7.64 V
2. Job security 50 140 102 62 10 364 6.72 X
3. Pay/Salary 70 200 78 40 10 398 7.34 VII
4. Poor surroundings 40 72 108 98 9 327 6.03 XIII
5. Work overload 205 156 48 46 1 456 8.42 I
6. Work under load 45 112 126 64 9 356 6.57 XI
7. Health problems 45 68 99 98 12 322 5.94 XIV
8. Time pressure 75 236 60 42 5 418 7.71 IV
9. Same posture 40 180 108 44 9 381 7.03 IX
10. Routine job 130 180 54 52 5 421 7.77 III
11. Lack of opportunity 90 156 75 64 6 391 7.22 VIII
12. Updating knowledge 135 156 87 48 1 427 7.88 II
13. New technology 65 72 99 86 13 335 6.18 XII
14. Interpersonal relationship 175 84 72 68 6 405 7.47 VI

Findings problems faced by the employees so as to reduce


The following findings of the study are given bellow; the stress and strain of employees.

• Majority (80.8%) of the respondents are male. • Awareness programs on Stress Management, Time
Management, Mental Health, Personality
• It is found that gender of the respondents and their
Development, Physical fitness, etc, should be
level stress has no significant association between
organized for employees.
them.
• The companies should conduct self periodical surveys
• Most (42.5%) of the respondents were in the age
among their employees to measure the level of
group between 20 and 30 and followed by that 27.5%
stress or to find out any problems regarding
of the respondents were in the age group between
employees.
31 and 40.
• Organize periodical classes for yoga and meditation
• More than half (57.5%) of the respondents were
for acquiring stress – free life.
married.
• Use positive affirmation at work place; and always
• Majority (46.7%) of the respondents were
treat employees with respect and dignity.
undergraduates.
• Clarify the tasks and ensure that authority equals
• The study reveals that most (46.7%) of the
responsibility.
respondents were having monthly income between
Rs. 5,001 and Rs. 10,000. • Technology plays an important role in task
management, and effective use of technology may
Suggestions
reduce the stress level.
• Counselors/social workers should be appointed in
every concern to deal with the psycho-social

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Conclusion References:
Many people spend half of their lives in work related i. Brennfleck S. J. 2002. Stress-Related Disorders
activities. No other single activity demands consistently Sourcebook. Detroit: Omnigraphics.
stress, as much physically, emotionally, and cognitively
as work. Hence it is apparent that the health consequences ii. Buzan, T. 2007. Age-Proof Your Brain. London:
of stress can be numerous, when health is taken in its HarperThorsons.
broader meaning as complete physical, mental, and iii. Cade, M.C., Coxhead, N. 1979. The Awakened Mind:
social well being and not merely the absence of disease. Biofeedback and the Development of Higher States
Shipping and logistic industries are the most of Awareness. New York: Delacorte Press.
employment intensive sector. On the other side this
industry fixed with pressure and deadlines to complete iv. Cotton, D. H. G. 1990. Stress Management: An
the given task. The study came out with certain findings Integrated Approach to Therapy. New York: Brunner/
and few suggestions based on that. The research found Mazel.
that nearly half of the employees not affected by the v. Danskin, D., Crow, M. 1981. Biofeedback: An
high level of stress. This can be avoided through Introduction and Guide. Palo Alto: Mayfield Publishing
counseling, recreational activities, and relaxation Company
techniques.
Web site:
www.stress-relief-tools.com
www.stresscourse.tripod.com
www.stress.about.com

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A STUDY ON THE INTERNET ACCESS


IN MOBILE –AN OVERVIEW
1 2
S.Abirami F.Ramesh kumar
ABSTRACT
Accessing the Internet and speciûcally the World Wide Web from a mobile phone is common today. Especially
since the usage fees for packet-data access dropped to a point where anybody who can afford a mobile phone
can afford mobile Internet access. Almost every mobile phone today comes with an integrated web browser that
can display HTML web pages and execute JavaScript. Almost all major web sites such as news sites, social
networks, and shopping sites run websites that are optimized for small displays of mobile phones. Due to the
broad use of mobile web access we investigated possible privacy problems of mobile phone web access. We
conducted a study where we monitor all HTTP headers sent from mobile phones to our web server. We analyzed
the logged data for privacy problems. Through this study we determined that a worldwide privacy problem exists
when accessing the World Wide Web from a mobile phone.

Introduction did not support end-to-end use of the Internet protocols


Advances in mobile technology have enabled a wide and only provided terminal to host connections. The
range of applications to be developed that can be used introduction of network access servers (NASs) supporting
by people on the move. Developers sometimes overlook the serial line internet protocol (SLIP) and later the point-
the fact that users will want to interact with such devices to point protocol (PPP) extended the Internet protocols
while on the move. Small screen sizes, limited and made the full range of Internet services available to
connectivity, high power consumption rates and limited dial-up users, subject only to limitations imposed by
input modalities are just some of the issues that arise the lower data rates available using dial-up.
when designing for small, portable devices. One of the
Provides improved access to Internet services
biggest issues is the context in which they are used.
As these devices are designed to enable users to use Broadband provides improved access to Internet services
them while mobile, the impact that the use of these such as:
devices has on the mobility of the user is a critical factor • Faster world wide web browsing
to the success or failure of the application. The Internet
• Faster downloading of documents, photographs,
began as a network funded by the US government to
videos, and other large files
support projects within the government and at
universities and research laboratories in the US – but • Telephony, radio, television, and videoconferencing
grew over time to include most of the world’s large
• Virtual private networks and remote system
universities and the research arms of many technology
administration
companies. Use by a wider audience only came in 1995
when restrictions on the use of the Internet to carry • Online gaming, especially massively multiplayer
commercial traffic were lifted.In the early to mid-1980s, online role-playing games which are interaction-
most Internet access was from pesonal computer and intensive
workstation directly connected to local area net work or In the 1990s, the National Information Infrastructure
from dial-up connection using modems and analog initiative in the U.S. made broadband Internet access a
telephone line. LANs typically operated at 10 Mbit/s public policy issue. In 2000, most Internet access to
and grew to support 100 and 1000 Mbit/s, while modem homes was provided using dial-up, while many
data-rates grew from 1200 and 2400 bit/s in the 1980s, businesses and schools were using broadband
to 28 and 56 kbit/s by the mid to late 1990s. Initially connections. In 2000 there were just under 150 million
dial-up connections were made from terminal or dial-up subscriptions in the 34 OECD countries and fewer
computers running terminal elumation software to than 20 million broadband subscriptions. By 2004,
terminal service on LANs. These dial-up connections

1
PhD Research scholar, Department of Commerce, Government Arts College (Autonomous), Karur
2
PhD Research scholar, Department of Commerce, Government Arts College (Autonomous), Karur

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broadband had grown and dial-up had declined so that adults have used mobile devices to access the internet,
the number of subscriptions was roughly equal at 130 and 19 percent of servey respondents had used a
million each. In 2010, in the OECD countries, over 90% smartphone or other cell phone to access the internet
of the Internet access subscriptions used broadband, the day before the servey
broadband had grown to more than 300 million
subscriptions, and dial-up subscriptions had declined Objectives of the study
to fewer than 30 million • To know the features people use the most on their
mobile phone
The broadband technologies in widest use are ADSL
and cable Internet access. Newer technologies include • To study the primary purpose for using internet on
VDSL and optical fibre extended closer to the subscriber phone
in both telephone and cable plants. Fibre-optic • To study the benefits and limitation of using internet
communication, while only recently being used in
premises and to the curb schemes, has played a crucial Limitation of the study
role in enabling broadband Internet access by making • The data are collected within the Karur town, so it
transmission of information at very high data rates over cannot be generalized.
longer distances much more cost-effective than copper
wire technology. • The collected data is limited only to the knowledge
of the Karur people.
In areas not served by ADSL or cable, some community
• Vast analysis is not possible since time is a constaint
organizations and local governments are installing Wi-
and the sample size is fixed according to the
Fi networks. Wireless and satellite Internet are often used
researcher convenience.
in rural, undeveloped, or other hard to serve areas where
wired Internet is not readily available. Research methodology
Primary data
Newer technologies being deployed for fixed (stationary)
and mobile broadband access include WiMAX, LTE, and They have been collected by there are how feel about
fixed wireless, e.g., Motorola Canopy.Starting in roughly and we are rearrange the questionnaire we can get the
2006, mobile broadband access is increasingly available own opinion about internet access through mobile phone.
at the consumer level using “3G” and “4G” technologies Secondary data
such as HSPA, EV-DO, HSPA+, and LTE
They have been collected by some other person for their
Review of literature purpose and published. Secondary data is collected
Helft and vance,2010,in factmobile phones have from magazines, Internet , and research work,
become the most prevalent tool for media consumption Newspapers etc.,
and personal computers in use,that number is staggering
Data Analysis and interpretation
hennig,2010.Eighty-three percent of american adults own
a mobile,and this number is even higer for even higher Table-1
for american adults ages.Lenhart,2010. Gender wise classification of the respondents

The niesen company predicts thar more American will S.No Gender No.of Percentage
have smartphones by the end of 2011 than feature phone respondents
“we are just at the beginning of new wireless era where
1 Male 43 43
smartphones will become the standard device consumers
will use to connect to friends, the internet and the world 2 Female 57 57
at large”Entner, 2010
Total 100 100
Morgan Stanley,2009,Smart phones and other mobile
devices wirh internet access allow people to access the Source: Primary Data
web on the go.Some estimate that more users will
access the internet from mobile devices than desktop The above table shows the gender wise classification
computers within a few years. of the respondents. Out of 100 respondents 43% are
male and 57% are female. So majority of the respondents
Horrigan, 2009, Pew research center’s internet and are male.
American life project finds that almost a third of American

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Table No: 2 AGE

Particular Respondents Percentage


18-28 Years 52 52
28-38 Years 32 32
Above 38 Years 16 16
Total 100 100
Source: Primary Data

The above tables shows that, 52 per cent of the respondents are belong to the age group of 18-28 years, 32 per cent
of the respondents are belong to the age group of 28-38 years, and 16 per cent of the respondents are age group is
above 38 years.Hence the majority of the respondents are 52 per cent of the respondents are belong to the age
group of 18-28 years.

Table No: 3 Feature to be an important part of mobile phones

S.NO Statement No.of respondents Percentage


Yes I wouldn’t buy it without
1 6 6
this feature
2 Yes it is rather important 61 61
3 No it is not really important 18 18
4 No it is not important at all 15 15

5 Total 100 100

Source: Primary Data

The above tables shows that, six per cent of the respondents are says that I wouldn’t buy it without this feature, 61
per cent of the respondents are it is rather important, 18 per cent of the respondents are it is not really important,
15 per cent of the respondents are it is not important at all. Hence, the majority are 61 per cent of the respondents
are it is rather important of mobile phone.

Table No: 4 Primary purpose for using internet on your mobile phone

S.NO Statement No.of respondents Percentage


1 To browse WWW 65 65
2 To read news 4 4
3 To read/send e-mails 31 31
4 Total 100 100
Source: Primary Data

The above tables shows that, 65 per cent of the respondents are only to browse in using internet mobile phone, four
per cent of the respondents are read news in using internet mobile phone, 31 per cent of the respondents are read
or sent e-mails through in using internet mobile phone. Hence the majority of 65 per cent of the respondents are
only to browse in using internet mobile phone.

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Table No: 5 Benefits of using internet on your mobile phone


S.NO Statement No.of respondents Percentage
1 Its accessible everywhere 57 57
I can search for information
32 32
2 that I need urgently
3 It is a way to pass my time 6 6
It allow me to use online
4 5 5
utilities when I am out

5 Total 100 100


Source: Primary Data

The above tables shows that, 57 per cent of the respondents are its accessible everywhere internet through mobile
phone, 32 per cent of the respondents are i can search for information that I need urgently, six per cent of the
respondents are it is a way to pass my time, five per cent of the respondents are it allow me to use online utilities
when i am out.Hence the majority of 57 per cent of the respondents are its accessible everywhere internet through
mobile phone.

Table No: 6 SMS

S.NO Statement No.of respondents Percentage


1 Very safe 57 57
2 Somewhat safe 19 19
3 Somewhat unsafe 15 15
4 Very unsafe 9 9
5 Total 100 100

Source: Primary Data

The above tables shows that, 57 per cent of the respondents are sending SMS through internet very safe, 19 per
cent of the respondents are sending SMS through internet somewhat safe, 15 per cent of the respondents are
sending SMS through internet somewhat unsafe, nine per cent of the respondents are sending SMS through
internet very unsafe.Hence the majority of 57 per cent of the respondents are sending SMS through internet very
safe.
Table No: 7 Mobile browser similar to the way you access the Internet on your PC

S.NO Statement No.of respondents Percentage


1 Very safe 82 82
2 Somewhat safe 3 3
3 Somewhat unsafe 7 7
4 Very unsafe 8 8

5 Total 100 100

Source: Primary Data

The above tables shows that,82 per cent of the respondents are very safe mobile browser similar to the way you
access the Internet on your PC,three per cent of the respondents are somewhat safe mobile browser similar to the
way you access the Internet on your PC,seven per cent of the respondents are somewhat unsafe mobile browser
similar to the way you access the Internet on your PC,eight per cent of the respondents are very unsafe mobile
browser similar to the way you access the Internet on your PC.Hence majority of 82 per cent of the respondents are
very safe mobile browser similar to the way you access the Internet on your PC.

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Table No: 8 Application downloaded from your phone’s mobile app store

S.NO Statement No. of respondents Percentage


1 Very safe 12 12
2 Somewhat safe 55 55
3 Somewhat unsafe 19 19
4 Very unsafe 14 14
5 Total 100 100
Source: Primary Data

The above tables shows that,12 per cent of the Conclusion


respondents are very safe application downloaded from As per this study the Internet access through mobile
phone’s mobile app store,55 per cent of the respondents phone has reduced the cost and increased the speed of
are somewhat safe application downloaded from phone’s information transfer. This has transformed the economic
mobile app store,19 per cent of the respondents are landscape, mobile Internet business to focus on the
somewhat unsafe application downloaded from phone’s basics first as the mobile Internet mass market becomes
mobile app store,14 per cent of the respondents are a reality. For communications service providers (CSPs),
very unsafe application downloaded from phone’s mobile that would mean a greater emphasis on building network
app store. Hence the majority of 55 per cent of the and more bandwidth, and on investing to ensure better
respondents are somewhat safe application downloaded coverage and quality of service. These improvements in
from phone’s mobile app store. infrastructure can help them in building enduring
relationships with customers and staying ahead in this
SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS intensely dynamic environment. The hyper connected
The overall findings that, majority of the respondents consumer—with unprecedented levels of computing
are male,52 per cent of the respondents are belong to power than ever before thanks to innovative devices such
the age group of 18-28 years,61 per cent of the as smart phones and tablets—is an active participant in
respondents are it is rather important of mobile phone,65 the market and not just a passive recipient of services.
per cent of the respondents are only to browse in using The trend of multi-device Web access that the survey
internet mobile phone,57 per cent of the respondents highlights presents a real opportunity for
are its accessible everywhere internet through mobile communications, media and technology companies to
phone,57 per cent of the respondents are sending SMS outperform the competition through differentiated, multi-
through internet very safe,82 per cent of the respondents device and multiplatform offerings. The possibilities
are very safe mobile browser similar to the way you associated with a “connected world” have already been
access the Internet on your PC,55 per cent of the demonstrated through the growing uptake of connected
respondents are somewhat safe application downloaded homes and over-the-top TV services. Broadcasters,
from phone’s mobile app store. technology companies and service providers need to
brace themselves for a new generation of Web users
looking for increased interoperability, multi-device and
multiplatform support, and superior experience.

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A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE MODERN MARKETING


SERVICE RENDERED BY HDFC AND SBI IN TRICHY TOWN
1 2
S.Leo Dr.D.JohnPrabakaren
ABSTRACT
Today banks have become a part of our life. There was a time when the dwellers of city alone could enjoy their
services. Now banks offer access to even a common man and their activities extend to areas hither to untouched.
Apart from their traditional business oriented functions, they have now come out to fulfill national responsibilities.
Banks cater to the needs of agriculturists, industrialists, traders and to all the other sections of the society. The present
study under the title, “A comparative study on the Modern Marketing Service rendered by HDFC and SBI in Trichy
Town”, is undertaken mainly to analyze the competition between the banks in rendering marketing services to the
customers. The private banks are more consumers oriented than commercial banks because the technological
advancement used by the private banks are higher than the commercial banks. Businessmen need banking service
to carry out their business transactions. The primary function of bank is to act as a channel for providing and
transferring finance to industry, individuals, society and the like. Therefore, it is important to study the modern
marketing services rendered by HDFC and SBI bank particularly at Triuchirappalli town in relation to the mode of
exchange of finance in the district as a whole.

INTRODUCTION IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY


Today banks have become a part of our life. There was a Now-a-days money is very essential for all individuals
time when the dwellers of city alone could enjoy their as well as to industries, companies, etc. The main
services. Now banks offer access to even a common sectors in Tiruchirappalli district are agriculture, small
man and their activities extend to areas hither to business, small scale industry and medium scale
untouched. Apart from their traditional business oriented industry. They have also been slowly increasing every
functions, they have now come out to fulfill national year. Individuals want to save money for their future, so
responsibilities. Banks cater to the needs of they need banking services.
agriculturists, industrialists, traders and to all the other
sections of the society. Thus they accelerate the Businessmen need banking service to carry out their
economic growth of a country and steer the wheels of business transactions. The primary function of bank is
the economy towards its goal of “self-reliance in all fields”. to act as a channel for providing and transferring finance
It naturally arouses our interest in knowing about the to industry, individuals, society and the like. Therefore,
‘bank’ and the various men and activities connected with it is important to study the modern marketing services
it. rendered by HDFC and SBI bank particularly at
Triuchirappalli town in relation to the mode of exchange
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM of finance in the district as a whole.
The present study under the title, “A comparative study
on the Modern Marketing Service rendered by HDFC OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
and SBI in Trichy Town”, is undertaken mainly to analyze The researcher has coined the following objectives for
the competition between the banks in rendering this research.
marketing services to the customers.
¾ To examine various service benefits rendered by
The private banks are more consumers oriented than ‘State Bank of India’ and ‘HDFC’ to their customers.
commercial banks because the technological ¾ To evaluate the major services schemes like ATM,
advancement used by the private banks are higher than credit card, Debit card, et al by HDFC and SBI.
the commercial banks.
¾ To offer suggestions for improving modern services
to be rendered by the banks.

1
PG research Scholar,Dept. of Commerce CA, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy
2
Asst. Professor of Commerce and Head, Dept. of Commerce CA, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy

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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Data Collection Method


Source of Data Convenient sampling method was adopted for sample
The sources of data are of two types, they are selection and collection of information from them.
i) Primary source,
Analytical Tools Used
ii) Secondary source
The data has been interpreted with the help of various
Primary data is obtained by collecting dates through diagrams like bar diagrams, pie diagrams, etc. The data
the form of QUESTIONNAIRE method. The Questionnaire has been further classified into percentages for easy
is given to the respondents who are availing the Modern understanding.
Marketing Services from HDFC and SBI or both.
Area under Study
Secondary data is collected by having interaction with The area covered under the study is Trichy town. The
the officials of HDFC and SBI and from the reports, study has been conducted in various areas of
journals, directives advertisement modes and the like. Tiruchirappalli like, Contonment, Thillainagar,
Mainguardgate, Srirangam and Worraiyur.
Sample Size
HDFC and SBI banks are having many branches in Trichy LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
Town. There are numerous numbers of customers to ¾ The study is restricted only to Trichirappalli town
these banks. But the sample was designed to 50 due to lack of time.
respondents in total. Then it has been divided into two,
¾ Sample size is limited to 50 respondents of both
which covers 25 respondents from ICICI customers and
SBI and HDFC (1:1) because of cost constraint.
another 25 respondents form SBI customers for this
research work. ¾ Comparison with other banks is not possible due to
their non-cooperation.
DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION:
Table 1 Particulars of the respondents on the basis of the nature of the accounts

Nature of the HDFC SBI


Accounts No. of respondents Percentage No. of respondents percentage
Savings a/c 24 96 22 88
Current a/c 1 4 1 4
Both - - 2 8
Total 25 100 25 100
Source: Primary Data
The above table depicts that, of the 25 respondents of HDFC, 24 respondents (96%) are having savings a/c and
1 respondent (4%) is having current a/c. Of the 25 respondents of SBI, 22 respondents (88%) are having savings
bank a/c and only one respondent is having current a/c. and 2 respondents are having both types of a/c and only
one respondent is having current a/c.
Table - 2 Particulars of the respondents on the basis of the media through
Which they know about the bank
HDFC SBI
Media No. of respondents Percentage No. of respondents Percentage

Through Agency 10 40 - -
Advertisement 9 36 5 20
Influenced by others 6 24 20 80
Total 25 100 25 100
Source: Primary Data

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The above table shows that 10 respondents (40%), 9 respondents (36%) and 6 respondents (24%) have come to
know about the bank through agency, advertisements and influenced by others in HDFC bank. For SBI bank, 5
respondents (20%) and 20 respondents (80%) have come to know about the bank through advertisements and
influenced by others respectively.

Table - 3 Particulars of the respondents on the basis of the Motivational factors

HDFC SBI
Factors No. of respondents Percentage No. of respondents Percentage
Rate of return 5 20 6 24
Convenience 9 36 13 52
Need 11 44 6 24
Total 25 100 25 100
Source: Primary Data
The above table shows that, for HDFC bank there are 11 respondents (44%) who have been motivated for need
factor, 9 respondents (36%) have been motivated towards convenience and 5 respondents (20%) have been motivated
towards the rate of return.

Whereas for SBI bank, there are 13 respondents (52%) motivated towards convenience, 6 respondents (24%) are
motivated towards the rate of return and the remaining 6 respondents (24%) are motivated towards the need factors.

Table - 4 Particulars of the respondents availing the modern services of HDFC bank

Services No. of respondents Percentage


ATM 25 100
Debit card 11 44
Credit card 9 36
Roaming current a/c 2 8
NRI services 1 4
Total 25 100
Source: Primary Data

Note: The total number of respondents of ICICI is 25. Therefore percentage is calculated for 25 respondents.
The respondents availing the modern services of HDFC bank of the 25 respondents, all the 25 respondents (100%)
are availing ATM services, 11 respondents (44%) are availing the debit card services, 9 respondents (36%) are
having credit card, 2 respondents (8%) and 1 respondent (4%) are availing the Roaming current account and NRI
services respectively.
It can be inferred that ATM is the top most modern service, which is availed by the respondents of HDFC bank.
Table - 5 Particulars of the respondents availing the modern services of SBI bank
Services No. of respondents Percenta ge
ATM 25 100
Debit card 25 100
Credit card 6 24
Total 25 100
Source: Primary Data

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Note: The total number of Respondents of SBI is 25. Therefore, percentage is calculated for 25 respondents.
From the above table 100% of the customers of SBI is enjoying the modern service of both ATM and Debit card.
There are yet another 6 respondents who are availing the credit card facility also.
Table -6 Particulars of the respondents on the basis of using ATM cards
HDFC SBI
Monthly usage No. of respondents Perc entage No. of respondents percentage

Once 2 8 3 12

Twice 3 12 3 12

Thrice 5 20 8 32

More than 3 times 15 60 11 44

Total 25 100 25 100

Source: Primary Data

The above table shows that 60% of the respondents use their ATM cards more than three times in a month and 44%
of SBI respondents use them more than three times in a month. There are 5(20%), 3(12%) and 2 (8%) respondents
of HDFC using the ATM cards thrice, twice and once respectively. In the same way, there are 8 (32%), 3(12%) and
3(12%) of SBI respondents using their ATM cards thrice, twice and once respectively.
Table -7 Particulars of the respondents on the basis of using Debit cards
HDFC SBI
Monthly usage No. of respondents Percentage No. of respondents percentage
Once 5 20 2 8
Twice 8 32 5 20
Thrice 2 8 1 4
More than 3 10 40 17 68
times
Total 25 100 25 100
Source: Primary Data

The above table shows that nearly 40% (10) and 68% (17) of both HDFC and SBI respondents use Debit cards for
more than three times in a month. It is clearly found that the remaining 2(8%), 8(32%) and 5(20%) respondents of
HDFC and 1(4%), 5(20%) and 2(8%) of SBI respondents use their debit cards thrice, twice and once in each month.
Table - 8 Particulars of the respondents on the basis of using credit cards
HDFC SBI
Monthly usage No. of respondents Percentage No. of respondents percentage
Once 7 28 5 20
Twice 2 8 8 32
Thrice 9 36 7 26
More than 3 7 28 5 28
times
Total 25 100 25 100
Source: Primary Data

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The above table stated that 7 respondents of HDFC and only 5 respondents of SBI are using credit cards more than
three times in a month.
It is also tabulated that there are 9 (36%), 2 (8%) and 7(28%) of HDFC respondents and 7(28%), 8(32%) and 5(20%)
of SBI respondents are using their credit cards for thrice, twice and once respectively in every months.
Table - 9 Particulars of the respondents on the basis of using ATM cards in other stations
HDFC SBI

Type No. of respondents Percentage No. of respondents percentage

Using 15 60 13` 52

Not using 10 40 12 48

Total 25 100 25 100

Source: Primary Data


The above table states that only 60% (15) and 52% (13) of HDFC and SBI respondents use their cards in other
stations. The rest 40% (10) and 48%(12) of HDFC respondents and SBI respondents are not using such cards in
out stations.
This table infers that most of the respondents are using ATM cards in other stations but meager respondents who
are not using ATM cards in other stations who are not using ATM cards in other stations is because of less
knowledge in using such cards.
Table - 10 Particulars of the respondents on the basis of their Deposits and withdrawals in HDFC bank
Deposits With drawls
Amount No. of respondents Percentage No. of respondents percentage
Upto Rs.20,000 10 40 9 36
Rs.20,000- 8 32 7 28
Rs.50,000
Rs.50,000- 4 16 1 4
Rs,1,00,000
Above 1,00,000 3 12 6 24
None Nil Nil 2 8
Total 25 100 25 100
Source: Primary Data

The above table shows that, There are 10(40%) respondents and 9 (36%) respondents who deposit and withdraws
upto Rs.20,000. Also there are 3(12%) respondents and 6(24%) respondents who deposits and withdraws amount
above RS.1,00,000.
The meager amount of respondents does not withdraw any amount from their account because they want to save
amount for their future. Most of the persons who are withdrawing money many times in a year is because they want
to rotate it is their business. They are mostly business people.
Table -11 Particulars of the respondents on the basis of their deposits and withdrawals in SBI bank
Deposits Wi th drawls
Amount No. of Percentage No. of Percentage
respondents respondents
Upto Rs.20,000 5 20 2 8
Rs.20,000 -Rs.50,000 9 36 3 12
Rs.50,000 -Rs,1,00,000 7 28 6 24
Above 1,00,000 4 16 10 40
None Nil Nil 4 16
Total 25 100 25 100
Source: Primary Data

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The above table shows that,There are 5 (20%) and 2(8%) ¾ Some of the respondents feel the service charges
of respondents who deposit and withdraws upto are high. Therefore, the respective bank should take
Rs.20,000. 9(36%) and 3(12%) of respondents who up effective steps to reduce the service charges;
deposit and withdraw from Rs.20,000 to Rs.50,000.
¾ HDFC bank should take necessary steps or try to
7(28%) and 6(24%) of respondents deposit and withdraw
reduce the interest rates for loans;
from Rs.50,000 to Rs.1,00,000. 4(16%) and 10(40%)
respondents deposit and withdraws about Rs.1,00,000. ¾ SBI bank must act quickly because many
respondents feel that this bank consumers more time
This implies that most of the respondents have deposits
to complete a transaction;
as well as withdrawals, because most of them are
businessmen. Meager respondents are not withdrawing ¾ SBI bank must also take effective steps to process
any amount, most of them are Government employees loans quickly;
and are saving their amounts for their future.
¾ Financial statements for the customer’s accounts
FINDINGS: must be sent regularly to all the account holders of
the respective bank;
¾ Majority of the respondents switch their interest to
have savings account rather than current account; CONCLUSION
¾ HDFC bank reached the customers through agents The researcher has taken at most steps to enlighten
and advertisements, whereas SBI bank respondents the modern services rendered by HDFC and SBI banks
are influenced by other; at Trichirappalli town, with concrete objectives. The
researcher finds that the services rendered are not
¾ Convenience and needs made most of the
reaching the poor and rural masses. The researcher
respondents to become the customers of the bank;
has also suggested certain suggestions to enlighten the
¾ 100% of the respondents of HDFC bank avail the modern services to the rural masses. There are many
ATM services; ways to develop this work in the country. Finally, the
researcher feels that the RBI should have more control
¾ 100% of the respondents of SBI bank avail the
over the operations of both the banks.
modern service of ATM – cum - Debit cards;
REFERENCE:
¾ ½ of the respondents use ATM and debit cards more
than three times in a month; • Saxena K.K., Bank Marketing - concepts and
Applications, 1988, Skylark Publications.
¾ Nearly 32% of respondents use their credit card for
three times in a month; • Jha.S.M, Services Marketing 2003, Himalaya
Publishing House.
¾ ¾th of the respondents use their ATM cards in
other stations like Chennai, Coimbatore, Bangalore • Rajashekar. N. Banking in the New Millenium, 2003,
and also outside India; ICFAI University.
¾ Majority of the respondents of HDFC deposit and • Dr.Nirmala Prasad.K. & Chandradass .J, Banking
withdraw a sum upto Rs.2000; and Financial Systems, 1994, Himalaya Publishing
House.
SUGGESTION
• Gordan.E and Natarajan.K, Banking Theory, law &
¾ The banks must reconstruct its present promotional Practice, 2003, Himalaya Publication House.
policies because most of the customers are not
satisfied with these programs of their banks; • Madhukar R.K, Dynamics of Bank Marketing,
1990,Sri Sudhindra Publishing House.
¾ No respondents of SBI knew about their bank through
agency. Therefore, agencies must be fixed to create • Vasant Desai, Indian Banking – Nature & problems,
awareness to the public about the benefits of this 1987, Himalaya publishing House.
bank; • Vaish.M.C, Modern Baking, 1984, RBSA publishers.
¾ Banks should take necessary steps for the • Sundharam P.M & Varshney P.N. Banking Theory,
customers who are very far away from the bank; Law & Practice, 1992, Sultan Chand & sons.
¾ Roaming current account is a very good service • Balaji .B, Services Marketing and Management,
provided by HDFC bank. But there are very less 2002,S.Chand & Co. Ltd.
number of respondents availing this service. So,
bank should concentrate on the above; WEB SITES:
www.hdfc.com, www.sbi.co.in

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“A STUDY ON CONSUMER PREFERENCE TOWARDS FLIPKART


ONLINE SHOPPING WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO HOSTEL
STUDENTS, ST.JOSEPH’S COLLEGE”
1
Vignesh K

“REDISCOVER A GREAT SHOPPING TRADITION”


-BRANDON GAILLE
ABSTRACT
In the recent past Internet has got a precious place in the economic activities. It makes the life of customers prosper
and smooth. Now-a-days people show their interest on internet. They now feel satisfied by purchasing the products
online.
The purpose of this study is to examine and analyze the consumer’s preferences towards online shopping (especially
in case of flipkart.com users in hostel at St.Joseph’s college, trichy).
They want various services at their doorstep by saving their time and money. For this Flipkart e-market plays a very
important role as a new way of helping students and attracting them towards the market potentials. There are many e-
commerce websites in the market website which deals with selling and purchasing of goods and services through
internet and computer networks. Researcher aims to prove Flipkart.com as a successful e-commerce website by
different e-commerce websites available in the market. As a successful e-commerce website, flipcart.com increases
business opportunities, competitiveness, better and profitable access to markets and saves users travel time and
cost. This research paper also to analyze various aspects of flipkart.com on the basis of its security, quality of service,
product availability, discounts payment mode and many more parameters. The success of Flipkart Company in India
is depending upon its popularity, its branding image, its unique & fair policies, and its customer relations etc.
KEYWORDS: e-commerce, Internet, Network, Information Technology

INTRODUCTION shopping. In the case where a business buys from


Electronic commerce, commonly known as e- another business, the process is called business-to-
commerce or ecommerce, is a type of industry where business (B2B) online shopping. Retail success is no
the buying and selling of products or services is longer all about physical stores. This is evident because
conducted over electronic systems such as the Internet of the increase in retailers
and other computer networks. Electronic commerce
now offering online store interfaces for consumers. With
draws on technologies such as mobile
the growth of online shopping, comes a wealth of new
commerce, electronic funds transfer, supply chain
market footprint coverage opportunities for stores that
management, Internet marketing, online transaction
can appropriately cater to offshore market demands and
processing, electronic data interchange (EDI),inventory
service requirements.
management systems, and automated data
collection systems. Modern electronic commerce DEFINITION
typically uses the World Wide Web at least at one point
A type of business model, or segment of a larger business
in the transaction’s life-cycle, although it may
model, that enables a firm or individual to conduct
encompass a wider range of technologies such as e-
business over an electronic network, typically the
mail, mobile devices, social media, and telephones as
internet. Electronic commerce operates in all four of the
well.
major market segments: business to business, business
Online shopping or e-shopping is a form of electronic to consumer, consumer to consumer and consumer to
commerce which allows consumers to directly buy goods business.
or services from a seller over the Internet using a web PROBLEMS OF THE STUDY
browser. Alternative names are: e-web-store, e-shop, e-
store, Internet shop, web-shop, web-store, online store, ¾ The most important problem and the primary reason
online storefront and virtual store. An online shop evokes for this research are to identify why the online
the physical analogy of buying products or services at shoppers do not prefer this site for making purchase.
a bricks-and-mortar retailer or shopping center; the ¾ The main problem is the purchasers are scared of
process is called business-to-consumer (B2C) online not seeing the real product at the time of making
order.
1
PG Research Scholar, Department of Commerce CA, St.Joseph’s college, Tiruchirappalli

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¾ The payment mode offered by the online market suits related to consumer preferences is collected from
the customer at the time of making the payment. secondary sources like journals, magazines,
periodicals, books, newspapers, and internet.
OBJECTIVES
The total numbers of samples selected were 50 (i.e.
¾ To study about the customer preference of online
10% from the total universe) from the student friends
shopping in Flipkart.
stayed in the hostel both post graduation first years and
¾ To know the awareness of the consumers regarding second years from the universe of 500. It is also a
the price, brand and quality offered by the Flipkart. descriptive research paper based on secondary data.
¾ To know the impact of the online advertisement Collection of data
provided by Flipkart, on the consumer.
To fulfill the above objectives a structured form of
¾ To study the customer satisfaction while making questionnaire was distributed to 50 respondents in
online shopping through Flipkart. St.Joseph’s college hostel during the period of February
2014 and deliberate attempt was made to give a fair
SCOPE OF THE STUDY representation to various attributes via age group, type
The scope of the study relates to the customer of product purchased and frequent visit of the website
preference of Flipkart.com in bellarmine hostel for online (Flipkart).
purchasing of product. It deals with the reasons for
preference, cost aspects, level of satisfaction of the Analysis of data
consumers, identify the purchasing decision and learn The data obtained as primary data were arranged and
the impact of online advertisement which influences the tabulated. The tabulated data are further analyzed and
consumer to purchase the product in online market. interpreted. The statistical tools such as average and
percentage were widely used.
METHODOLOGY
The present study has been formed with primary and Use of statistical tools
secondary data. The primary data were collected through There are two statistical tools apply in this theses. It is,
direct personal investigation. Some other information 1. Percentage.
2. Chi – square test.

ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION


TABLE-1 Table showing Age wise classification of the respondents
Age No. of respondents Percentage
Below 20 29 58
21-30 17 34
31-40 3 6
Above 40 1 2
Total 50 100
Source: Primary Data

Interpretation:
The above mentioned table shows that the majority of respondent i.e. 58% of them below the age group of 20; where
as 34% of they are between the age group of 21-30. The remaining very few respondents were in the age group of 31-
40 and above 40. It is inferred that the use of Flipkart is a universal phenomenon and all the student respondents
using Flipkart for online purchasing.
TABLE - 2 Table showing respondent classification according to the type of product purchased
Product No of the respondent Percentage
Books 6 12
Foot wares 8 16
Electronic goods 21 42
Merchandise 15 30
Total 50 100
Source: Primary Data

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Interpretation:
The above mention table shows that the majority of the respondent using Flipkart for the purpose of purchasing
electronic goods i.e. 42%. Whereas 30% of the respondent using the website for purchasing merchandise, a very
few of the respondent were preferred to buy books and foot wares.
TABLE-3 Table showing respondent classification according to their satisfaction
Frequency No of the respondent Percentage
Highly satisfied 13 26
Satisfied 19 38
Good 14 28
Bad 4 8
Total 50 100
Source: Primary Data

Interpretation:
The above mentioned table denotes, most of the Flipkart users are satisfied with the service provided by the online
market at 38%. The next majorities of the respondent using online purchasing through Flipkart were 28% and rated
the website as good. The lesser amount of respondent was showing their feedback in unfavoured manner.
TABLE- 4 Table showing respondent classification according to their frequent visit
Frequency No of the respondent Percentage
Very often 4 8
Often 12 24
Occasionally 23 46
Rarely 11 22
Total 50 100
Source: Primary Data

Interpretation:
The above mentioned table shows that most of the respondents are occasionally visit the website to see the
products and offers provided by Flipkart. They respond at 46%. Similarly the respondents often visit the website by
24% and 22% of the respondent rarely use the website.
Majority of the respondents belongs to occasionally visiting group because they are all interested to buy the
product in online market as it is widely available to their expectations.

TABLE - 5 Table showing respondent classification according to the type of payment


Payment type No of the respondent Percentage
Cash on delivery 33 66
Card payment 8 16
Online banking 9 18
Total 50 100
Source: Primary Data

Interpretation:
The above table shows the type of payment made by the respondent at the time of online shopping. As much as
66% of the respondents use cash on delivery. Whereas 18% of the respondents uses internet banking for making
payment, the lesser amount of respondents are using cards for their payment.

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TABLE - 6 Table showing respondent support towards Flipkart online purchase


Frequency No of the respondent Percentage
Strongly agree 39 78
Agree 7 14
Disagree 4 8
Total 50 100
Source: Primary Data

Interpretation:
The above table exhibits the respondent support towards Flipkart. Nearly 78% of the respondent are strongly agree
the support avail by them from the online purchase through Flipkart. 14% of the respondent agrees the support and
only lesser amount of the respondent does not agree the support done by Flipkart.

CHI-SQUARRE TEST
Calculation method
Row Total X Column Total
E = ————————————
Grand Total
The value of the test statistics
( O – E)
X2 = ——————————
E

It is to be calculated and it is to be compared with the Chi-Square table value at a certain level of significance and
degree of freedom (r-1), (c-1), where ‘r’ denotes the number of classes (Row) of the attribute and ‘c’ denotes the
number of subclasses (Column) of the second attribute.

Whenever the calculated value exceeds the table value the Null Hypothesis is to be rejected. That is two attributes
are independent. Therefore, the alternative Hypothesis is to be accepted. But as against this, if the calculated X
value is lower than the table, it will be concluded that the Null Hypothesis is true.

CHI-SQUARE TEST -1
OPINION ABOUT THE SATISFACTION LEVEL OF FLIPKART ONLINE PURCHASE ACCORDING TO AGE
TABLE-1 Satisfaction level (Age wise)
O E O-E 2(O-E)/E
5 5.2 -0.2
6 6.4 -0.4
5 5.6 -0.6
4 2.8 1.2
2 1.3 0.7
1 1.6 -0.6 0.25
2 1.4 0.6 -----------------------
0 0.7 -0.7 50
6 6.5 -0.5
9 8.0 0.5
7 7.0 0
3 3.5 -0.5
50 50 0.25 0.005

NULL HYPOTHESIS (HO)


Age of respondents did not significantly influence the satisfaction level of online purchasing through Flipkart.

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ALTERNATIVE HYPOTHESIS (H1)


Age of respondents significantly influenced the satisfaction level of Flipkart.
The results are given below:
Calculated chi-Square value= 0.005
Table chi-Square value= 12.592
Degree of freedom= (r-1) (c-1)
(4-1) (3-1)
6
Conclusion:
Since the calculated value is less than table value, the Null Hypothesis is to be accepted. That is the age of
respondents did not significantly influence satisfaction level of online purchase through Flipkart. It means the
satisfaction level of online purchasing is not depends upon respondents.

CHI-SQUARE TEST -2
OPINION ABOUT RESPONDENT CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO THE TYPE OF PRODUCT PURCHASED
TABLE - 2 Product level (Product wise)
O E O-E 2(O-E)/E
4 2.4 1.6
4 3.23 0.8
10 8.4 1.6
2 6 -4
1 0.6 0.4
1 0.8 1.2 37.48
1 2.1 -1.1 -----------------------
1 1.5 -0.5 50
1 3 -2
2 4 -2
10 10.5 -0.5
12 7.5 4.5
50 50 1.6 0.7496

NULL HYPOTHESIS (HO) Flipkart. It means the satisfaction level of online


Product wise selection respondents did not significantly purchasing is not depends upon product selection
influence the satisfaction level of online purchasing preferred by respondents.
through Flipkart.
FINDINGS
ALTERNATIVE HYPOTHESIS (H1) ¾ It is found that there is no specific Age group prefer
Selection of product by respondents significantly the particular website i.e. Flipkart. The use of online
influenced the satisfaction level of Flipkart. shopping is the universal phenomenon and all the
The results are given below: students use without any Age difference.
Calculated chi-Square value= 0.7496 ¾ It is found that a majority of the respondents i.e.
Table chi-Square value= 12.592 42% of them prefer to buy electronics products
whereas 30% of them were preferring merchandise
Degree of freedom= (r-1) (c-1)
offered by the Flipkart.
(4-1) (3-1)
6 ¾ It is observed that the more number of respondents
i.e.38% of them satisfied with the product which they
Conclusion: purchase. 28% of the other respondents were stated
Since the calculated value is less than table value, the their satisfaction good opinion towards the online
Null Hypothesis is to be accepted. That is the product deal. The remaining respondents i.e. 26% of them
selection made by respondents did not significantly highly satisfied.
influence satisfaction level of online purchase through

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¾ It is found that the maximum of respondents i.e. CONCLUSION


46% of them visit the website occasionally, whereas After the introduction of online shopping there has been
24% from the remaining respondents using the a tremendous changes occurred in normal shopping
website often. style. From this research we conclude that the buyers
¾ It is observed that the majority of the respondents are not willing does sweaty shopping with the direct
i.e. 66% of the regular user using cash on delivery shops. Mostly youngsters and youth generation (20-25
payment mode for their online shopping. Age groups) are very much interested in online shopping
with flipkart.com. Even though this study is brief the
¾ It is found that the overall support received by the researcher put up his effort in a nutshell.
respondents i.e. 78% of them strongly agree that
they are using online shopping through Flipkart. REFERENCE
SUGGESITIONS Nargundkar, R., (2008), Market Research: Text and
Cases, 3rd Edition
¾ It is suggested that the mandatory delivery charges
for below Rs.500, is to be reduced to Rs.300. Kotler, P. And Keller, K., (2009), Marketing Management,
Pearson Education, 13thEdition.
¾ It is suggested that the discount must be provided
to the bulk order purchase. www.google.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flipkart
¾ It is suggested that the shipping time should be http://www.businessworld.in/en/storypage/-/bw/e-tailers-
reduced as much as possible. set-to-ride-a-spending-spree/545535.37502/page/0
¾ Flipkart.com has introduced EMI but not advertised www.slideshare.com
properly. www.flipkart.com
www.Yelp.com
¾ Schemes should be introduced for housewives and www.kaboodle.com
middle – class to motivate them to use these www.zlio.com
facilities.

LIMITATIONS
¾ The data collected based on the questionnaire, so
the result would be varying according to the opinion
of the individuals.
¾ The sample size chosen for the study is confined
only to the Hostel student’s of St.Joseph’s college
in trichy.
¾ The statistical tools used to analyze the data have
their own limitations.
¾ Time and cost could be another limiting factor as
these have impact on any study.

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A STUDY ON THE EFFECTS OF PRODUCT ENDORSEMENTS


BY CELEBRITIES ON CONSUMERS
1
S. Maris Shinia Clarissia.
ABSTRACT
The concept of celebrity endorsement has become a rage in India as well, with every company trying to rope in
a brand ambassador of sorts for their brands. The increasing number of endorsements throws a valid question
to the consumers. Is there a science behind the choice of these endorsers or is it just by the popularity
measurement? What are the reasons which lead to impact of celebrity endorsement on brands?

Celebrity endorsements pull in hundreds of norm every year, and are widely preferred by marketers to promote
their products. Using celebrities for endorsing brands has become a trend for building the brands as well as the
company’s image. Promotion of a company’s products through these celebrities is termed as celebrity
endorsement. The company makes use of the celebrity’s characteristics and qualities to establish an analogy
with the products specialties with an aim to position them in the minds of the target consumers. Celebrity
endorsement, thus, is one of the powerful tools adopted by companies/marketers to consolidate their brand(s)
in the crowded marketplace. This paper discussed the main and relevant concepts regarding celebrity
endorsements.

Introduction Commercial advertisers often seek to generate increased


Marketing is the process of performing marketing consumption of their products or services through
research, selling products or services to customers and branding, which involves the repetition of an image or
promoting them through advertising to further enhance product name in an effort to associate related qualities
sales. It generates the strategy that underlies sales with the brand in the minds of consumers. Non-
techniques, business communication, and business commercial advertisers who spend money to advertise
developments. It is an integrated process through which items other than a consumer product or service include
companies build strong customer relationships and political parties, interest groups, religious organizations
create value for their customers and for themselves. and governmental agencies. Modern advertising
Marketing is used to identify the customer, to satisfy developed with the rise of mass production in the late
the customer, and to keep the customer. With the 19th and early 20th centuries. Mass media can be defined
customer as the focus of its activities, it can be concluded as any media meant to reach amass amount of people.
that marketing management is one of the major Different types of media can be used to deliver these
components of business management. messages, including traditional media such as
newspapers, magazines, television, radio, outdoor or
Marketing practice was tended to be seen as a creative direct mail; or new media such as websites and text
industry in the past, which included advertising, messages.
distribution and selling. Many people confuse marketing
with advertising or vice versa. While both components The TV commercial is generally considered the most
are important they are very different. Advertising is a effective mass-market advertising format; Virtual
single component of the marketing process. It’s the part advertisements may be inserted into regular television
that involves getting the word out concerning your programming through computer graphics. This type of
business, product, or the services you are offering. It advertising focuses upon using celebrity power, fame,
involves the process of developing strategies such as money, popularity to gain recognition for their products
ad placement, frequency, etc. and promote specific stores or products. Advertisers
often advertise their products, for example, when
Advertising includes the placement of an ad in such celebrities share their favorite products or wear clothes
mediums as newspapers, direct mail, billboards, by specific brands or designers. Celebrities are often
television, radio, and of course the Internet. Advertising involved in advertising campaigns such as television or
is the largest expense of most marketing plans, with print adverts to advertise specific or general products.
public relations following in a close second. The use of celebrities to endorse a brand can have its

1
HRD Co-Ordinator, Holy Cross College, Trichy

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downsides, however. One mistake by a celebrity can be ¾ To find out how the endorsement of celebrities
detrimental to the public relations of a brand. influence an individual in adopting the attitude
advocated by the communicator.
Celebrity endorsements pull in hundreds of norm every
year, and are widely preferred by marketers to promote ¾ To analyze the reasons for the advertisement clutter
their products. Using celebrities for endorsing brands because of multiple endorsements.
has become a trend for building the brands as well as Methodology of the Study
the company’s image. Promotion of a company’s
There are four main aspects involved research
products through these celebrities is termed as celebrity
methodology: design, sampling, data collection and
endorsement. The company makes use of the celebrity’s
data analysis. If inappropriate methodology is used, or
characteristics and qualities to establish an analogy with
if appropriate methodology is used poorly, the results
the products specialties with an aim to position them in
of a study could be misleading. Hence, the researcher
the minds of the target consumers. Celebrity
should be vigilant in selecting the appropriate method
endorsement, thus, is one of the powerful tools adopted
of data collection; in order to attain the objective of the
by companies/marketers to consolidate their brand(s)
study secondary data collection methods will be much
in the crowded marketplace.
effective.
Meaning and Definition
Secondary Sources at Data: in this method, data
Celebrity Endorsement: Celebrity branding is a type will be collected front books, magazines, journals,
of branding, or advertising, in which a celebrity uses his internet sources and the collected data will be edited,
or her status in society to promote a product, service or analyzed and presented in a prescribed format.
charity Celebrity branding can take several different
forms, from a celebrity simply appearing in Impact of Celebrity Endorsement on the Brand
advertisements for a product, service or charity, to a
¾ Approval of a brand by a star fosters a sense of
celebrity attending PR events, creating his or her own
Mist for that brand among the target audience.
line of products or services, and/or using his or her name
as a trend. ¾ The celebrity endorser has a tremendous potential
to influence the profitability of endorsed products.
McCracken’s (1989) definition of a celebrity endorser
is, “any individual who enjoys public recognition and who ¾ The endorsed brand will have more relativity and
uses this recognition on behalf of a consumer good by credibility.
appearing with it in an advertisement (marcoms), is ¾ If the celebrity represents the values that conflicts
useful, because when celebrities are depicted in with the brand values, the advertising would create
marcoms, they bring their own culturally related conflict in the minds of the target audience.
meanings, thereto, irrespective of the required
promotional role.” ¾ Clutter in brand endorsements is very prominent
these days and such kind of over-exposure can
Friedman and Friedman (1979) found empirical be bad for the brand as the recall value drops by a
evidence that, in the promotion of products high in huge margin.
psychological and/or social risk, use of celebrity endorser
¾ Multiple product endorsement also has a negative
would lead to greater believability, a more favorable
impact on customers purchasing intentions.
evaluation of the product and advertisement, and a
significantly more positive purchase intention. Impact of Celebrity Endorsement:
Objective of the Study The concept of celebrity endorsement has become a
rage in India as well, with every company trying to rope
The main objective of my study is to find out the
in a brand ambassador of sorts for their brands.The
effectiveness of celebrity endorsements in promoting a
increasing number of endorsements throws a valid
particular brand to the target audience.
question to the consumers. Is there a science behind
¾ To study the impact of celebrity endorsements on the choice of these endorsers or is it just by the
brands. popularity measurement? What are the reasons which
lead to impact of celebrity endorsement on brands?
¾ To analyze the reasons of how the increasing number
of endorsement alters the purchasing intention of
the customer.

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Businesses have long sought to distract and attract the Memorable Ad Campaigns
attention of potential customers that live in a world of 1. Amitabh Bachchan
ever-increasing commercial bombardment. Everyday
Bachchan has been for many years been a popular
consumers are exposed to thousands of voices and
choice for brands looking to establish a rapport with
images in magazines, newspapers, and on billboards,
consumers. He has also been linked with government
websites, radio and television. Every brand attempts to
and social welfare initiatives that help spread awareness.
steal at least a fraction of an unsuspecting person’s time
India’s largest biscuit maker Parle Products has roped
to inform him or her of the amazing and different attributes
in superstar Amitabh Bachchan to endorse its new mid-
of the product at hand. Because of the constant media
premium cookie brand as it plans to take on one of rival
saturation that most people experience daily, they
Britannia’s largest brands, Good Day, in a segment it
eventually become numb to the standard marketing
dominates. Amitabh Bachchan is the goodwill
techniques. The challenge of the marketer is to find a
ambassador for Polio UNICEF campaign. He was
hook that will hold the subject’s attention.
appointed as the ambassador in 2005 and has since
Also from a marketing communications perspective, it fronted their polio eradication programme successfully. In
is vital that firms design strategies that help to underpin 2012, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had taken
competitive differential advantage for the firm’s product India off the list of polio endemic countries. Amitabh
or services. Accordingly, activities back-up other Bachchan was honoured for his contribution to the
elements in the marketing mix such as designing, cause. Any recall of brand Cadbury would be incomplete
branding, packaging, pricing, and place decisions in order without him! Cadbury roped in Amitabh Bachchan in 2004
to attempt to create positive effects in the minds of the to endorse its brand and regain consumer confidence
consumers. In helping to achieve this, use of celebrity following a disastrous worm infestation controversy. A
endorsers is a widely used strategy. series of commercials form ‘Pappu Paas Ho Gaya’ to
‘Kuch Meetha Ho Jaye’ saw the ads being liked by all
age-groups. The character ‘Pappu’ was incidentally a

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big hit with many brands then using it to identify with 3. Akshay Kumar:
the under-dog, normal guy, like the one living next door. With his recent release Housefull 2, Akshay has set the
box office on fire. His name has been attached to a lot
Amitabh Bachchan- King of Endorsements has
of brands like Thumbs Up, Bagpiper, Levis Jeans,
endorsed various brands such as Banking- ICICI• Soft
Micromax, LG etc. He is officially announced as the
Drinks- Pepsi, Mirinda• Batteries- Eveready• Paints-
brand ambassador of Canada by the Canada
Nerolac• Chocolates- Cadbury• Automobiles- Maruti
Tourism Commission in Delhi. Akshay is the
Suzuki (Versa)• Writing Instruments- Parker Pens•
first Indian celebrity to be the brand ambassador of
Apparel- Reid & Tailor• Diet Supplements- Dabur•
Canada Tourism.
Personal Care- Emami• Real Estate- Sahara City Homes
, Binani Cement, Navratna• Tanishq• Gujarat state• 4. Ms Dhoni :
Maggi• ICICI• Luxor Nano Clean• Cadbury Dairy Milk•
Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has topped
Zen Mobile• Emami Boroplus• Max New York Life
the chart for celebrity endorsements on television during
Insurance• Kalyan Jewellers etc. Now Big B is the senior
the first six months of 2013, leaving behind not only Shah
horse of this endorsement race, and has one of the most
Rukh Khan and Sachin Tendulkar, but also the gorgeous
accountable star appeal.
ladies of the silver screen. Interestingly, Dhoni also left
2. Shahrukh Khan: behind many Bollywood actresses, who enjoyed a
combined 45 per cent share of the total celebrity
Shah Rukh Khan is top of the first ever Forbes India
endorsements on TV between January and June. During
Celebrity 100 list. The list, which ranks celebrities on
the period, Dhoni appeared for a host of brands,
the basis of their income and popularity, will be released
including Reebok, Aircel, Godrej and TVS.
in a special edition of Forbes India magazine. SRK was
one of the first actors to endorse in consumer goods 5. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan:
and opened the doors for other stars. He is labelled as
Rai made her first commercial for Camlin pencils when
‘Brand SRK’ as he tops the list in endorsing national
she was in the 9th grade. Rai became popular after
and international products. He has been the first choice
appearing in a Pepsi commercial with actor Aamir
of many brands for promoting their products and ideas.
Khan. She is the only female actor to have endorsed
According to a survey by TAM Media Research (2008),
both Pepsi and Coca-Cola. She is one of the top brand
SRK had endorsed maximum brands on TV. He endorses
ambassadors in the country and is one of the top paid
leading brands like Airtel, Videocon, Pepsodent, Emami,
Bollywood actresses in this respect. She modelled
Hyundai Motors and Dish TV and international brands
for Titan Watches, Longines watches, L’Oréal, Coca-
like Nokia. Khan is often labelled by the Media as “Brand
Cola, Lakmé Cosmetics, Casio pager, Philips, Palmolive,
SRK” due to his various brand endorsement and
Lux, Fuji films, Nakshatra Diamond Jewellery,
entrepreneurship ventures. The Times of India noted
and Kalyan Jewellers. She was named the official brand
“Khan has established himself as a brand on the map of
ambassador for De Beers diamonds in India. Rai has
the film industry. Hailing from a non-filmi background
been ranked the 2nd most popular watch brand
with no pedigree to boast of and no godfather to pull
ambassador worldwide in a survey, conducted by World
strings, the St. Columba’s alumnus has become a
Watch Report. In 2013 Rai and her husband Abhishek
muse.” In 2013,Forbes India named him Shah
Bachchan have been roped in as the brand ambassadors
Rukh.Inc and declared him India’s biggest Brand.
by the TTK Prestige.
In August 2012, a promotional film starring Khan and
6. Sachin Tendulkar:
directed by filmmaker Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury was
released. The three minutes clip branded ‘Bengal Leads’ While Sachin Tendulkar’s every move is being recorded,
which is the first-of-its-kind in West Bengal since we take you through some of the brands he’s endorsed.
Independence showcased Bengal’s traditional tourist Sachin Tendulkar has been sponsored by several brands
spots, topographical and cultural diversity. It also featured throughout his career including Boost, Pepsi, Action
Khan speaking a few lines in Bengali, urging people to Shoes, MRF, Adidas, Britannia, Fiat Palio , TVS,
come and visit what is called “Beautiful Bengal”. The ESPN Star Sports , Sunfeast , Canon , Airtel ,
film, shot in both English and Bengali, was eventually Reynolds, G-Hanz, Sanyo BPL, Toshiba , Colgate-
awarded at the 2nd Asia TV and Film Festival on Journey, Palmolive, Philips, VISA, Castrol India , Ujala Techno
organized by the Japanese government. Bright, Coca-Cola and Musafir.com.

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7. Katrina Kaif: 12. Salman Khan:


Kaif is one of India’s highest paid celebrity endorsers, Salman Khan was associated as a brand when he had
and is the ambassador of many prominent brands done the advertisements for Hero Honda bikes and
including Slice, Nakshatra, Lux, Olay, Panasonic and Double Bull shirts, much before he entered film Industry.
Pantene, among others. She is also the first Bollywood Even after he became a superstar, he never showed
actress to have a Barbie doll modelled after herself. In interest in promoting himself as a brand, but he was
2012, International Advertising Associationnamed Kaif signed for Thums Up in 2002 and continued until its
(along with Salman Khan) as the “Brand Endorser of the contract was over. Later Akshay Kumar replaced Khan.
Year. Later he was the brand ambassador of soft
drink Mountain Dew with whom he ended the contract
8. Deepika Padukone: in December 2010. And now he is once again
Padukone is an active celebrity endorser for several promoting Thums Up. He has also became the brand
brands and products, including Tissot, Sony Cybershot, ambassador for the travel website, Yatra.com, which also
Nescafe, Wrigley’s Orbit, Maybelline and Pepsi, among made him a shareholder. The actor has also done a
others. In 2012, it was reported that Padukone had jewellery brand, Sangini with Kareena Kapoor apart from
signed on for an endorsement deal with Garnier worth 60 innerwear brand Dixcy Scott and tablet BlackBerry
million , a record breaking remuneration for an Indian Playbook .Britannia’ s Tiger biscuits is the latest
actress. endorsement of Salman. He is also the face of Ranbaxy’
s Revital replacing Yuvraj Singh. Apart from these
9. Kareena Kapoor:
brands, he also has Rotomac Pen and SF Sonic
As the diva of bollywood, Kareena kapoor has starred in Batteries endorsements. Now Khan has been roped in
different kinds of advertisisng. From age 20 to present as the brand ambassador of Dubai based fashion
her face is still a puller for each product advertisisng.here label Splash.
are some of the ads which she starred: Alpenlibbe, Airtel,
Anne French, BMA Wealth Creators, Boro Plus, Citizen 13. Joseph Vijay:
Watches, Gitanjali, Globus, Head and Shoulders, IBall In the year 2002, Vijay appeared as Coca Cola’s brand
Phone, Lakme, Lavie,Limca, Lux Beauty products, ambassador in Tamil Nadu. He acted in a variety of South
Mahindra Rodeo, Malabar Gold and Diamonds, Metro Indian Coca Cola advertisements, along with Katrina Kaif.
Shoes,garnier, pepsi, Kurkure, Sony Products, Philips In 2008, Vijay was signed up as the star ambassador
and Vivel soaps for the Indian Premier League cricket team Chennai
Super Kings, along with actress Nayanthara. In January
10. Anushka Sharma:
2009, Vijay was approached as the brand ambassador
Although the stars in the senior category have a greater for Coca Cola products. As of August 2010, Vijay was
say, the younger generation actors are also coming up signed by Jos Alukkas as their brand ambassador for
in huge numbers with demand different decreasing Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Vijay also signed for Tata
gradually. Affirming that Anushka Sharma is being Docomo, who will be seen for the first time for an Ad
included in the popular category these days, she is also with Tata Docomo.
gaining a lot in the race of the brands.While on one hand,
Anushka is busy with the upcoming project of Yash 14. Surya:
Chopra, she is also seen to be busy doing ads. The girl Suriya has been the ambassador for TVS Motors,
from Rab Ne….has appeared as a face of many Aircel and Sunfeast since 2006. He has endorsed
deodorants and is also working in ads towards promotion Saravana Stores, Bharathi Cements and Emami
of sleeveless in female dressing. Navaratna products since 2010. In 2011, he had signed
a new deal with Nescafe, Close-Up (toothpaste) and
11. Virat Kohli:
more recently with Zandu Balm brand as of May 2011,
Kohli has endorsements with the following brands: for which he appeared with actress Malaika Arora. As of
PepsiCo, Nike, TVS Motors, Fastrack (from Titan), Royal 2012, Suriya had endorsed the leading jewellery group,
Challenge (from United Spirits), Sangam Suitings, Fair Malabar Gold. His wife Jyothika made a comeback
and Lovely, Herbalife, Flying Machine, 3C Company (a through few among these commercials she did with
real estate player), Red Chief Shoes, Boost, Toyota him. In 2013, he was awarded at the Edison Awards as
Motors, Celkon Mobiles, Cinthol (from Godrej), Munch the Best Male Ambassador in South India.
(from Nestle).

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15. Asin Thottumkal: Statement of the Problem


Asin has been the brand ambassador for several Celebrity endorsements have several benefits, like
companies and products, and has appeared in building credibility and getting attention of the public,
commercials for Amrutanjan, Big Bazaar, Clinic All Clear, which can translate into higher sales. The most of the
Colgate, Fairever, Fair & Lovely, Lux,Mirinda, Parachute, big companies have developed a new strategy to enroll
Spinz talc, Sure anti-perspirant, Tanishq and Tata Sky. celebrities and make than brand ambassadors of their
products to increase the product sale. Many risks have
16. Trisha Krishnan: been associated with celebrity endorsements. The brand
Trisha replaced Rani Mukherjee as the brand will flop as quickly as it moved up in the market despite
ambassador of Fanta India. She is the brand ambassador well-known celebrities endorsing than. The benefits
of Scooty Pep+, for which she has replaced Preity Zinta. accrue over a period of time, with the celebrity campaigns
She is also the brand ambassador for Vivel Di Wills, a and other factors contributing to the overall increase in
product by ITC Limited. In 2011, She replaced Asin in the brand value.
Fairever fairness cream commercial.
Conclusion
17. Shweta Tiwari This paper discussed the main and relevant concepts
Shweta Tiwari has endorsed a number of popular brands regarding celebrity endorsements. The concept was
like Vardhman Knitting Yarn, Lijjat Papad, Johnson & made clear by differentiating between Celebrity and Non-
Johnson, Surya Bulbs & Tubes, Dabur Amala and PP celebrity endorsements and how celebrities differ form
Jewellers. Her endorsements lie in the range of Rs 2-10 aspirational reference groups. Further researcher have
lakh. Shweta Tiwari Television Ads have endorsed other shed some light on Pros and Cons of using celebrities
brands too like Pears, Amul Milk, Tanishq, Johnson’s as endorsers and defined some other prevalent factors
Baby Milk Lotion, Reboonn Hair Shampoo Commercial, like use of multiple celebrities and its effects etc. It was
Dabur Hair Oil, Nirma Washing Powder, CellOne, noteworthy to highlight various different types of
Kalazone etc. consumer buying behaviours and narrowed this
additionally by specially focusing on consumer buying
The Match-up Hypothesis:
behaviour in India.
Several Research studies have examined the congruency
between celebrity endorsers and brands to explain the An assessment of current market situation indicated
effectiveness of using famous persons to promote the that celebrity endorsement and advertising strategies if
brands (Till and Buster, 1998), (Till and Shimp, 1998) correctly blended in terms of marrying the strengths of
Results show that a number of celebrity endorsements the brands with the celebrity’s quality indeed justify the
proved very successful, whereas other completely failed. high cost associated with this form of advertising.
The match-up hypothesis specifically suggests that the However, advertising needs to be aware of the complex
effectiveness depends on the existence of a “fit” between processing underlying celebrity processing endorsement
the celebrity spokesperson and endorsed brand (Till and by gaining clarity on described concepts of celebrity.
Buster, 1998). Though Oharian (1991)Indian Media Marketer has to decide how far the benefits outweigh
Studies Journal • Vol.1 • No.1. July-Dec. 2006 31 the risks associated. Advertisers agree that celebrity
endorsement does not itself guarantee sales. It can
A Strategic Promotion Perspective acknowledges a create a buzz and make a consumer feel better about
popular person’s ability to create awareness and initial the product, which in turn has to come to expectation of
interest for an advertisement. The researcher concludes customers as a real star by delivering the promise. There
that this may not necessarily change consumer’s have been instances where the endorsement or real
attitude towards the brands. The model emphasizes that consumers have started working better than celebrity
the physical attractiveness of a celebrity endorser will endorsers.
enhance evaluations of the products characteristics only
if the characteristics of the product “match-up” with the
image conveyed by the celebrity. Hence an extension
beyond attractiveness and creditability towards a
consideration has to be done in terms of making the
entire image of the celebrity with the endorsed brand.

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IMPLICATION OF CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP


MANAGEMENT: A NEW VISTAS OF INDIAN BUSINESS IN
GLOBAL SCENARIO
1
B. Augustine Arockiaraj
ABSTRACT
The new millennium is in the midst of explosive change witnessing rapidly changing market conditions, volatile equity
markets, reconstructed value chains and new global competitors. Customer Relationship Management is to create a
competitive advantage by being the best at understanding, communicating, delivering and developing existing
customer relationships in addition to creating and keeping new customers. It has emerged as one of the largest
management buzz word. Good customer relationships are the heart of business success. Customer Relationship
Management is a strategy used to learn more about customers need and behaviors in order to develop stronger
relationships with them.

The changing business environment is characterized by economic liberalization, increasing competition, high
consumer choice, enlightened and demanding customer, more emphasis on quality and value of purchase. All these
changes have made today’s producer shift from traditional marketing to modern marketing. Modern marketing calls
for more than developing a product, pricing it, promoting it and making it accessible to target customers. It demands
building trust, a binding force and value added relationship with the customers to win their hearts. The new age
marketing aims at winning customer for ever, where companies greet the customers, create products to suit their
needs, work hard to develop life time customers through the principles of customer delight, approval and enthusiasm.
Customer Relationship Marketing that seeks to build, identify and maintain customer network through interactive
individualized and value added contents over a long period has gained tremendous importance. This paper describes
in a nutshell, how CRM –focused enterprises mobilize the entire company to better serve customers, locking in long-
term relationships, CRM Business cycle, use of Technology in CRM and various aspect of marketing practices of
customer relationships that benefit both buyer and seller, in the context of Global organizational scenario.

Key words: Customer Relationship Management, Relationship Marketing, CRM Business Cycle and CRM -
Implementation.

1. INTRODUCTION : Customer Relationship Management is a process of


In the early 90s smart marketers try to build up long- developing a co-operative and collaborative relationship
term trusting. “Win-Win” relationship with customers, between the buyers and sellers is called customer
distributors, dealers and suppliers. Customer relationship management shortly called CRM. CRM aims
at focusing all the business or organizational activities
relationships are now at the fore front of business. With
towards creating and maintaining a customer. CRM is
the recent Advent of the era of Liberalization, privatization
a new technique in marketing where the marketer tries
and Globalization (LPG) there has been total
to develop long term collaborative relationship with
transformation from sellers market to buyers market
customers to develop them as life time customers. CRM
paved the path for customer relationship marketing. aims to make the climb up the leader of loyalty.
Marketers realized, authentic marketing is not the art
of selling what you make but knowing what to make. 2. WHAT IS CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP
The present day Global business is to serve and MANAGEMENT?
maintain good relations with the king-the customer. In Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a process
the past, producers took their customers for granted by which a company maximizes customer information
because at the time customers were not demanding or in an effort to increase loyalty and retain customer’s
hard many alternative sources of supply or suppliers. business over their lifetimes.
But today there is a radical transformation. The changing The primary goals of CRM are to
business environment is characterized by economic
liberalization, increasing competition, high consumer * Build long term and profitable relationships with
choice, enlightened and demanding customer, more chosen customers
emphasis on quality, service and value of purchase. * Get closer to those customers at every point of contact
* Maximize your company’s share of the customer’s
wallet
1
Asst. Professor, Dept. of BBA, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy

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* Referrals by satisfied customers that brought new marketing efficiency and by enhancing marketing
customers. effectiveness (Sheth & Sisodia 1995). In CRM marketing
efficiency is achieved because cooperative and
2.1. CRM: In Marketing Literature View collaborative process help in reducing transaction costs
In marketing literature the term’s customer relationship and overall development costs for company.
marketing and customer relationship management are
used interchangeably. As Nevin (1990s) points out these 3. CRM-PRACTICES: CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP
terms have been used to reflect a variety of themes and MARKETING
perspective that is broad and somewhat paradigmatic in In a new age Marketing aimed at winning customer
approach and orientation. A narrow perspective of forever, where companies greet the customers create
customer relationship management is database products to suit their needs, work hard to develop life-
marketing emphasizing the promotional aspects of time customer approval, customer enthusiasm, etc., of
marketing linked to data-based efforts. Another narrow, ways like sending thank-you cards, special discount
yet relevant viewpoint is to consider CRM only as cards, developed customer database : - a large
customer retention in which a variety of after marketing storehouse of customers personal profile, preferences,
tactics is used for customer bonding or staying in touch intentions, expected purchases, suggestions, etc.
after the sale is made. Customer education, customer invitation on special
occasion in company and so on . Constant improvisation,
Berry (1995) in somewhat broader terms also has a customization, shift from marketing myopia to marketing
strategic viewpoint about CRM. He stresses that hypermetropia. Provision of additional services and giving
attracting new customers should be viewed only as an something special to customers beyond functional utility
intermediate step in the marketing process. Developing inclusive of both the tangible and intangible attribute
closer relationship with these customers and turning binds a consumer with the brand related brands and
them into loyal ones are equally important aspects of company itself.
marketing. Thus he proposed relationship marketing as
“attracting, maintaining, and in multi-service In recent years, however, several factors have contributed
organizations enhancing customer relationships”. to the rapid development and evolution of CRM. These
include the following de-intermediation process in many
The core theme of all CRM and relationship marketing industries due to the Advent of sophistication computer
perspective is its focus on cooperative and collaborative and telecommunication technologies that allow
relationship between the firm and its customers and/or producers to directly interact with end customers. In
other marketing actors. Dwyer, Schurr and Oh (1987) many industries such as airlines, banks, insurance
have characterized such co-operative relationship as computer program software, or household appliances
being interdependent and long-term oriented rather than and even consumable, the de-intermediate process is
being concerned with short-term discrete transactions. fast changing the nature of marketing and consequently
The long-term orientation as often emphasized because making relationship marketing more popular. Databases
it is believed that marketing actors will not engage in and direct marketing tools give them the means to
opportunistic behavior if they have a long-term orientation individualize their marketing efforts. As a result,
and that such relationship will be anchored on mutual producers do not need those functions formerly
gains cooperation (Ganesan 1994 Another important performed by the middlemen. Even consumers are
facet of CRM is “customer selectivity”. As several willing to undertake some of the responsibilities of direct
research studies have shown not all customers are ordering personal merchandising, and product use-
equally profitable for an individual company is not to really related services with little help from the producers.
prune its customer base but to identify appropriate
programs and methods that would be profitable and Thus relationship marketing is aimed to create strong,
create value for the firm and the customer. long lasting, fruitful relationships by developing long-term
bonds through its various instruments of personal
The CRM may be defined as a comprehensive strategy connections as a result customer start identifying,
and process of acquiring, retaining and partnering worth associating themselves with the product, prefer and
selective customers to create superior value for the accept company’s product and service over competitors
company and the end customer. The purpose of CRM offerings, buys again, and recommend others to buy.
is to improve marketing productivity is achieved by
increasing marketing efficiency and by enhancing

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3.1. A Model for Customer Relationship Marketing:

INPUT PROCESSING -UNIT OUTPUT

Customer need Customer Development Customer Retention


&Assessment & Acquisition through personalization & Referral New customers

I Customization

* Addition of value with * Relationship Marketing * High Customer

Product and service * Commitment satisfaction

* Contact & Involvement * Recognition * Increased market

* Intimacy & One to One * Reward share

Relationship * Reciprocation * High Customer loyalty

* Price offers * Transparency * High cu stomer

* Special facilities / Services * Share values retention index

* Information sharing * Life time customer

4. CRM BUSINESS CYCLE


As shown in the diagram below, any organization starts with the acquisition of customers.

1
Acquire & Retain

4 2
CRM Understand &
Interact & Deliver Differentiate

3
Develop & Customize

4.1. Acquisition and Retaining types of service are important to them, how and when
Acquisition is a vital stage in building customer they like to interact and what they want to buy. True
relationship. For purpose of customer acquisition an understanding is based on a combination of detailed
organization is likely to focus its attention the suspects, analysis and interaction.
enquiries, lapsed customers, former customers,
Several activities are important
competitor’s customers referrals, and the existing
buyers. From these the organizations need to acquire ™ Profiling to understand demographics, purchase
customers and prospective customers and retain valuable patterns and channel preference.
customers.
™ Segmentation to identify logical unique groups of
4.2. Understand and Differentiate customers that tend to look alike and behave in a
similar fashion. While the promise of one-one
Organizations cannot have a relationship with customers
marketing sounds good, we have not seen many
unless they understand them… what they value, what

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organizations that have mastered the art of treating 5. Supplier Markets – Suppliers of raw materials,
each customer uniquely. Identification of actionable components, services etc.
segments is a practical place to start.
6. Internal Markets – The organization including internal
™ Primary research to capture needs and attitudes. departments and staff.
™ Customer valuation to understand profitability, as well “Think of the customer first, if you want the customer
as lifetime value or long term potential. Value may to think of you first”- Unknown
also be based on the customer’s ability or inclination
to refer other profitable customers. 6. USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN CRM
The application of technology is the most exciting, fastest
Customers need to see that the company is tailoring
growing and changing the way customers get information
service and communications based on what they have
about products and services. Technology includes all
learned independently and on what the customers have
the equipment, software, and communication links that
told them.
organizations use to enable or improve their processes.
4.3. Develop and Customize They mostly used tools are explained below :
In the product world of yesterday, companies developed 6.1.Sales force automation:
products and services and expected customers to buy
These systems help in automating and optimizing sales
them. In a customer – focused world, product and
processes to shorten the sales cycle and increases
channel development has to follow the customer’s lead.
sales productivity. They enable the company to track
Organizations are increasingly developing products and
and manage all qualified leads, contacts and
services, and even new channels based on customer
opportunities throughout the sales cycle including
needs and service expectations.
customer support. They improve the effectiveness of
4.4. Interact and deliver marketing communications programmers for generating
quality leads as well as greater accuracy in sales
Interaction is also a critical component of a successful
forecasting. The Internet can be used by the company
CRM initiative. It is important to remember that
in imparting proper training to its sales force. In depth
interaction doesn’t just occur through marketing and
product information, specialized databases of solutions,
sales channels and media; customers interact in many
sales force support queries, and a set of internal
different ways with many different areas of the
information on the Internet can improve the productivity
organization, including distribution and shipping,
of the sales force.
customer service and online.
6.2. Call centers
With access to information and appropriate training,
organizations will be prepared to steadily increase the Call Centre helps in automating the operations of in
value they deliver to customers. bound and outbound calls generated between company
and its customers. These solutions integrate the voice
Quality is when your customers come back, not your switch of automated telephone systems with agent host
products- Mrs.Thatcher software allowing for automatic call routing to agents,
auto display of relevant customer data, predictive dialing,
5. SIX MARKETS FRAMEWORK self-service Interactive Voice Response systems, etc.
The broadened view of relationship marketing addresses These Systems are useful in high volume segments like
a total of six key market domains, not just the traditional banking, telecom and hospitality. Today, more innovative
customer market. The six markets are : channels of interacting with customers are emerging as
1. Customer Markets – Existing and prospective a result of new technology, such as global telephone
customers as well as intermediaries. based call centers and the Internet. Companies are
now focusing to offer solutions that leverage the internet
2. Referral Markets – Existing Customers who in building comprehensive CRM systems allowing them
recommend to other prospects, and referral sources to handle customer interactions in all forms.
or multipliers such as doctors who refer patients to
a hospital. 6.3 Data warehousing
3. Influence Markets – Government, consumer groups, A data warehouse is an implementation of an
business press and financial analysts. informational database used to store shareable data
that originates in an operational database-of-record and
4. Recruitment Markets – For attracting the right in external market data sources. It is typically a subject
employees to the organization. database that allows users to tap into a company’s vast

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store of operational data to track and respond to business 3. As customer expectations have rapidly changed over
trends and facilitates forecasting and planning efforts. the last two decades. Fueled by new technology
and growing availability of advanced product features
6.4. Data mining and OLAP and services customer’s expectations are changing
Data mining involves specialized software tools that allow almost on a daily basis. Consumers are less willing
users to sift through large amounts of data to uncover to make compromises to trade-off in product and
data content relationships and build models to predict service quality. So companies should continuously
customer behavior. Data mining uses well-established search for value building approaches through a
statistical and machine learning techniques to build system of Total Quality Management (TQM) review
models that predict customer behavior. process, which will be, resulted in value-laden-
relationship with customers.
OLAP (Online Analytical Processing) also known as
multi-dimensional data analysis, offers advanced 4. In order to keep competitors away from customer
capabilities in querying and analyzing the information in sight, cross selling and up selling can meet the
a data warehouse. In some CRM initiatives, OLAP plays customer requirement. How ever the idea seems to
a major role in the secondary analysis that takes place predominantly meet with the sellers need maximize
after initial customer segmentation has occurred. For his revenues by exploiting relationship with customer.
example, in CRM - based campaign management But CRM techniques should ensure mutual
systems, OLAP is an excellent tool for analyzing the economic values to both customer and companies.
success or failure of the promotional campaigns. 5. Companies need call centers to boost marketing
effort, as the Indian consumer starts becoming more
6.5. Decision support and Reporting tools
aware of the choice available worldwide, a number
Web enabled reporting tools and executive information of companies already use call centers as a
systems are used to deploy the business information marketing tool. It’s learning curve that a lot of Indian
that has been discovered. This enhanced customer companies will go through.
knowledge is distributed to executive decision-makers
as well as to the operational customer contact points. 6. If globalization proceeds as expected, it must surely
Applications equipped with some of the same have a major impact on how firms man age customer
sophisticated modeling routines developed in the data- relationships. A good training program for
mining phase are applied to individual contacts in real progressing young dynamic international managers
time. is the need of the hour global marketing
communication. Global consumerism and business-
6.6. Electronic point of sale (EPOS) process, re-engineering are three main factors for
The main benefit of EPOS and retail scanner systems CRM in international market. A globalize
is the amount of timely and accurate information they communication strategy has to be integrated at the
deliver. Advances in the technology have significantly corporate and strategic business unit level.
aided the scope for data analysis. In addition to the 7. Managing Customer Relationship around the world
original scanner-related data on sales rate, stock levels, calls for external & internal partnering across a firm’s
stock turn, price and margin, retailers now have worldwide organization.
information about the demographics, socio-economic
and lifestyle characteristics of consumers. 8. CONCLUSION
Customer Relationship Management is a potent tool,
7. IMPLEMENTATION:
which helps to track down the changing customer
1. A separate relationship marketing cell is the need of profiles, build on this information to get the necessary
the hour. For proper monitoring of relationship product design and add value to the individual customer.
marketing program the department should well Today’s customers are global and high degree of need
equipped with not only technical people but also well for cognition, recognition, approvals and respect. They
equipped managers with interpersonal, prefer marketers who can give good product, deliver first
communication and marketing tools as a whole. service, repair, solve problems and improve products.
2. Marketers are realizing that it cost less to retain Marketers are striving for a bond with customer, which
customers than to complete for new customers. On will be strong and long lasting with the customer.
the supply side, it really pays more to develop closer
To implement CRM successfully will have to reorganize
relationship with customers through people
our customers and change in the organizational mindset.
equipment and procedure. It is high time to re-
When CRM works, it helps to solve this problem by
engineering the marketing department.

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meshing every one together and focusing the entire REFERENCES :


organization on the customer. Like all strategic initiatives,
1. Govindarajan, M., 2009, “Marketing Management :
CRM requires commitment and understanding thought
Concepts, Cases, Challenges and Trends”, PHI
the Organization, not just in marketing. In all, it adds to
Learning Private Limited, New Delhi.
a sense of expectation and loyalty being instilled within
the consumer and development of a relational between 2. Natarajan, L., 2010, “Services Marketing” Margham
organization and customer that competitors find hard to Publications, Chennai.
break. Business decisions based on complete and 3. Kotler Philip, Millennium Edition, “Marketing
reliable information about your customer. So Customer Management – Analysis, Planning, Implementation
Relationship Management is a New Vistas of Indian & Control”, PHI Learning Private Limited, New Delhi.
Business in Global Scenario
4. Jagdish N. Sheth, 2001, “Customer Relationship
“ A customer is the most important visitor Management”, Tata McGraw – Hill Publishing
on our premises. Company Limited, New Delhi.
He is not an interruption on our work, he is
the purpose of it. 5. Xavier, M.J., “Marketing in the new Millennium”,
We are not doing him a favour by serving Vikash Publishing House Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi.
him. 6. Drucker. P, Management Challenges for the 21st
He is doing us a favour by giving us an Century, Harper Business, New York, 1999.
opportunity to do so”
- Mahatma Gandhi

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RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN WEB/INTERNET MARKETING


AND E-COMMERCE

2
1
Dr. T. Joseph Rex J. Arputha Sahaya Raj

1. INTRODUCTION Electronic Document Interchange

The growth of trade and commerce has increased the


Electronic Electronic Data
demand for internet and electronic commerce. At present Fund Transfer Interchange
geographical coverage of market for products and (EFT) (EDI)
Marketing,
services is worldwide. It enforces the business to carry Information Advertising
out its commercial activities like marketing, selling, Sharing
Electronic
Corporate E-Commerce
delivering, servicing and paying for products and services Publishing
Digital Library
through electronic commerce. Sales, Customer
Collaborative Support
Work
2. INTERNET Email Fax

The internet is in an international network of computers


carrying unbelievable amount of information. It is a global Electronic Messaging
collection of high-powered computers that are connected
to each other with network cables, telephone lines,
microwave dishes, satellites etc., BUSINESS APPLICATIONS
The internet supports real time global communication In this section, an attempt is made to give some of the
and collaboration among employees, customers, business applications of E-Commerce. The major area
suppliers and other business partners. This enables of applications is business- to-consumer, business-to-
members of different organizations and people at different business and internal business process.
locations to work together to develop marketing and
maintain products and services. a) Business-to-consumer
E-Commerce, between business and consumers, is
3. E-COMMERCE accelerating the impact of information technology on
It refers to the paperless exchange of business consumer behaviour and business processes and
information using network-based technologies. In the markets. It establishes the interrelationships among
past, an information-using network based technologies. E- Commerce, Consumer behaviour, and business
In the past, a consumer had ample time to go from store processes and competition. Retailing on the web is
to store locate a desired item, followed by bargaining, an example for the same.
placing an order and finally getting the supply. This entire
process could range from a few hours to weeks b) Business-to-Business
depending on the product, quantity, quality and source Business-to-Business electronic commerce is the
of purchase. But the entire scenario has changed. wholesale side of the commercial process. For example,
suppose a business house wants to produce and sell a
Everything in today’s world depends on electronics product to other business houses, it must purchase raw
whether it is: materials and variety of contract services from other
• E-DI (Electronic Data Interchange), business houses in order to produce and sell a product.
• E-FT (Electronic Funds Transfer), It should also make up a network of business
• E-Cash (Electronic Cash), relationships.
• E-Stamp (Electronic Stamp), c) Internal Business process
• E-Mail (Electronic Business or Mail), The purpose behind intra organisational E-commerce
• E-Commerce (Electronic Commerce). is to help a business maintain relationships, which
are critical in delivering superior customer service.
Many Internet based enterprises are customer driven

1
Associate Professor, Department of Commerce, St. Joseph’s College (Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli.
2
Assistant Professor, Department of Commerce CA, St. Joseph’s College (Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli.

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BUSINESS APPLICATIONS Features


In this section, an attempt is made to give some of the E-Commerce provides following features
business applications of E-Commerce. The major area • Non-Cash Payment: E-Commerce enables use of
of applications is business- to-consumer, business-to- credit cards, debit cards, smart cards, electronic fund
business and internal business process. transfer via bank’s website and other modes of
electronics payment.
a) Business-to-consumer
E-Commerce, between business and consumers, is • 24x7 Service availability: E-commerce automates
accelerating the impact of information technology on business of enterprises and services provided by them
consumer behaviour and business processes and to customers are available anytime, anywhere. Here
markets. It establishes the interrelationships among 24x7 refers to 24 hours of each seven days of a week.
E- Commerce, Consumer behaviour, and business
• Advertising / Marketing: E-commerce increases the
. processes and competition. Retailing on the web is
an example for the same. reach of advertising of products and services of
businesses. It helps in better marketing management
b) Business-to-Business of products / services.
Business-to-Business electronic commerce is the
• Improved Sales: Using E-Commerce, orders for the
wholesale side of the commercial process. For
products can be generated anytime, anywhere without
example, suppose a business house wants to produce
any human intervention. By this way, dependencies
and sell a product to other business houses, it must
to buy a product reduce at large and sales increases.
purchase raw materials and variety of contract
services from other business houses in order to • Support: E-Commerce provides various ways to
produce and sell a product. It should also make up a provide pre sales and post sales assistance to provide
network of business relationships. better services to customers.
c) Internal Business process • Inventory Management: Using E-Commerce,
The purpose behind intra organisational E-commerce inventory management of products becomes
is to help a business maintain relationships, which automated. Reports get generated instantly when
are critical in delivering superior customer service. required. Product inventory management becomes
Many Internet based enterprises are customer driven very efficient and easy to maintain.
and market driven. E-Commerce facilitates managers
to communicate using Video conferencing, e-mail and • Communication improvement: E-Commerce
bulletin boards so that information is better provides ways for faster, efficient, reliable
disseminated and right decisions can be made. Since communication with customers and partners.
information travels faster, there is a better co-ordination E-Commerce advantages can be broadly classified in
between the various departments. In fact all efforts three major categories:
are being made to convert organisations into a
paperless office. • Advantages to Organizations
• Advantages to Consumers
d) Business value of E-commerce
E-commerce helps a business house overcome • Advantages to Society
geographic, time, cost and structural barriers to
Advantages to Organizations
business success. These four capabilities emphasize
how several applications of E-commerce can help a • Using E-Commerce, organization can expand their
firm to capture and provide information quickly to end market to national and international markets with
users at remote geographic location at reduced costs minimum capital investment. An organization can
as well as supporting its strategic organizational easily locate more customers, best suppliers and
objectives. These capabilities allow business houses suitable business partners across the globe.
to generate cost savings from using Internet, better • E-Commerce helps organization to reduce the cost
customer service and relationships through interactive to create process, distribute, retrieve and manage the
marketing. paper based information by digitizing the information.
• E-commerce improves the brand image of the
company.

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• E-commerce helps organization to provide better Consumers will demand more from the digital properties
customer services. they visit and businesses will race to not only provide a
• E-Commerce helps to simplify the business streamlined user experience, but also one that is
processes and make them faster and efficient. personalized and intuitive. To ensure your enterprise gets
its piece of the digital pie, prepare it for these 13 e-
• E-Commerce reduces paper work a lot.
commerce trends for 2013.
• E-Commerce increased the productivity of the
organization. It supports “pull” type supply Trend 1: Personalization for Everyone
management. In “pull” type supply management, a Personalization is nothing new, but its widespread
business process starts when a request comes from popularity is thanks to easily available complex
a customer and it uses just-in-time manufacturing technology. Whether personalization is simple (based
way. on one or two collected insights) or complex (based on
multiple insights processed by detailed formulas and
Advantages to Customers algorithms), consumers are going to see sites that
• 24x7 support. Customer can do transactions for the increasingly reflect their interests,wants and needs—
product or enquiry about any product/services and have little patience for sites that don’t.
provided by a company any time, any where from
any location. Here 24x7 refers to 24 hours of each Trend 2: Personalization Moves Beyond Retail
seven days of a week. Major industries like finance, travel and media will lead
the charge, but also expect businesses in other
• E-Commerce application provides user more options
industries, such as gaming and charity, to take
and quicker delivery of products.
advantage of personalization solutions to offer more
• E-Commerce application provides user more options custom experiences.
to compare and select the cheaper and better option.
Trend 3: Share More; Browse and Buy Better
• A customer can put review comments about a product
Consumers will begin to see the data they share online—
and can see what others are buying or see the review
age, geography, life stage, social profile information (e.g.,
comments of other customers before making a final
married vs. single) put to use in offering them a more
buy.
relevant shopping experience. The result? No more
• E-Commerce provides option of virtual auctions. wading through irrelevant offers or products to get to what
• Readily available information. A customer can see matters to you.
the relevant detailed information within seconds rather Trend 4: Personalization in Real Time
than waiting for days or weeks.
Sure, past site visits and stored information will always
• E-Commerce increases competition among the be important, but don’t you want to give customers
organizations and as result organizations provides content and offers that are relevant to their current visit?
substantial discounts to customers. With real-time personalization, online retailers will ensure
they are creating an even more timely and custom
Advantages to Society shopping experience.
• Customers need not to travel to shop a product thus
less traffic on road and low air pollution. Trend 5: Loyalty Will Be Rewarded
• E-Commerce helps reducing cost of products so less Loyalty programs aren’t just for frequent flyers anymore.
affluent people can also afford the products. They’ll become an important part of the ecommerce
lifecycle as businesses across industries (retail, finance,
• E-Commerce has enabled access to services and etc.) launch loyalty programs—and integrate data into
products to rural areas as well which are otherwise comprehensive customer profiles—to offer the next level
not available to them. of personalization and service.
• E-Commerce helps government to deliver public
services like health care, education, social services Trend 6: Mobile Grows Up
at reduced cost and in improved way. In 2013, an entirely different mobile game will emerge
as mobile pulls up alongside—and even threatens to
E-Commerce Trends for 2013 pass—the traditional web experience. It’s no longer
2013 is here and it’s slated to be the biggest e-commerce enough to just ensure that your site functions properly
year in history. on mobile devices, or that you have an app presence.
As consumers adapt to living their lives from their mobile

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phones and tablets, they’ll expect platform-specific Probably one of the most important channels we’ll see
offerings that offer a better shopping experience, geo- come of age is social media. For too long, marketers
specific content, special offers, and other elements that have treated social media as an island from the rest of
complement and enhance life on the go. their strategy—and failed to capitalize on its connection
to selling. Going forward, we’ll see more brands using
Trend 7: Getting It Right on Every Device social data to personalize experiences on the website,
Apple might still lead the smart phone charge, but they as well as applying testing and personalization to their
aren’t the only player in town—and you shouldn’t assume own Facebook pages.
that your consumers are all on the same device.
Responsive design will be a must have for mobile sites, Trend 13: B2B As the New B2C
ensuring your site is designed for optimal viewing no When it comes to testing and personalization,
matter what mobile or tablet device is being used. Gone consumer-facing businesses aren’t the only ones
are the days of resizing, scrolling, and otherwise catching on. B2B companies—and their customers—
struggling to view a site depending on the size of your are consumers that crave a great online experience to.
computer or device screen. More and more B2B sites will use testing and
personalization to create well-optimized and targeted
Trend 8: The Same Consumer, Many Channels sites based on user behaviors.
PCs rule the workday, tablets are used in the evening
and phones are always there. Whether its online or offline, 5 E-Commerce Trends to Look for in 2014
on a mobile device or PC, marketing and offerings must As new online sales platforms and Web design tools
be fully integrated with an on-the-go user in mind. From continue to emerge, becoming an e-commerce
the introduction of mobile devices and tablets in store entrepreneur is an increasingly attainable dream for
as a way for consumers to browse and engage to the many aspiring business owners. While just about
mapping of online and offline shopping profiles, the two anyone can launch an online business, it takes a
worlds are colliding—and overlapping. dedicated salesperson to actually succeed, and that
means staying on top of current marketplace trends.
Trend 9: Seamless Experiences Across All Channels If we are ready to take your e-commerce business to
Consumers will expect a completely seamless shopping the next level in 2014, Matt Winn, marketing
experience no matter where they are—at their desktops, communications manager for e-commerce platform
on their smart phones and tablets, or on social pages provider Volusion, advised watching these five current
and sites. Thankfully, with emerging tools and trends in online sales:
technologies, it’s now easier to integrate CRM and
multichannel data across all brand touch points. The importance of multichannel selling.
As customer shopping behaviors become more
Trend 10: Big Data Done Better fragmented, so must the presence of small online
The phenomenon of ‘Big Data’—while overhyped to businesses owners. Simply having an e-commerce site
some—will actually be a very powerful trend if companies is no longer enough. Small and medium-size businesses
can harness its power and use it wisely. Brands that (SMBs) should begin looking for efficient ways to expand
measure, analyze and directly translate this knowledge their presence, including integrations with various
into improved decision-making and customer experiences shopping feeds and other outlets that can reach more
will improve business performance. In the coming year, consumers.
expect to see more brands getting a handle on this to
offer customers more targeted offers across all channels, Increased dependence on data.
in real-time. As smaller online businesses continue to expand their
presence across channels, the need to turn to
Trend 11: Big Data—A Consumer’s Best Friend performance data from both a channel-specific and
2013 will see the end of big data as something to be holistic standpoint becomes even more important.
feared. Instead, consumers will feel the benefits of a Google Analytics is a good tool for this, because
more personalized, customized online experience that business owners can measure their site traffic from
saves them time, introduces them to new products, and multiple devices and referral sites.
helps them shop better for themselves and their loved
ones. Access through smart phones, tablets and other
mobile devices.
Trend 12: Social Media Comes in from the Cold Volusion has seen major gains in e-commerce usage of
mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets,

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especially during the holiday season. The company Conclusion


expects this trend to accelerate as mobile adoption Electronic commerce is generally considered to be the
continues to increase and more mobile technologies sales aspect of e-business. It also consists of the
become available. Small businesses should have a exchange of data to facilitate the financing and payment
mobile version of their website, with mobile-optimized aspects of business transactions. This is an effective
checkout to help facilitate a better mobile experience. and efficient way of communicating within an organization
Small retailers should also look at their site across and one of the most effective and useful ways of
multiple mobile devices and pay attention to new conducting business. The concepts of e-commerce were
technologies, such as smartwatches. highly helped and useful process with all aspects. It can
be divided into E-tailing or “virtual storefronts” on websites
Goodbye, traditional SEO.
with online catalogs, sometimes gathered into a “virtual
Google is constantly updating its algorithm in an effort mall”, Buying or selling on websites and/or online
to serve the best, most relevant content to its users. marketplaces. The gathering and use of demographic
This means that traditional SEO tactics are falling by data through web contacts and social media, Electronic
the wayside, and an increased push toward quality, data interchange, the business-to-business exchange
unique content — along with social media signals — of data, E-mail and fax and their use as media for
will be of huge importance in 2014. To help stay ahead reaching prospective and established customers (for
of the SEO curve, small retailers should focus less on example, with newsletters), Business-to-business buying
“traditional” SEO tenets like keyword usage and density, and selling the security of business transactions. E-
and instead aim efforts toward creating content that is Commerce advantages can be broadly classified in three
tailored and useful for their target audience. For example, major categories that are to be main advantages to
create more lifestyle-oriented content in the form of blog Organizations, Consumers and the Society.
posts, videos and other types of media that encourage
sharing by readers. References :
1. http://smallbusiness.foxbusiness.com/marketing-
Small shops squeezed by larger merchants.
sales/2014/01/08/5-e-commerce-trends-to-look-for-in-
As mega-retailers like Amazon continue to steal market 2014/ By Nicole Fallon, Published January 08, 2014,
share from other big-box retailers (both online and offline), BusinessNewsDaily
smaller online businesses will need to become more
nimble in how they compete, from a price, customer- 2. http://www.websitemagazine.com/content/blogs/
service and marketing standpoint. This involves posts/archive/2013/01/02/13-e-commerce-trends-for-
identifying true points of difference from larger merchants, 2013.aspx
showcasing these points in marketing and branding, and 3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-commerce
delivering personalized experiences.
4. http://www.tutorialspoint.com/e_commerce/
e_commerce_overview.htm

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THE NEED OF VIRTUAL LEARNING IN EDUCATION


ENVIRONMENT
1 2
Suganthi. R Dr.C.EugineFranco
Abstract

In the last decade Books and journals have found in the desktops of students and research scholars but now
the trend is to be changed. Due to the invention of electronic resources, easy, quick and anytime access of
books and journals have made an effective learning. E-resources serve as a platform for random access to
multiple users at the same time and save plenty of time. In the e resources of virtual learning play a major role
is a system for delivering learning materials to students via the web. These systems include assessment,
student tracking, and collaboration and communication tools. They can be accessed both on and off-campus,
meaning that they can support students’ learning outside the lecture hall 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
This enables institutions to teach not only traditional full-time students but also those who cannot regularly visit
the campus due to geographic or time restrictions, e.g. those on distance learning courses, doing evening
classes, or workers studying part-time.

Introduction • In virtual learning process teacher is able to present


In the last decade Books and journals have found in lessons through video, PowerPoint, or chatting.
the desktops of students and research scholars but now • The students are able to talk with other students and
the trend is to be changed. Due to the invention of the teacher, as well as collaborate with each other,
electronic resources, easy, quick and anytime access answer questions, or pose questions.
of books and journals have made an effective learning.
E-resources serve as a platform for random access to BenefitsBenefits of a VLE content package file?
multiple users at the same time and save plenty of time. • All the textbook-related resources are made available
In the e resources of virtual learning play a major role is in an institution’s own VLE
a system for delivering learning materials to students
via the web. These systems include assessment, • Students don’t need to leave the institution’s network
student tracking, and collaboration and communication • The single package makes it easy to import all the
tools. They can be accessed both on and off-campus, materials at once, and therefore saves time
meaning that they can support students’ learning outside
the lecture hall 24 hours a day, seven days a week. • Lecturers can integrate their chosen textbook’s
This enables institutions to teach not only traditional resources with their own course materials so students
full-time students but also those who cannot regularly only need to go to one place to access all their course
visit the campus due to geographic or time restrictions, content
e.g. those on distance learning courses, doing evening • Virtual learning provides flexible to the user students
classes, or workers studying part-time. and teachers uses it at anywhere and at any time.
Features of virtual learning • Class work can be scheduled around personal and
• Virtual learning is the technology based thing which professional work
is used to supports teaching and learning using a • Reduces travel cost and time to and from school
computer web technology.
• Learners may have the option to select learning
• The internet plays a major role provided virtual learning materials that meets their level of knowledge and
to deal with easy access information and knowledge interest
• Virtual learning fills the gap between a teacher and a • Learners can study wherever they have access to a
student in different ways. computer and Internet
• In synchronous systems of virtual learning • Self-paced learning modules allow learners to work
participants meet in “real time”, and teachers conduct at their own pace
live classes in virtual classrooms.
1
Research scholar, Commerce Department, St. Xavier’s college, Palayamkottai.
2
Associate Professor and Head, Department of Commerce, St. Xavier’s college, Palayamkottai.

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• Flexibility to join discussions in the bulletin board the course takes place. The learner is free to decide
threaded discussion areas at any hour, or visit with when he wants to study the courseware
classmates and instructors remotely in chat rooms
Examples include:
• Different learning styles are addressed and facilitation
• self paced courses taken via Internet or CD-Rom
of learning occurs through varied activities
• videotaped classes
• Development of computer and Internet skills that are
• stored audio/video Web presentations or seminars
transferable to other facets of learner’s lives
• recorded audio tapes
• Successfully completing online or computer-based • Q & A mentoring
courses builds self-knowledge and self-confidence
and encourages students to take responsibility for • reading e-mail messages
their learning Instructor led training
• The last and most important benefits is student It refers to the traditional classroom training where a
download the articles ,journals with full text without teacher teaches a classroom full of students.
paying any cost.
The problems of this training are
Disadvantages 1. Distance: Bringing together the students under one
• Unmotivated learners or those with poor study habits roof for requires time and money.
may fall behind.
2. Audience size and response time: Same planning
• Lack of familiar structure and routine may take getting is required for smaller and larger group of students
used to. in planning, infrastructure and instructors.
• Students may feel isolated or miss social interaction. 3. Off the job time: working people face difficulty in
• Instructor may not always be available on demand. finding a replacement for their jobs.

• Slow or unreliable Internet connections can be Impact of virtual learning on teaching learning
frustrating. process
• Improves efficiency both in learning and teaching
• Managing learning software can involve a learning
curve. • Increases motivation
• Deepens understanding
• Some courses such as traditional hands-on courses
can be difficult to simulate. • Promotes collaborate learning
• Gives new approach to learning and working
Methods of virtual learning
• Provides new ways interacting
Synchronous learning
• Paves way for personality development
In synchronous learning; learning and teaching takes
• Increases social skills
place in real time (same time) while the trainer and
learners are physically separated from each other (place • Creates interest in learning
shift). • Helpful for self-evaluation
Examples include • Wide reach and consistent
• listening to a live radio broadcast • User convenient
• watching live a television broadcast • Flexible and rich medium for students
• audio/video conferencing • Useful tool to address students with different learning
• Internet telephony and cognitive styles
• online lectures • Self-pacing for slow and quick learners reduces
stress and increases satisfaction.
• two-way live satellite broadcast
Conclusion
Asynchronous learning
Virtual learning environments provide versatile
Characteristic for asynchronous learning is the fact that
opportunities that can satisfy problems
that the trainer prepares the courseware material before

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Associated with the application of soft skills online.


However, establishing a truly successful learning
environment must rely on methods different from
conventional approaches. These approaches must
satisfy the demands of replicating aspects of human
interaction that maintain learning resources that are
dependent on soft skills.

Furthermore the adaptation of the environment can


provide access to resources maintained externally,
reducing the maintenance of the environment and
providing the expansion of a community into both an
educational and social domain.

Bibliography
www.virtuallrc.com/
• www.gavirtuallearning.org/ý
• www.qou.edu/arabic/.../distance Learning/
virtualLearningEffectiveness
• www.tojned.net/pdf/v02i01/v2i1-01.

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AN INQUIRY INTO HR ACCOUNTING PRACTICES OF SELECTED


INDIAN ORGANIZATIONS

1
Suzanne Faustina Felix

Abstract:
Human resource is the most valuable source of the any organization to value those resources on the monetary terms
hereby it is adopted the Present value of future earning model(Lev and Schwartz model)by the researcher,Employees of
the companies in India are been valued and compared using this model.This research reveals an idea alone on the extent
of valuing the HR.The figures so arrived are near and far to the actual one.The aggregate value of those figures might help
to identify the HR in the Indian organizations.

INTRODUCTION Zinc Ltd., Engineers India Ltd, the Oil and Natural Gas
Since the days of industrial revolution, modern Commission, Oil India Ltd., the Cement Corporation of
accounting methods treat employees as expenses India Ltd. etc.
(wages & salaries) in their accounting reports. Financial
NEED OF THE STUDY
account which shows as an asset on the balance sheet
those items as monetary value. As such there is no Human Asset is the most valuable asset for the
provision of representing employees as an asset. organization. An asset with the life in it gives life to the
organization. It cannot be merely measured as along
Human Resource Accounting restores the focus on with the other assets of the organization, it has to be
people as the prime catalyst for business development measured more sensibly for which it needs to follow a
and growth. Men, materials, machines, money and separate accounting practices called Human Resource
methods are the resources required for an organization. Accounting. There are several methods possessing
These resources are broadly classified into two different valuation helps to ascertain the value of the
categories, viz., animate and inanimate (human and employees. Approaches to Human Resource Accounting
physical) resources. Men, otherwise known as the human are basically categorized as cost based and value based
resources, are considered to be animate resources. approach.
Others, namely, materials, machines, money and
methods are considered to be inanimate or physical Cost based approach insists on amount spent on
resources. employees where value based approach enables the
employees worth towards the organization. Conventional
Present value of future earning is availed with the help of accounting standard follows the cost based approach.
individual annual earnings up to their retirement, There were several models in the value based approach
Retirement age, the discount rate and the present age suggested by different psychologist.
of the individual. Most of public sector undertaking cannot
disregard their responsibility of HR valuation which is OJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
fruitful for an effective functioning of HR practices. Hence The objectives of the study are:
the valuation would ensure the employee to understand • To study the value of Human Resources Accounting
their worth in the organization. of a few Indian Organization.
There are a few organizations, however, recognize the • To Identify the Factors affecting the Human Resource
value of their human resources, and furnish the related Valuation.
information in their annual reports. In India, some of these
• To make the employees to be realized the worth of
companies are: Infosys, Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd
their own value.
(BHEL); the Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL), the
Minerals and Metals Trading Corporation of India Ltd. • To value the Human Resource through Lev &
(MMTC), the Southern Petrochemicals Industries Schwartz Model.
Corporation of India (SPIC), the Associated Cement • To ensure that how far the employee data of Indian
Companies Ltd, Madras Refineries Ltd., the Hindustan organization suits for the Lev and Schwartz model.
1
PhD research Scholar, Dept. of Commerce, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy.

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AREA COVERED a straightforward extension of the measurement


The research covers eighty seven Indian Organization procedure of an individual value to the organization. The
with respect to the Statement showing the particulars model identifies an individual’s expected economic value
of employees who are in receipt of remuneration of not to the organization to his future earnings for his remaining
less than Rs. 24,00,000/- per annum during the financial active service life. His future expected income stream is
year 2009-10 or not less than Rs. 2,00,000/- per month discounted by an appropriate rate to arrive at the present
during part of the financial year 2009-10 value of his service. The value of total human resources
of an organization is found out by aggregating the present
Types of Research value of all employees.

Human Capital is defined as the source of income over


Approaches To HR
Accounting a period of time and its worth is the present value of
future incomes discounted by a certain rate.

Cost Based Approach Value Based Approach According to Lev and Schwartz, the value of human
capital represented by a person of age r is the present
value of his remaining future earnings from his
Historical cost Present Value of
future earnings
employment. The following formula is given by them for
Approach
model calculating the value of an individual:

Replacement Cost Certaqinity FORMULA:


Approach equivalent model

Opportunity Cost
Stochastic Reward
Approach
Valuationmodel

Standard Cost Unpurchased


Approach goodwill model
Where Vr = the value of an individual who is r years
old.
Casual, Intervening
and End result model I (t) = the individual’s annual earnings up to his
retirement
Five - Dimensional T = the retirement age
Model
r = the discount rate specific to the person.
t = active years of service
Aggregate Payment
Model R = the present age of the individual

Human Asset
Multiplier Model

The analysis and interpretation of the data collected


regarding “Human Resource Accounting Practices in
Selected Indian Organization”. In order to ascertain
the value of human resource, the researcher had used
Lev and Schwartz Model (i.e. Present Value of
Future Earning Model) for the Valuation.

Lev and Schwartz are of the opinion that the


determination of the total value of a firm’s labour force is

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INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS

TABLE SHOWING THE VALUE OF CHAIRMAN AND MANAGING DIRECTORS IN NATURE OF


ORGANIZATIONS

Percentage of Percentage of
Value of chairman and
NATURE chairman and Discount rate discount rate(in
Managing Director (Rs in
Managing director(in %)
lacs)
%)
Chemicals & 53 16 10% 53
Fertilizers D/o
Fertilizer
Petroleum and 278 84 9% 47
Natural gas
Total 331 100 19% 100
Source: Secondary data

It is concluded that the value chairman and Managing Director is maximum of Rs. 278 lakhs in case of company
grouped under the head of petroleum and Natural gas, means that Chairman and Managing Director of this Company
has more remaining years service that paves the way for gaining higher future income.

VALUE OF CHAIRMAN AND MANAGING DIRECTOR IN GROUPS

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:
It is clear that the aggregate value of Executive Director is less of Rs 9,107,480 when compared to the Chairman and
Managing Director of Rs 16, 555,728. The remuneration is a factor which has impact on increase in the value of
chairman & Managing Director despite of less remaining years of service.

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TABLE SHOWING THE VALUE OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS IN NATURE OF ORGANIZATION


Percentage of Percentage of
HR Value the value of Discount rate(in
Name of the Ministry Discount rate
(Rs in lacs) Executive %)
Director (in %)
Petroleum & Natural Gas 97.0 24 0.09 18
Heavy Industry & Public 107.0 27 0.10 20
Enterprise.
Environment And Forests 111.8 28 0.11 22
Finance D/o Economic Affairs 25.7 6 0.10 20
Agriculture Food And Consumer 60.4 15 0.10 20
Affairs
Total 402 100 0.50 100
Source: Secondary data
The result emerging out of the above table shows clearly that the Company grouped under environment and forest
holds the maximum HR value of Rs.111.8 lakhs with the discount rate of 10 percent Hence it is concluded that the
HR value of Executive Director is high of Rs. 111.8 lakhs in case of Companies under Environment and Forest which
means that the executive directors were given more importance for the companies in the field of environment and
forest compared to the other nature of organization.

TABLE SHOWING VALUE OF THE MANAGING DIRECTOR IN NATURE OF ORGANIZATION


Value of Managing Percentage of the Percentage of
Ministry Discount rate
Director Value of MD Discount rate
Petroleum & Natural Gas 137.8 36 9.23 30
Steel 126.4 33 11.89 38
Agriculture Food & 117.2 31 9.89 32
Consumer Affairs
TOTAL 381.4 100 31.0 100
1
Source: Secondary data
The HR value of Managing Director is high of Rs. 137.8 laths in case of Companies under Petroleum and Natural
Gas which means that the Managing directors were given more importance in the field of Petroleum and Natural Gas
compared to the other nature of organization.
TABLE SHOWING THE VALUE OF DIRECTORS IN NATURE OF ORGANIZATION
HR value (Rs Percentage of Percentage
GROUP in lacs) Managing Director disc rate% of
Textiles 145 36% 12 29%
Chemicals & Fertilizers 97 24% 9 21%
D/o Fertilizers
Petroleum & Natural Gas 85 21% 10 24%
Communication And 75 19% 11 26%
Information Technology
TOTAL 402 100% 42 100%
Source:Secondary data

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The HR value of Director is high of Rs.145 lakhs in case of Companies under Textiles which means that the directors
were given more importance in the field of Textiles when compared to the other nature of organizations.

PERCENTAGE OF THE VALUE OF CHANNEL MANAGERS IN GROUPS


Value of CH.MG (Rs Percentage of Percentage of
Group in lacs) Discount rate
CH&MG Value Discount rate
Agriculture Food And 163 8% 9% 6%
Consumer Affairs
Chemicals & Fertilizers D/o 144 11%
7% 7%
Chemicals & Petrochemicals
Chemicals & Fertilizers D/o 191 11%
9% 7%
Fertilizer
chemicals & Fertilizers D/o 168 8% 11% 7%
Pharmaceuticals
Civil Aviation 106 5% 19% 14%
Consumer Affairs And Public
Distribution 110 6% 9% 6%
Finance 145 7% 16% 11%
Heavy Industries & Public 209 10% 9% 6%
Enterprises
Human Resource 188 11%
9% 7%
Development
Petroleum & Natural Gas 184 8% 9% 6%
Power 156 8% 12% 10%
Steel 152 7% 11% 7%
Textiles 157 8% 10% 6%
Total 2,073 100% 149% 100%

The results emerged out of the above table clearly shows that the Company grouped under Chemical and Fertilizers
D/o fertilizers holds the maximum HR value of Rs.191 lakhs with the discount rate of 11 percent whereas companies
grouped under Civil Aviation holds the least value of HR of Rs 106 lakhs with the discount rate of 19 per cent.

Hence it is concluded that the HR value of Channel Manager is high of Rs 191 laths in case of Companies under
Chemical and Fertilizers D/o fertilizers which means that the Channel Manager had given more importance in the
field of Chemical and Fertilizers D/o fertilizers compared to the other nature of the organizations.

GENERAL MANAGERS
The aggregate value of General Manager are Rs14, 130,694, which is low when compared to the Senior Manager of
Rs 15,212,428. Therefore the remuneration of Senior Managers are high when compared to General Managers.

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PERCENTAGE OF THE VALUE OF GENERAL MANAGERS IN GROUPS:


Value of Deputy Percentage of the Percentage of
Ministry General Manager Value of Deputy Discount rate Discount rate
(Rs. In lacs) General Manager
Agriculture Food And 143 9% 8% 7%
Consumer Affairs
Chemicals & Fertilizers 141 8% 11% 9%
D/o Fertilizer
Finance D/o Economic 175 11 % 10% 8%
Affairs
Heavy Industries & Public 129 7% 10% 8%
Enterprises
Human Resource 91 5% 11% 9%
Development
Petroleum & Natural Gas 147 9% 9% 6%
Power 154 10 % 11% 9%
Science And Technology 157 10 % 8% 7%
Shipping 113 10 % 12% 10 %
Steel 128 8% 11% 9%
Textiles 103 6% 12% 10 %
Urban Development 122 7% 10% 8%
Total 1,602 100 % 123% 100 %
Source: Secondary data

INTERPRETATION:
It is concluded that the HR value of Deputy General Manager is high in case of Companies under Finance D/o
Economic Affairs (i.e. Rs.175 lakhs) which means that the executive directors were given more importance in the
field of Finance D/o Economic Affairs compared to the other nature of the organization.

TABLE SHOWING HR VALUE OF MANAGERIAL POSITIONS:

HR VALUE(Rs in Percent Of Managerial


POSITION
lakhs) People
CHAIRMAN AND
16 6 17%
MANAGING DIRECTOR
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 91 8%
MANAGING DIRECTOR 131 11%
DIRECTOR 100 9%
CHANNEL MANAGER 159 16%
SENIOR MANAGER 152 14%
GENERAL MANAGER 141 13%
DEPUTY GENERAL
137 12%
MANAGER
TOTAL 1,078 100%

Source: Secondary data

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INTERPRETATION: · The aggregate value of Executive Director is less of


The results emerged out of the above table clearly shows Rs 9,107,480 when compared to the Chairman and
the Chairman and Managing Director has the highest Managing Director of Rs 16, 555,728. The
aggregate value of Rs. 16,555,728 .In case of Executive remuneration is a factor which has impact on increase
Director which has the less HR value of Rs 9,107,480 of in the value of chairman & Managing Director despite
all the other position. Value Managing director is Rs of less remaining years of service.
13,140,247,Value director stands at 10,049,687,whereas • The HR value of Managing Director is high of Rs.
the value of Channel Manager holds Rs. 15,933,145,the 137.8 lakhs in case of Companies under Petroleum
value of the position of senior manager holds and Natural Gas which means that the Managing
Rs.15,212,428, value of general manager holds directors were given better importance in the field of
Rs.14,130,694 and value of Deputy General Manager Petroleum and Natural Gas compared to the other
holds 13,716,076. nature of the organization.
FINDINGS • The aggregate values of Managing Directors are Rs
• The analysis confirmed that HR value of the 13,140,247 which are high when compared to
managerial people are in confirmatory with the Executive Directors of Rs 9,107,480. Thus it specifies
designation held by them .For instance, managers that there are more number of Executive Directors
has the top most level like chairman and managing was holding less remaining years of service.
director have secured higher HR value than those at • The HR value of Director is high of Rs.145 lakhs in
the lower level. case of Companies covered under the group of
• The discount rate played a pivotal role in determining Textiles which means that the directors were given
the HR values of managers belonging to different more importance in the field of Textiles when
categories. Such discount rate is decided by factor compared to the other nature of the organization.
such as cost and value of equity and debt, corporate • The aggregate values of Directors are Rs
tax rate, correlation of the market value (beta) and 10,049,687.which is low when compared to Managing
risk free rate. Directors of Rs 13,140,247. Thus it specifies that
• The study also found out that the organization large there are more number of directors holding less
in size and high in value reported higher HR value for remaining years of service.
• their managers than those which are smaller in size • The HR value of Channel Manager is high of Rs 191
and lower in reputation. lakhs in case of Companies under Chemical and
• The majority of organizations covered in this study Fertilizers D/o fertilizers which means that the
belongs to Petroleum and Natural gas are 17 per Channel Manager had given more importance in the
cent ,14 per cent of the organization belongs to Heavy field of Chemical and Fertilizers D/o fertilizers
Industries And Public Enterprise,10 per cent belongs compared to the other nature of the organization.
to Power and Communication, where as 8 per cent • The aggregate values of Channel Managers are Rs
belongs to Steel and the others where 19 per cent. 15,933,145 which is high when compared to Directors
• Among 195 employees, 73 per cent of them were of Rs 10,049,687. Thus it specifies that the Channel
active employees i.e. 144 employees, who are eligible Managers holds on an aggregate of more remaining
for the valuation of human resources under Lev and years of service.
Schwartz Model i.e. the present value of future • The HR value of Senior Manager is high of Rs.211
earning. lakhs in case of Companies under the category Coal
• The value chairman and Managing Director is which means that the executive directors were given
maximum of Rs. 278 lakhs in case of company more importance in the field of Coal compared to the
grouped under the head of petroleum and Natural gas. other nature of the organization.
The aggregate value of both the Chairman & Managing • The aggregate values of Senior Managers are Rs
Directors stands at 165, 55,728. 15,212,428 which is low when compared to Channel
• The HR value of Executive Director is high of Rs. Managers of Rs 15,933,145. The result of these
111.8 lakhs in case of Companies under Environment changes is in respect to the position they hold
and Forest which means that the executive directors • The HR value of General Manager is high of Rs 169
were given more importance in the field of environment lakhs in case Companies under Human Resource
and forest compared to the other nature of the Development which means that the executive
organization.

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directors were given more importance in the field of • The year to year difference in the discount rate has
Human Resource Development compared to the other to be ascertained clearly.
nature of the organization.
• Human Resource is the most valuable resource and
• The aggregate values of General Manager are Rs it will more valuable when it is recognized by the
14,130,694 which is low when compared to the Senior organization.
Manager of Rs 15,212,428. Therefore the
• If investors had better information available to them,
remuneration of Senior Managers are high when
they would be less quick to reward firms that engage
compared to General Managers.
in short-sighted (often excessive) cost cutting
• Hence it is concluded that the aggregate value of strategies that will have productivity consequences
Deputy General Manager are Rs 13,716,076 which in the out years
is low when compared to the General Managers of
Rs 15,212,428. Therefore the remuneration of General CONCLUSION:
Managers are high when compared to General Human Resource Accounting is a recent phenomenon
Managers. in India. Leading public sector units like OIL, BHEL,
NTPC, MMTC, SAIL etc have started reporting “Human
• The HR value of Deputy General Manager is high in
Resources” in their Annual Reports as additional
case of Companies under Finance D/o Economic
information from late seventies or early eighties .The
Affairs (i.e. Rs.175 lakhs) which means that the
Indian Companies basically adopted the model of human
executive directors were given more importance in
resource valuation advocated by Lev & Schwartz
the field of Finance D/o Economic Affairs compared
(1971).This is because the Indian Companies have
to the other nature of the organization.
focused their attention on the present value of employee
SUGGESTION: earnings as a measure for their human capital.
• It is essential for the company to revisit the salary However the application of Lev & Schwartz model by the
structure of the employee who would enjoy high HR public sector companies has in many cases led to over
value. This is because these managers are ambitious and arbitrary value of the human assets without
indispensable to the survival and the growth of the giving any scope for interpreting along with the financial
organization. results of the corporation. In the Indian context, more
• It is necessary for the companies to make sufficient particularly in the public sector, the payments made to
effort to retain those employees who have high HR the employees are not directly linked to productivity. The
value. In the options of that the rival organization may fluctuations in value of employee’s contribution to the
lure these prospective managers with more attractive organization are seldom proportional to the changes in
benefits and incentives. It is in the interest of the payment to employees
company to keep the attrition rate low for these
BIBLIOGRAPHY
categories of employees.
1. Eric G.Flamholtz (1999), Human Resource
• Since HR values are determined by far and critical Accounting: Advances in Concepts, methods and
variable, the management must consider the HR applications 3rd edition, Kluwer Academic Publisher
values as indicators of the health of the organization Group, Netherlands Pg 25-100.
and accord the importance it disserves.
2. Pravin Durai (2010),Human Resource Management,
• The practice of valuing HR must be undertaken at all Dorling Kindersley (India) pvt .ltd,
levels of the organization and the record of the same
must be preserved religiously. licensees of Pearsons education in south Asia, Pg
602-614.
• Organizations of all dimensions must make it a habit
and practice to conduct HR Valuation periodically 3. D.Prabhakar Rao (1993), Human Asset Accounting:
and systematically. An Evaluation of the Indian Practices, Pg 23-36.

• According to Lev and Schwartz Model the increase 4. John A.Brierley et al (2001), Human Resource
or decrease in the value of human resource is affected Management: Issues in Accounting and Audit Firms,
by factors such as present age of the employees A Research Perspective, Gower Publishing ltd, Pg
and the discount rate. The organization has to take 1-176.
into consideration of these both the factors. 5. R.K.Malik (1997), Human Resource Accounting and
• The investor can recognize the organization by means Decision Making, ANMOL Publications pvt.Ltd, New
of the value of human resource. Delhi, Pg 50-76.

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6. Ravindra Tiwari (1995),Human Resource Management 6th edition, Irwin Publication,Pg 1-15
7. Dr. M. K. Koley (1996), Human Resource Accounting, Institute of cost and works Accountants of India.
8. Hermanson, Roger H (1964); Accounting for Human Assets, Occasional Paper No. 14, Bureau of Business and
Economic Research, Michigan State University.
9. Likert Rensis (1967), The Human Organization, Its Management and Value, McGraw Hill Inc., New York, Pg
137.
10.Carper W. Human Resource Accounting Revisited National Public Accountant 23

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A STUDY ON EMPLOYEES QUALITY OF WORK LIFE WITH SPECIAL


REFERENCE TO TOOLFAB ENGINEERING PRIVATE LTD COMPANY,
THUVAKUDI.
11 3
J.Vanmathi 2
R.NagaLakshmi
M.Suhanya
ABSTRACT

A perfect Quality of Work Life would help the organization. Better quality of work life would lead to employee’s
well-being thereby to the well-being of the whole organization. This is an attempt to capitalize the human assets
of the organization. Quality of Work Life improvements are defined as any activity which takes place at every
level of an organization, which seeks greater organizational effectiveness through the enhancement of human
dignity and growth. Since the employee is both a social and economic entity, possessing different characteristics
in various work situation. There can be perfect adjustments of the workers in his work unit if the worker
possesses the exact capacities required for the work. The work similarly affords the opportunity for exercising
these capacities and the workers interests are generally satisfied in the performance of his job. However, a
happy combination of all the elements are seldom achieved in actual practice and a lack of balance form one
of the major causes of waste in production, dissatisfied employers and an unhappy employee.
Hence the researcher decided to focus my research work on QUALITY OF WORK LIFE which is an essential
criterion which caters to the well-being of the employee.

INTRODUCTION: and a lack of balance form one of the major causes of


Quality is no more a specialized word but has become a waste in production, dissatisfied employers and an
necessary and a must word for the best survival. In this unhappy employee.
era, quality of human inputs is the greatest asset to any
Hence the researcher decided to focus my research work
organization. Maintaining the quality of such human
on QUALITY OF WORK LIFE which is an essential
inputs rises from maintaining the quality of work life
criterion which caters to the well-being of the employee.
perfectly.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY:
A perfect Quality of Work Life would help the organization.
Better quality of work life would lead to employee’s well- The objectives of the study are:
being thereby to the well-being of the whole organization. • To know the existing work life of the employees.
This is an attempt to capitalize the human assets of the • To study the level of workers satisfaction with
organization. reference to quality of work life.
Quality of Work Life improvements are defined as any • To understand the opinion of the workers regarding
activity which takes place at every level of an work, work environment, relationship with superiors,
organization, which seeks greater organizational safety and welfare measures and training
effectiveness through the enhancement of human dignity programmes.
and growth.
• To arrive at findings and suggestions to improve the
NEED OF THE STUDY: living standards of employees
Since the employee is both a social and economic entity, METHODOLOGY:
possessing different characteristics in various work RESEARCH DESIGN:
situation. There can be perfect adjustments of the workers
in his work unit if the worker possesses the exact The type of research design used for the study is
capacities required for the work. The work similarly descriptive and survey method.
affords the opportunity for exercising these capacities SOURCES OF DATA
and the workers interests are generally satisfied in the
performance of his job. However, a happy combination For smooth execution of research study the
of all the elements are seldom achieved in actual practice researcher has gone for both primary and secondary
data.
1
PG research Scholar, Dept. of Commerce CA, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy.
2
PG research Scholar, Dept. of Commerce CA, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy.
3
PG research Scholar, Dept. of Commerce CA, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy.

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PRIMARY SOURCE
The information required for the study was directly collected from the respondents by using questionnaire method
as primary source to collect the data.

SECONDARY SOURCE
The records and documents pertaining to the details of the organization and the employees constitute the secondary
sources.

SAMPLE SIZE:
The sample size refers to the number of items to be selected from the universe to constitute sample, where ‘sample’
is the respondents. The sample size for the study is 50 out of 206.

DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

Table: 1.1 : DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS IN PROVIDING SAFETY EQUIPMENTS


S. No Response No. of Respondent (n:50) Percentage
1 Strongly agree 15 30
2 Agree 14 28
3 Neutral 8 16
4 Disagree 8 16
5 Strongly disagree 5 10
Source: Primary Data

Inference:
It is inferred from the above table that majority of 30% of the respondents strongly agreed, 28% of the respondents
agreed, 16% of the respondents disagreed, 16% of the respondents neutral and 10% of the respondents strongly
disagreed that safety equipment’s are provided respectively.

Table: 1.2 : DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS IN PROVIDING LIGHTING AND AIR


CIRCULATION AT WORK PLACE
S. No Response No. of Respondent (n:50) Percentage
1 Strongly agree 11 22
2 Agree 15 30
3 Neutral 9 18
4 Disagree 8 16
5 Strongly disagree 7 14
Source: Primary Data

Inference:
It is inferred from the above table that majority of 30% of respondents agreed, 22% of the respondents strongly
agreed, 18% of the respondents neutral, 16% of the respondents disagreed and 14% of the respondents strongly
disagreed that lighting and air circulation is sufficiently provided at work place respectively.

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Table: 1.3 - DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS IN GIVING ADEQUATE COMPENSATION


FOR THE WORK DONE

S. No Response No. of Respondent (n:50) Percentage


1 Strongly agree 6 12
2 Agree 16 32
3 Neutral 19 38
4 Disagree 7 14
5 Strongly disagree 2 4
Source: Primary Data

Inference:
It is inferred from the above table that majority of 38% of the respondents neutral, 32% of the respondents
agreed, 14% if the respondents disagreed, 12% of the respondents strongly agreed and 4% of the respondents
strongly disagree that adequate compensation is given for the work done respectively.

Table: 1.4 - DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS TOWARD JOB SECURITY


S. No Response No. of Respondent (n:50) Percentage
1 Strongly agree 10 20
2 Agree 21 42
3 Neutral 11 22
4 Disagree 6 12
5 Strongly disagree 2 4
Source: Primary Data

Inference:

It is inferred from the above table that majority of 42% of the respondents agreed, 22% of the respondents are
neutral, 20% of the respondents strongly agreed 12% of the respondents disagreed and 4% of the respondents
strongly disagreed that there is no threat towards job security respectively.

Table: 1.5 - DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS IN CONDUCTING STRESS RELIEVING


PROGRAMMES
S. No Response No. of Respondent (n:50) Percentage
1 Strongly agree 8 16
2 Agree 4 8
3 Neutral 3 6
4 Disagree 5 10
5 Strongly disagree 30 60
Source: Primary Data

Inference:

It is inferred from the above table that majority of 60% of the respondents strongly disagreed, 16% of the respondents
strongly agreed, 10% of the respondents disagreed, 8% of the respondents agreed and 6% of the respondents
neutral that stress relieving programmes tows arrangements are conducted respectively.

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Table: 1.6 - DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS ARE INTERESTED IN


ATTENDING TRAINING PROGRAMMES
S. No Response No. of Respondent (n:50) Percentage
1 Strongly agree 10 20
2 Agree 22 44
3 Neutral 11 22
4 Disagree 4 8
5 Strongly disagree 3 6
Source: Primary Data

Inference: towards the usage and development of human capacities


It is inferred from the above table that majority of 44% of in terms of age.
the respondents agreed, 22% of the respondents neutral,
FINDINGS, SUGGESTIONS AND CONCLUSION
20% of the respondents strongly agreed, 8% of the
FINDINGS:
respondents disagreed and 6% of the respondents
strongly disagreed that the respondents are interested ™ Nearly 50% of the respondents are satisfied with the
in attending treeing programmes respectively. safety and healthy working conditions provided by
the organization, which includes working environment,
CHI-SQUARE TEST first-aid facilities, infrastructural facilities, safety
AIM: equipment, lighting and ventilation facilities.
To find whether the employees level of exploiting the ™ The respondents have agreed that they have the job
opportunities available to use and develop human security but they feel that the compensation provided
capacities varies with his age. by the organization is not adequate.
NULL HYPOTHESIS: ™ That stress relieving programmes and tour
There is no association between the age group with arrangement were not organized said 60% of the
respect of opportunities to use and develop human respondents.
capacities.
™ Half of the respondents agreed that the training
ALTERNATIVE HYPOTHESIS: programmes helps to improve their skills, knowledge
There is a association between the age group with and it was conducted by efficient faculty and there is
respect of opportunities to use and develop human enough sharing of information about the company
capacities. activities.

CALCULATED VALUE: SUGGESTIONS:


The calculated value is 33.5714. WORK:
¾ Productivity can be improved by motivation and
DEGREE OF FREEDOM: training.
Degrees of freedom = (r-1) (c-1)
¾ Division of work can also be implemented and
r = number of rows
sustained.
c = number of columns
Herer = 5, c = 4 ¾ Work timings can be changed periodically according
= (5-1) (4-1) to shift basis.
= 12
The table value of chi-square for 12 at 5% level of WORK ENVIRONMENT:
significant is 21.026 ¾ Sufficient tools can to be provided adequately.
Therefore calculated value > table value ¾ More spacious dining and restroom can be provided.
33.5714 > 21.026 WORKER –SUPERIOR RELATIONSHIP:
Inference: ¾ Arranging get-togethers for the workers will enhance
Hence the calculated value of chi-square is greater than good relationship.
table value, the alternative hypothesis is accepted. So,
there is a association among the employees perception

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SAFETY AND WELFARE MEASURES: REFERENCES:


¾ Strictly adhering to use of safety equipment are given 1. Gupta,S.P., Gupta, M.P., Business statistics-Sultan
to each worker. Chand & Sons, New Delhi.
¾ Preventive maintenance can be done in all 2. Batra, G.S., Dangwal, R.C., Human Resource
machineries and equipment to avoid accident and Management-New Delhi.
improve safety of workers.
3. Kothari, C.R., Rsesarch Methodology Methods and
TRAINING: Techniques-New Age international Publishers, New
¾ Required to upgrade their skills in other related areas Delhi.
also. 4. SubbaRao, P., Personal and Human Resource
¾ Industrial training tour can be conducted for the Management, Himalaya Publications House, New
employees. Delhi.
5. Aswathappa, K., Human Resource and Personnel
CONCLUSION: Management, Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company
Quality of work life is mandatory in today’s organization Limited, New Delhi.
it is the watch word in today’s competitive business
environment which taps the worker’s high-order needs
and thereby motivates them.

In this study it is found that majority of the respondents


are satisfied with their present work life. Attention is
sought in certain aspects of quality like stress relieving
programmes, tour arrangement, canteen, restroom
facilities which need to be catered to build a more, safer,
healthier and better organization/ work environment.

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AN ANALYTICAL INQUIRY ON CUSTOMER’S ATTITUDE TOWARDS


CREDIT CARDS WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO STATE BANK OF
INDIA IN TRICHY TOWN
1
D. Selvalakshmi 2
Dr. K. Kumar

Industrial Revolution in 1750, was the beginning of Machine age in Europe. This brought countries
and people together. The new system of the society that emerged during this period, called
capitalism, mainly concentrated on expanding money. Commodities were the earliest kind of money
but over time money evolved into paper currencies and checking accounts. The age of commodity
money, gave way to the age of paper money.

Money is so much a part of our daily lives, that we pursue financial institutions help them by providing necessary
it recently yet seldom stop to consider its vital role as funds for their business.
the lubricant of economic activity. Last century the age
Today there is extremely rapid innovation in different
of bank money and our modern financial system with forms of money and one of the important innovations
currency. Banks plays a vital role in the economic life among the different form is the credit cards and debit
of every modern state. They have control over a cards. The use of credit card substitutes and replaces
the use of cash. It enables the holder to pay for his
considerable part of the stock of money, in fact their
purchases of goods and services without involving cash.
lending and investing activities cause changes in the It increases the money in hand and acceleratesthe
quantity of money in circulation which in turn influences velocity of money to the extent that idle money of the
the nature and character of production in any country. customer is activated for purchase of goods and services
for credit card holders.
Banking is a service industry. It manages and provides
Many Indian and foreign banks have issued credit cards
finance to every banker is not only to deal with his
to its customers. The issuing bank will have a tie up
customers but also prove a servant to the nation. Banks
with a number of establishments ranging from 5000 to
generally systematize processes as to provide
18000 inclusive of hotels, hospitals, shops and
satisfactory services to their customers. Service is the
departmental stores, which will honour the credit cards
end product of a bank’s operations. Success and name
and extend credit to individuals and households and they
of any bank depend on the range and quality of the
should by counted as part of the total bank credit and
services it can offer to its clientele, big or small. In real
money supply in the economy.
terms the utility of a bank is not limited to customers. In
the wider perspective it works as a tool to achieve STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
economic development. A bank, truly has to be a friend, The present study under the title “A STUDY ON
philosopher and guide to his customers beside being a CUSTOMER’S PREFERENCE TOWARDS CREDIT
servant of the nation. CARDS WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO STATE BANK
Industrial innovations and business expansion become OF INDIA CARDS IN TIRUCHIRAPALLI TOWN” will give
possible through finance, provided by banks and other a brief view about customer’s wants and needs towards
financial institutions. Capital is the main factor for variety of services provided by the State Bank of India
modern production and entrepreneurs and they are credit cards. It brings about need and importance of
helpless without adequate funds. Banks and other customers preference to the banks.

1
Asst. Professor in Commerce, Sri Saradha College for women, Preambalur.
2
Asst. Professor in Commerce, National College (Autonomous), Trichy.

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OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY METHODOLOGY


• To know the types of cards provided by State Bank Research involves more systematic structure of
of India to its customers. investigation usually resulting in some sort of formal
record of procedures and the report of the results or
• To study the functions of State Bank of India credit
conclusions.
cards.
• To understand the difference between credit cards RESEARCH DESIGN
and debit cards. The study is mainly a descriptive research, designed to
describe the attitudes, opinions and behaviour of
• To analyse the purchasing behaviour of customers in
customers on the usage of credit cards.
respect of credit card usage.
• To examine the customer satisfaction with reference TOOLS FOR DATA COLLECTION
to the services offered by State Bank of India. There is a mixture of both primary and secondary data
in this study. The primary data has been collected with
IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY the help of structured Interview. The basic ideas and
Any study on customer’s attitude becomes relevant only relevant concepts of the study were collected from related
if the reason behind its existence is valid. The study books, magazines, journals and records, and the
mainly concentrates on the use of credit cards in our employees of State Bank of India.
developing economy, its working and the growth rate of
customers. The number of members using it and the SAMPLING
number of establishments honouring this credit card has Since the universe of the study is infinite, convenient
increased fastly over the past twelve years. Some Indian sampling has been used. The sample covered different
banks have joined with International Banks to provide classes of customers in different occupations, 50
this credit card facility on a worldwide basis, or at cardholders were selected at random for the purpose of
selected International centers. The study also covers collection of data.
the satisfaction of customers regarding the services
rendered by the State Bank of India. TOOLS USED FOR ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
The collected data has been represented in the form of
AREA OF THE STUDY tables, bar diagram, pie diagram etc.,. For understanding
The area of the study on customer’s attitude towards and interpretation the data are further simplified into
credit cards is confined to people under various percentages. The statistical tools like correlation,
occupations residing in Trichy Town. This study has regression and averages have been used to test the validity
been undertaken to know how the customers use their of hypothesis.
credit cards in their day-to-day matters and to know their
satisfaction towards the services rendered by the State
Bank of India.
AGEWISE CLASSIFICATION OF RESPONDENTS
Age Group No. of Respondents percentage
Below 25 _ _
26 - 35 18 36
36 - 45 16 32
Above 45 16 32
T otal 50 100
Source: Primary Data

EDUCATIONAL WISE STATUS OF THE RESPONDENTS


Educational qualification Numbers Percentage
Up to high school 5 10
Diploma degree 5 10
Graduate 18 36
Professional 22 44
Total 50 100
Source: Primary Data

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CLASSIFICATION OF RESPONDENTS ON THE BASIS OF THEIR EXPENDITURE


THROUGH CREDIT CARDS
Expenditure Per No. of Respondents Percentage
Month(In.Rs.)
Below - 1500 10 20
1501 - 3000 16 32
3001 - 4500 10 20
Above 4,500 14 28
Total 50 100

Source: Primary Data

TESTING OF HYPOTHESIS
The hypothesis is “as the income of the customer increases, expenses by banking cards also increases”. And this
is proved with the help of Karl Pearson’s Coefficient of correlation.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INCOME AND EXPENDITURE BY CARD

EXPENSES BY CARD
Income 1 - 1500 1501 - 3000 3001 - 4500 Above Total
Per month(Rs.) 4500
Below 10,000 2 1 - - 3
10,001 - 20,000 3 8 2 - 13
20,001 - 30,000 4 4 5 8 21
Above 30,000 1 3 3 6 13
Total 10 16 10 14 50
Source: Primary Data

The cardholders earn more than Rs.20,000 per month and they spent nearly Rupees 4,500 per month through their
cards that has been proved by the hypothesis.
∑ fdx × ∑ fdy
∑ dxdy − ( )
Correlation r= N
(∑ fdx) 2 (∑ fdy ) 2
∑ fdx 2 − × ∑ fdy 2 −
N N
Substituting the values

∑ fdxdy = 25
∑ fdx = −6
∑ fdy = −22
∑ fdx 2 = 12
∑ dy 2 = 70
N = 50

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As the income of the people of the cardholder increases


− 6 × −22 the expenditure by credit cards also increases.
25 − ( )
= 50 Findings, Recommendations and conclusion
(−6) 2 (−22) 2 • The respondents expressed mixed feeling about the
12 − × 70 − usefulness of credit cards in day-to-day consumption.
50 50
• Recently, the expenditure through banking cards has
been increased.
25 − 2.64 • The respondents engaged in business utilized their
=
11.28 × 60.32 cards to the full extent.
• The services rendered by the State Bank of India were
found satisfactory but some of them are not satisfied
22.36 with the Interest rate and service charge.
=
3.3585 × 7.7665 • Most of the customers were aware of different types of
cards and made maximum utilization of their cards.
• Most of the customers maintained separate accounts
= 0.857 for payments by their cards.
As the value of ‘r’ is 0.857 it is concluded that there is • Most of the cardholders were not benefited by the
high degree of positive correlation between the income rewards offered by the State Bank of India.
of the cardholders and expenses met by the State Bank • As the income of the people or cardholders increases
of India cards. Hence, the variables income and the expenditure by credit cards also increases.
expenses by card are positively correlated and are in
close relation to each other. To know the significance
RECOMMENDATIONS
of r, probable Error is calculated.
Some recommendations made on the basis of the findings.
Probable error of the co-efficient of correlation
• The priority must be given to the middle class people
The probable error of the co-efficient of correlation helps to accept the credit cards. For that the interest rates
in interpreting its value with the help of probable error it should be reduced.
is possible to determine the reliability of the value of
• State Bank of India has to concentrate and encourage
the co-efficient. It is obtained as follows:-
on Merchant Establishments for acceptance of banking
1− r2 cards for the routine items.
P.E 0.6745
N • Bonus points should be given to the cardholders who
settle their bills promptly at time.
[Note: If 0.6745 is omitted from the formula, • The time for payment of bill should be increased, So
we get standard error of coefficient of correlation] that the cardholder purchasing power would increase
and make payment on the due date.
1− r2 • The awareness of banking cards should be increased
P.E.r =0.6745
N mainly in rural and urban areas.
• The service centers must maintain good relationship
R=0.857 and N =50 with their customers and should solve their problems
and clarify doubts regarding settlements.

1 − (0.857) 2 CONCLUSION
P.E.r=0.6745 .
50 With the economic growth gradually out pacing population
growth and with a large number of affluent middle class,
0.6745 × 0.2656 the potential market that India holds is immense. Credit
=
7.0711 cards are the key to the opening of bank accounts for
daily payments by the cardholders. Income tax difficulties
=0.0253
and high interest rates charged by banks and some
Units population correlation rigorous terms as to the repayment of overdraft facility
=0.857 ± 0.0253=0.8317-0.8823 have led to less popularity of these credit cards in recent

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years. The future will see through electronic money clearance of all receipts and payments on a daily basis,
through satellite networking. But credit cards as a source of extending credit to individuals and households has
come to stay and credit cards should be counted as part of the total bank credit and money supply in the economy.
Where only this plastic card will make all payments and receipts, as a result the flow of currencies will decrease
tremendously. The banking cards business will grow by over 100 percent every year for next five years. The
innovations in the banking sector are well accepted by the consumers to which is revealed by the study conducted.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
BOOK NAME AUTHOR NAME PUBLICATION
Banking theory an d practice Shekkar and Shekkar Vikas publishing
House Private Limited
Management of Banking Trilok Kumar Jain Kanishka Publishers
and Financial Institutions New Delhi
Fundamentals of marketing Stanton, William and Future McGraw Bill Book Company
Charles
Indian Banking Vinayakan Kanishaka Publishers New Delhi
Business Statistics Gupta.S.P Chand&company , Delhi
Marketing of Financial Avadhani.A Himalaya Publishing
services and Markets House

JOURNALS AND PERIODICALS


1. Brouchers of State Bank of India and its
subsidiaries from Marketing Limited.
2. The Hindu……….15th March 2012
3. The Week……….19th December 2013

WEB SITES VISITED


1. www.statebankofindia.com
2. www.sbicard.com

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AN ANALYSIS ON CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR OF


COSMETIC USERS IN TRICHY DISTRICT
1 2
R. Santhaseela Dr. R. Saravanan

Abstract

Consumer is the king in modern marketing. The study of consumer behaviour becomes indispensable as the success
or failure of a product depends upon the consumer. The present study attempts to know the buying behaviour of
cosmetic users. The investigation throws light on the different brands and references of the respondents belonging to
different family income groups. The investigation has been undertaken to know and analyze the factors influencing
the consumers preference and to know the role of media in influencing them to prefer a particular brand. The findings
of the study would throw light on the brand that is mainly preferred and the reason behind the insistence of the brand.

The study is about the consumer preference towards cosmetic users in Tiruchirappalli town, consumer is a person
refers to the potential purchaser of product and services offered for sale. The aim of marketing is to meet and satisfy the
target consumer’s needs and wants, perception, preferences, shopping and buying behaviour

Introduction prestige, income, education etc to make the product


Cosmetics are substances to enhance the beauty of attractive and acceptable to its customers. Consumer’s
the human body, cosmetics include all substances, demand is an important factor in marketing the product
preparations, devices and treatments used to clean, to successfully. For Schiffman and Kamuck the term
alter the appearance or to alter the face and body. They consumer behaviour refers to ‘’the behaviour that
are made for both men and women . Cosmetic include consumer display in searching for, purchasing, using
beauty products for the hair, scalp, body face and hands. evaluating and disposing of
Consumer is the person who actually uses the product.
The importance of consumption was recognized in early products and services that they expect will satisfy their
periods, or at least two hundred years ago when Adam needs’’ and the study of consumer behaviour is the study
smith stated ‘’consumption is the role and end purpose of how individuals make decisions to spend their available
of all production. resources like time, money, effort-on consumption
related items.
The ultimate aim of the marketing is selling marketing
is defined as managerial process through which products According to London and Della Bitta consumer behaviour
are matched with markets. The success of business ‘’the decision process and physical activity individuals
firms greatly depends upon how best they serve and engage in when evaluating acquiring using or disposing
satisfy their customers. The business can proper only of goods and services’’ Marketing consist of dealing with
by satisfy the needs of customers. When a firm markets goods and services. The goods produced or acquired
products or services, it should aim to enjoy consumer for business purposes may be consumer goods like soap,
satisfaction and profit maximization. Both these aim shampoo, hair oils etc properly speaking the term the
are attained through the product exchange. The goal of business should be reserved for the exchange of goods
each country regardless of its economic system is to and services under taken continuously or at least
increase productivity so as to fulfill all the wants and recurrently.
needs of its citizen and this is to improve the standard American marketing Association defines that ‘’Marketing
of living of its people. is performing business activities that direct flow of goods
and services from producer to consumer or user”.
Consumer needs and desires are innumerable. A modern According to Pyle ‘’marketing comprises both buying
marketer first fries to understand the consumer and their and selling activities’’ Therefore marketing management
response and then studies the basic characteristics of is concerned with what buyers are really seeking in their
their behaviour. A producer or a manufacturer takes into purchase of goods and services. Since the ultimate
account many factors customer needs, desires, motive of all the marketing activities is consumer

1
Asst. Professor in Commerce, Sri Saradha College for Women, Perambalur.
2
Asst. Professor in Commerce, Swam: Dhayanandha College of arts and Science, Manjakudi.

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satisfaction. The earlier times marketers could arrive at But knowing consumer behaviour is never simple.
a fair understanding of consumers through the daily Consumer may state their needs and wants but act other
experience of selling products to consumers. But Growth wise. The may respond to influence that change their
in the size of films and markets has removed many mind at the taste minute. In the present competitive
marketing decision makers from direct contact with their market, every marketer must know and locate the
consumers. Increasingly marketing managers hare had consumer behaviour which is the outcome of consumers
turn to consumers research, they are spending more preference and attitude towards a particular brand or
than ever before to study consumers and to understand product or service for his survival. The focus is on the
who buys? How they buy? When they buy? And why consumer and not on the marketers and this change
they buy?. has led the researcher to take up this study.

The studies may help to know the reasons behind Importance of the study:
consumer behaviour of cosmetic users and to find the Cosmetic intends market today is very congested and
various attributes that influence the people in purchase so many companies are trying to capture the, market
of the cosmetic items. with our technologies, each product is different by smell,
quality, price, size packaging etc Hence it becomes
Objectives of the study: essential to know what factors affect the consumers
1. To analyse the individual factors that influence the much towards a particular brand so that the market could
consumers to purchase cosmetic items. be assessed to know the reasons and situations
2. To find out the relationship between the family income motivating consumer for preferring a particular brand. This
and the expenses on cosmetic items. study has been undertaken with view to analyze
consumer preference for cosmetic items and how
3. To find out the satisfaction level of different brands. consumer selects cosmetic items so the researcher hare
4. To study the preferences pattern of consumer’s decided to conduct study in this Area.
consumption towards cosmetic items.
Area of the study:
5. To examine the impact of Advertisement media over Tiruchirappalli has been selected as the area of the study.
the selection of the cosmetic items. It is situated on banks of river cauvery. Tiruchirappalli is
6. To consolidate findings and give suggestions. the fourth largest city in Tamilnadu. Tiruchirappalli is a
centrally located district of Tamilnadu with an area of
Scope of the study: 5.114 sq.km. It lies between 10o -11.30o northern latitude
Consumer is the king in modern marketing. The study and 77o to 45o of eastern longitude Tiruchirappalli is
of consumer behaviour becomes indispensable as the bounded by Salem and south Arcot District on North,
success or failure of a product depends upon the Thanjavur districts on the east and erode district on the
consumer. The present study attempts to know the west and pudukkottai on south, its population is nearly
buying behaviour of cosmetic users. The investigation 23,88,831. Trichirappalli is known for it Rock fort temple
throws light on the different brands and references of with a height of over 83 meters other renowned temples
the respondents belonging to different family income are the Srirangnathaswamy temple at Srirangam, the
groups. The investigation has been undertaken to know Siva temple at Thiruvanaikoil and Samyapuram Arul Migu
and analyze the factors influencing the consumers Muthu Mariamman Temple.
preference and to know the role of media in influencing
Sampling technique:
them to prefer a particular brand. The findings of the
study would throw light on the brand that is mainly The researcher has used stratified random sampling
preferred and the reason behind the insistence of the method for selecting the respondents. From 49 Divisions
brand. of Tiruchirappalli District, 5 divisions have been selected
at random namely Srirangam, Pettavaithalai, Lalgudi,
Statement of the problem: Thillainagar, Palakarai etc, each division 30 respondents
The study is about the consumer preference towards were chosen using random sampling method. A pilot
cosmetic users in Tiruchirappalli town, consumer is a study was made among the shop owners to select the
person refers to the potential purchaser of product and bands of fast moving cosmetic items profited by the
services offered for sale. The aim of marketing is to meet consumers, from the data colleted the first eight products
and satisfy the target consumer’s needs and wants, namely tooth paste, Hair oil, shampoo, Face cream,
perception, preferences, shopping and buying behaviour. Talcum powder, Toilet soap, Nail polish, kum-kum were
selected for the survey.

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Methodology:
The study is concerned with consumer’s preference and their attitude to wards various cosmetic Hems. Hence the
main source is the primary data. The questionnaire prepared by the investigator has been administered to consumers
who prefer different brands. To have an idea about cosmetic items, information has been collected from books,
magazine and through internet.

Tools used for data collection:


The data was collected through a structured questionnaire. The data collected from 150 respondents were presented
in the form of tables, bar diagram, histograms, pie diagram and percentages. The tools used for data collection are
chi-square Test and rank correlation.

Hypothesis:
There exist a direct relationship between the family income and the expenses on cosmetic items. C o r r e l a t i o n
analysis attempts to determine the degree of relationship between variables. Rank correlation is applicable only to
individuel observation. It is useful to measure the qualitative characteristics

Sex –Wise Rank of Reasons.

Male Female 2
Reason Rank R1 Rank D=R 1-R 2 D
Preference Preference

Fancy 16 2.5 12 2.5 0 0

Quality 35 1 43 1 0 0

Price 16 2.5 10 4 -1.5 2.25

Status 6 4 12 2.5 1.5 2.25

Source: Primary Data ∑D2 =4.50

R= I - 6∑ D2
n (n2-1)
Where
R= Rate Coefficient of correlation
D2 =sum of the square of the difference of 2 ranks
N= Number of observation
R= I - 6∑ D2
2
n (n1)
-
= 1 – 6x4.5 = 1 -27 =.55
4 (16-

As the calculated value shows a moderate positive correlation It could be inferred that the preference of male and
female for taking cosmetics is only upto 50percent.

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Hypothesis
The table below shows the income expenditure pattern of the respondents.

INCOME AND EXPENDITURE TOWARDS COSMETIC ITEMS.

Expenditure towards cosmetics items


S.No Income Level TOTAL
Bel ow 200 200 – 500 500 & above
1 Below Rs.5000 10 10 5 25
2 5001 – 10000 20 30 6 56
3 10001 – 15000 5 8 5 18
4 15001 – 20000 7 5 5 17
5 20000 & Above 7 12 15 34
Total 49 65 36 150
Source: Primary Data

Applying the chi square test (X2)

Observed value
2 2
Expected Value (E) (O - E) (O - E) (O - E) /E
10 8 2 4 .5
20 18 2 4 .2222
5 6 -1 1 .1666
7 6 1 1 .1666
7 11 -4 16 1.4545
10 11 -1 1 .0909
30 24 6 36 1.5
8 8 0 0 0
5 7 -2 4 .5714
12 15 -3 9 .6
5 6 -1 1 .1666
6 14 -8 64 4.5714
5 4 1 1 .25
5 4 1 1 .25
15 8 7 49 6.125
Source: Primary Data

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∑ (0-E)2/E = 16.6352
Degrees of freedom
( C-1) (r-1)
(3-1) (5-1) 8 degree for freedom. The tabulated value at 5% level of significance for 8 degree of

The calculated value ∑ (0-E)2 = 16.6352


E
Since the calculated value is more than table value, the null hypothesis is not accepted and so the expenditure on
cosmetics influenced by their income.

REFERENCE
Abdel Baset & I.M Hasounch : consumer behaviour
C.L. Tyagi & Arunkumar : Consumer behaviour
Sheetal Kapoor : Understanding Buying behaviour of Indianfamilies
P.C. Jain Monika Bhatt : Consumer behaviour in Indian Context.
Matin Khan : Consumer behaviour

WEBSITES:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/cosmetics
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/beauty
3. http://www.hyperdictionery.com/dictionary/soap
4. http://www.anwsers.com/topic/cosmetic

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PROS AND CONS OF BANCAASSURANCE


1 2
E. Miracle Muthu Mary T. Shanmuga Priya

Abstract
Bancassurance is a French term referring to the selling of insurance through a bank’s established distribution
channels.The bank insurance model (BIM), also sometimes known as bancassurance.Bancassurance is the
partnership or relationship between a bank and an insurance company. The insurance company uses the bank sales
channel in order to sell insurance products, an arrangement in which a bank and an insurance company form a
partnership so that the insurance company can sell its products to the bank’s client base. Researches and present day
statistics speak about the need of a well equipped financial structure for a country that helps it to grow economically.
The financial resources in the hands of people should be channelized in effective manner so as to increase the
returns from the basic financial structure of nation and also the quality of living of people. Insurance policies are
instruments/products that play major role in upholding the financial structure of developed countries.

Introduction
Bancassurance can be profitable for both companies
The banking sector has a wide network in the country. banks and insurance in the view point Banks can earn
Nearly 65,700 branches of commercial banks are spread additional revenue by selling the insurance products,
over the country, serving 15,000 people per branch. The while insurance companies are able to expand their
aggregate amount of deposits was about Rs. 10 trillion customer through banks without having to expand their
through 406 million accounts. Further, nearly 60 percent sales forces or pay commissions to insurance agents
of total accounts are from rural and semi-urban areas. or brokers.
At this juncture, it is important to note that the private Definition: Bancassurance means selling insurance
and foreign insurance companies want to utilize the product through banks. Banks and insurance
multiple channels with the commercial banks for their company come up in a partnership wherein the bank
business. But the regulatory framework in the country sells the tied insurance company’s insurance
is conscious of customer’s benefit. All these factors have products to its clients
created a form of new business in the name of
“Bancassurance”, i.e. insurance through banking Description: Bancassurance arrangement benefits
channels. both the firms. On the one hand, the bank earns fee
Bancassurance is a French term referring to the selling amount (non interest income) from the insurance
of insurance through a bank’s established distribution company apart from the interest income whereas on
channels.The bank insurance model (BIM), also the other hand, the insurance firm increases its
sometimes known as bancassurance.Bancassurance market reach and customers. The bank acts as an
is the partnership or relationship between a bank and intermediary, helping insurance firm reach its target
an insurance company. The insurance company uses customer in order to increase its market share.
the bank sales channel in order to sell insurance
products, an arrangement in which a bank and an Various models are used by banks for
insurance company form a partnership so that the bancassurance
insurance company can sell its products to the bank’s (a)Strategic Alliance Model:
client base.
Strategic alliance model is a tie-up between a bank and
BIM allows the insurance company to maintain smaller an insurance company. The bank only markets the
direct sales teams as their products are sold through products of the insurance company. Except for marketing
the bank to bank customers by bank staff and employees the products, no other insurance functions are carried
as well. out by the bank
The bank and the insurance company share the
commission. Insurance policies are processed and (b) Full Integration Model:
administered by the insurance company. Under this model entails a full integration of banking
and insurance services. The bank sells the insurance
1
Research Scholars, Department of Commerce, St. Xavier’s College, Palayamkottai.
2
Research Scholars, Department of Commerce, St. Xavier’s College, Palayamkottai

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products under its brand acting as a provider of financial
c) Increase in number of providers means increase in
solutions matching customer needs. Bank controls sales
competition and hence people can expect better premium
and insurer service levels including approach to claims.
rates and better services from bancassurance as
Under such an arrangement the Bank has an additional
compared to traditional insurance companies.
core activity almost similar to that of an insurance
company. Other benefits
(c) Mixed Models: • They can obtain a basket of products under one roof.
Under this Model, the marketing is done by the insurer’s • They get risk coverage at bank itself.
staff and the bank is responsible for generating leads • Availability of advices on financial planning.
only. In other words, the database of the bank is sold to • Opportunity to make better informed choice in
the insurance company. The approach requires very little financial matters like selection of insurance cover.
technical investment.
• Ease of renewals through of executing standing
Need for bancassurance in India instructions
Researches and present day statistics speak about the
Advantages to Insurance Company
need of a well equipped financial structure for a country
that helps it to grow economically. The financial a) The insurance company hopes to attract further
resources in the hands of people should be channelized business, from both existing and new policyholders,
in effective manner so as to increase the returns from because of the fact that it can offer a wider range of
the basic financial structure of nation and also the quality services than before, i.e. it can give its customers access
of living of people. Insurance policies are instruments/ to banking as well as to insurance services. It encourages
products that play major role in upholding the financial customers of banks to purchase insurance policies and
structure of developed countries. Though the teething further helps in building better relationship with the bank.
phase of insurance, one may say is just past, a desirable b) The economics of the Bancassurance operation may
foothold is yet to be found. With growth in number of allow the insurer to offer products which are not feasible
middle class families in the country, RBI recognized the through the insurer’s existing channels. For example,
need of an effective method to make insurance policies sales costs incurred under existing channels may force
reach people of all economic classes in every corner of premium rates for a product to be uncompetitive, so the
the nation. Implementing bancassurance in India is one product is not sold. The costs via the Bancassurance
such development that took place towards the cause. channel may be low enough to make it feasible.
The need and subsequent development of bancassurance
in India began for the following reasons: c) The insurance company can offer to carry out the
administration activities of the bancassurer’s business,
9 To improve the channels through which insurance if for example the bancassurer is a separate company.
policies are sold/marketed so as to make them reach Combining the bancassurer’s business with the other
the hands of common man business of the insurer can produce economies of scale
in administration costs (including capital expenditure).
9 To widen the area of working of banking sector having
This in turn allows the insurer to improve profitability
a network that is spread widely in every part of the
and to price future products with narrower margins, which
nation
helps to make the insurer’s products more competitive.
9 To improve the services of insurance by creating a d) For both bank and insurer there is a great opportunity
competitive atmosphere among private insurance to learn and to make improvements in their own
companies in the market . operation. Each gets exposure to the other’s distinctive
Advantages of Bancassurance management styles, its objectives and measures and
the pressures which it can exert and which it feels. The
Advantages to Customers: benefit comes when either company can implement
a) It encourages customers of banks to purchase changes as a result of the learning process.
insurance policies and further helps in building better
Other benefits
relationship with the bank.
• Captures premium of bank financed assets
b) The people who are unaware of and/or are not in reach
• Greater geographical reach through banks’ network
of insurance policies can be benefitted through widely
at relatively lower cost
distributed banking networks and better marketing
channels of banks. • Access to banks customers

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• Gaining credibility in customer mindset by • With the newly established business, banks could
associating with bank take up the insurance policies associated with
• Ease of renewals and lower lapse incidence insurance-linked loans granted under their normal
banking practices like, crop loans, crop insurance,
• Potential for cross selling
loans for animals, sheep rearing, poultry, vehicle and
• Potential for up-selling including depth and width housing loans, industrial loans against stock pledge,
• Selling personal lines of insurance products to banks, etc. which were hitherto issued by other insurance
depositors and other customers agencies.
• Introducing co-branded products like Fire Policy for • Apart from all these, retention of existing customers
Home Loans is a great task in a service sector like banking, which
• Attracting walk-in customers in bank network could be made possible with the help of
bancassurance.
Advantages to Banks
The following factors have mainly led to success of
• Bank gets more non interest income
bancassurance
• Bank gets new customers and better penetration in
existing customer base (i) Pressure on banks’ profit margins. Bancassurance
offers another area of profitability to banks with little
• Increased association with the bank
or no capital outlay. A small capital outlay in turn
• Branch achieves profitability target means a high return on equity.
• It encourages customers of banks to purchase
(ii) A desire to provide one-stop customer service. Today,
insurance policies and further helps in building better
convenience is a major issue in managing a person’s
relationship with the bank.
day to day activities. A bank, which is able to market
• The people who are unaware of and/or are not in reach insurance products, has a competitive edge over its
of insurance policies can be benefitted through widely competitors. It can provide complete financial
distributed banking networks and better marketing planning services to its customers under one roof.
channels of banks.
(iii) Opportunities for sophisticated product offerings.
• Increase in number of providers means increase in
competition and hence people can expect better (iv) Opportunities for greater customer lifecycle
premium rates and better services from management.
bancassurance as compared to traditional insurance (v) Diversify and grow revenue base from existing
companies. relationships.
• There is no need of additional capital requirement for (vi) Diversifies risks by tapping another area of
insurance business by banks, as is required in the profitability.
case of lending activities by banks. (vii) The realization that insurance is a necessary
• Due to severe competition, banks are going in search consumer need. Banks can use their large base of
of customers for banking business; existing existing customers to sell insurance products.
customers can be used for insurance too without
(viii) Bank aims to increase percentage of non-interest
additional effort.
fee income
• Bancassurance business has a positive impact on
(Ix) Cost effective use of premises
the financial statements of banks with enhanced ROA
and ROE, because of increased income through Demerits of bancassurance
insurance, but without an enhancement in Capital / ¾ Bancassurance is a new system of inserting
Asset base. insurance business into banking practices, which are
• The surplus manpower in banks that has emerged by nature quite different. Thus differences may creep
due to massive computerization could be redeployed up among bank personnel. Bank executives may not
towards insurance business. So experienced human consider insurance as their core business and
resources could be utilized without any further simply leave it.
investment in recruitment and training.
¾ Since insurance and banking cultures differ, conflicts
• At present, banks are insuring their own assets like may arise among the employees involved in banking
buildings, furniture, vehicles, computers, etc. with and those involved in insurance business. In case
other insurance agencies. With bancassurance, such culture differences are identified, specialized
banks will be able to insure their own assets. personnel must be employed exclusively for
insurance.

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¾ In this business, employees will be dealing with ¾ Data management of an individual customer’s identity
customers with high net worth. So those employees and contact details may result in the insurance
who are assigned insurance business must be very company utilizing the details to market their products,
clear about service standards, policy issues, sales thus compromising on data security.
and marketing concepts.
¾ Better approach and services provided by banks to
¾ Dissatisfaction in any one of the businesses may affect customer is a hope rather than a fact. This is because
the other as well. For instance, an individual many banks in India are known for their bad customer
dissatisfied with the insurance service offered by a service and this fact turns worse when they are
bank, will quit normal banking also. Likewise a responsible to sell insurance products. Work nature
dissatisfied bank customer will not be interested in to market insurance products require submissive
the insurance service either. attitude, which is a point that has to be worked on by
¾ Since the banking channel is utilized for insurance many banks in India.
business, the banker will be ultimately answerable
to the insured persons. ¾ There is a possibility of conflict of interest between
the other products of bank and insurance policies
¾ There is likely to be another internal problem involved (like money back policy). This could confuse the
in this practice. A bank employee who is assigned customer regarding where he has to invest.
insurance business may be reluctant to move outside
the bank premises. Further, sometimes he would have I.Meenakshi (2013), conducted a study on
to work beyond the normal schedule hours of duty Bancassurance:”Problems and Prospects in
also. Likewise, a bank employee assigned the Bancassurance”. In this study, it was found that there
insurance job may also be reluctant to receive leads were various problems in bancassurance
for insurance business from his own colleagues. .Uninterested and inefficient staff has been identified
as the major problems , followed by ‘could not spend
¾ Problems may also arise due to the transfer of enough time on this’ and ‘no exclusive staff’ for
insurance-trained personnel from one branch to bancassurance has been identified as the third major
another. It is also possible that there may be a problem. The next problem is ‘not much rewarding
mismatch of insurance-trained personnel in some and challenges’ ranked fourth. Next to this ‘inadequate
branches. Some branches may have excessive promotional efforts’ ranked fifth. ‘Difficult to convince’
trained personnel, while others may have a shortage. the potential consumer’s ranked sixth. After that
¾ Due to improved technology, policy expectations of ‘pressing issues and challenging’ ranked seventh.
policyholders may not tally with the insurance service Subsequently ranked eighth is stiff competition. Lack
offered by a bank, particularly in respect of disclosure of infrastructure placed ninth, and at last considered
of information to policyholders. problem is ‘low level of awareness among the public.

¾ Expertise in fund management in bancassurance is Conclusion


also a big challenge to the bankers. Unless there is
In India, for decades, customers were used to the
proper Asset Liability Management (ALM), it will not
monopolistic attitude of public sector insurance
send out the correct signals to policyholders. In
companies, despite there were many drawbacks in their
insurance, bonus or NAV is the key factor of
dealing, they enjoyed customer confidence, this trend
investment strategy, which requires a separate
continues even now mainly due to their government
Investment Research Cell. At the same time, dealings
ownership.
with Assets Management Companies are also
necessary. Under these circumstances, any new insurance products
routed through the bancassurance channel would be well
¾ Acquisition cost is also a challenge before
received by the customers
bancassurance. It includes cost of operation,
distribution and technology. New insurance
Finally, insurance business will grow at a much faster
companies absorb all other costs in initial years, while
rate in the years to come. Bancassurance is substantial
the cost of technology for distribution is a critical
for the present economy. Growth of insurance and
variable.
bancassurance will be simultaneous, supporting each
¾ Incentive is a stimulating factor to the sales force in other.
insurance business. So banks have to fix and
implement performance-linked incentives.

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Bibliography
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bancassurance • Polande P.S. (2003): Insurance in India –
Changing Policies & Emerging Opportunities,
• http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/definition/ New Delhi.
bancassurance
• Usha Balasubramanyam (2004): Insurance
• http://tips.thinkrupee.com/articles/bancassurance- Regulatory Reforms, Journal of Insurance Law,
in-india.php ICFAI Press.
• Bodla B.S & M.C. Garg (2003): Insurance • I.Meenakshi (2013): Problems and prospects in
Fundamentals, Environment and Procedures, New bancassurance, Innovation in banking sector, Pg
Delhi, 140-143.
• Deep & Deep ICFAI (2003): Insurance Law &
Regulations, Vol. I – III, Hyderabad ICFAI Press.

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A STUDY ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION & AWARENESS ON


E-BANKING WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO TRICHY TOWN
1 2
R. Manikandan, Dr. S. Christuraja

ABSTRACT
Electronic banking or e-banking is automated delivery of new and traditional banking products and services directly
to the customer through electronic communication like computer, ATMs, and internet websites. The customer
satisfaction level based on the analysis of data relating to 150 respondents indicates that there is significant correlation
between age and occupation with other factors. In the analysis it was observed that particular age group has used
these Services; the satisfaction of the customer majorly influenced the convenience, awareness, and responsiveness.
In the present technology society, most of the banking customer prefer and switch to e-banking facilities. So the
banker may improve their services, loyalty to customers and their retention by increasing awareness of other age
groups and concentrating on the factors contributing customer satisfaction.

Key words – Customer satisfaction, Efficiency, Privacy of Information, Services

INTRODUCTION OF E-BANKING OBJECTIVES OF THE SUDY


The world is changing at a staggering rate and 1 To analyze the reasons for opening bank account.
technology is considered to be the key driver for these 2. To find out the reasons for preferring internet Banking
changes around us. An analysis of technology and service.
its uses show that it has permeated in almost every
3. To understand the facilities mostly availed by the
aspect of our life. Many activities are handled
respondents and the opinion about the service.
electronically due to the acceptance of information
technology at home as well as at work place. Slowly 4. To measure the Satisfaction level of the customer.
but steadily, the Indian customer is moving towards the 5. To aware about E-banking services.
internet banking. The ATM and the Net transactions are
becoming popular. But the customer is clear on one thing SCOPE OF THE STUDY
that he wants net-banking to be simple and the banking Nowadays the banking activities become fully automated.
sector is matching its steps to the march of technology. Through internet, customer can do their banking
activities, from their home itself, giving better customer
E-banking or Online banking is a generic term for the satisfaction. The project will analyze the customer
delivery of banking services and products through the satisfaction in the privacy of information, easiness to
electronic channels such as the telephone, the internet, use, Efficiency, responsiveness, reliability, and
the cell phone etc. The concept and scope of e-banking convenience. By this the banker can identify in which
is still evolving. It facilitates an effective payment and dimension they lack and need to improve services to
accounting system thereby enhancing the speed their customer in order to improve satisfaction.
of delivery of banking services considerably. Several
initiatives have been taken by the Government of India Features online or E-banking
as well as the RBI (Reserve Bank of India); have The common features fall broadly into several
facilitated the development of e-banking in India. The categories
government of India enacted the IT Act, 2000, which A bank customer can perform non-transactional tasks
provides legal recognition to electronic transactions and through online banking, including -
other means of electronic commerce. The RBI has been
preparing to upgrade itself as regulator and supervisor • Viewing account balances Viewing recent
of the technologically dominated financial system. It transactions
issued guidelines on the risks and controls in computer
• Downloading bank statements, for example
and telecommunication systems to all banks, advising
in PDF format
them to evaluate
• Viewing images of paid cheques
the risks inherent in the systems and put in place
adequate control mechanisms to address these risks. • Ordering cheque books

1
PG Research Scholar, Dept. of commerce CA, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy.
2
Assistant Professor, Department of commerce, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy.

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• download periodic account statements i) Accuracy in billing


• Downloading applications for M-banking, E-banking j) Competitive pricing
etc.
Customer Loyalty
Bank customers can transact banking tasks through Loyalty cannot be bought or forced on customers
online banking, including - and a person does not automatically become loyal
• Funds transfers between the customer’s linked because he or she is satisfied with the services
accounts offered by company. Becoming loyal is more like a
process. A positive apprehension of service quality might
• Paying third parties, including bill payments (see, lead to satisfaction, but for a relation to develop,
e.g., BPAY) and telegraphic/wire transfers interaction between the customer and the bank,
• Investment purchase or sale rather than just a feeling of satisfaction from the
customer‘s side, will be required.
• Loan applications and transactions, such as
repayments of enrollments CONVENIENCE SERVICES
• Register utility billers and make bill payments Online Banking Convenience: Online Banking allows you
to access your accounts and manage your finances when
• Financial institution administration it’s convenient for you. View your accounts, transfer
• Management of multiple users having varying levels money, pay bills, track spending, and earn cash back
of authority on your debit card purchases.
• Transaction approval process Different Types of E-Banking Services
• the process of banking has become much faster 1. Auto Bank Services.
Some financial institutions offer unique Internet banking All people can have access to electronic banking
services, for example services. In each town or city the different banks provide
electronic facilities for the benefit of their clients.
• Personal financial management support, such as
Even the bigger garages offer automatic banking facilities,
importing data into personal accounting software.
called auto banks, where people can do their banking
Some online banking platforms support account
without queuing inside the bank.
aggregation to allow the customers to monitor all of
their accounts in one place whether they are with Draw cash , deposit money or cheques get a
their main bank or with other institutions. balance enquiry, get mini-statements, make
internal account transfers These are the transactions
Customer Satisfaction
can be done at an auto bank:
Customer satisfaction refers to the extent to which
customers are happy with the products and services 2. Online Banking Services
provided by a business. Customer satisfaction levels can This service makes it possible to conduct your banking
be measured using survey techniques and questionnaires. from the comfort of your home or office. Online
Gaining high levels of customer satisfaction is very banking (or Internet banking) allows customers of
important to a business because satisfied customers a financial institution to conduct financial transactions
are most likely to be loyal and to make repeat orders on a secure website operated by the institution, which
and to use a wide range of services offered by a business. can be a retail or virtual bank, credit union or society. It
may include of any transactions related to online usage
The factors that affect customer satisfaction are:
a) Courteous employees Cell phone Internet Services This system allows you
b) Friendly employees to access the bank’s cell phone banking service via the
Internet using your cell phone.
c) Billing timeliness
d) Helpful employees The following transactions can be conducted:
e) Knowledgeable employees *Get balance enquiries, *Make account payments,
f) Billing clarity *Make inter-account transfers,
g) Good value *Get mini-statements of the last five transactions
h) Service quality *Recharge MTN and Vodacom prepaid airtime
*Increase or decrease your overdraft limit,

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3. Telephone Banking Services very important role in the economy of a nation, then there
Your telephone gives you access to your bank accounts is truly a need to maximize and improve its features to
24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can do your be client friendly and easy to access.
banking from your home or office, from your car, and
There are of course the Advantages and disadvantages
even the beach.Once you have registered for telephone
of online banking.
banking services, you can:
a. make payments Among the advantages of online banking in clued the
b. transfer money between your linked accounts following
c. receive fax confirmation of transactions and copies 1. Very convenient: Online banking is a totally easy
of your statements thing to do.
d. get balance enquiries on all your linked accounts 2. Unlimited service day and night: The services and
various features of your bank are always available
e. increase or decrease overdraft limit
seven days a week and 24 days and night.
f. recharge prepaid airtime on cell phones
3. No time constrain: Online banking is also stress
g. confirm transactions per fax
free because it never closes unlike the traditional
h. receive statements per fax banking that has cut-off time.
4. Internet Banking 4. Easy to access via PC: Using your personal
This facility gives you access to you personal and Computer, you can easily do various transactions
business accounts online, anytime, anywhere. The with your bank in view of your business or any other
service is available seven days a week, 24 hours a day. personal or financial matters.
The system gives you the freedom to choose your own 5. Easy way of payment: Bill payments can also be
banking hours, giving you greater control of your finances. handled properly and smartly.
It’s secure, fast and easy to use.
6. Smart. Online banking is also ubiquitous or simply
*get provisional statements put smart.
*make account payments
7. Higher interest rate: Another great advantage of online
*make a once-off payment banking is the interest rates which basically range
*set up future-dated payments between 5% to 3.49% annually. Unlike the traditional
*set up repeat payments banking, online banking can earn you a better interest
or return of investment both in your savings and
*make inter-account transfers
checking account.
*stop debit orders and cheques
8. Easy Transaction: Another advantage is the speed
*increase and decrease overdraft limits
of every transaction. Online transactions, compared
Excellence, Reliability, commitment, professionalism & to ATM or traditional banking, works faster. The
Service!!!! banking can simply be defined as the process business matters could benefit so much from this
of entering into transactions by a particular client and speed feature.
the bank using modern technology, with the various
9. Banking online is both efficient and effective: With
capabilities of the computer and other technological
just one secure site, all your financial transactions
developments, online banking is one of the many
can be managed orderly
business that benefited from it. Since banking plays a

GENDER TOTAL PERCENTAGE


Male 114 76%
Female 36 24%
Total 150 100%

On the other hand, the following are the disadvantages submit certain documents like an identification car.
of online banking:- Signature and like. Not only will the bank online
1. First is the slow processing from the moment you require you to submit documents but also to provide
entered a financial transaction with your bank via special power of attorney in cases where you want
the computer. Usually the bank will require you to to manage all your wealth and resources together
as a couple and you wish to view it online. Certain

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technical procedures regarding online banking may purpose of descriptive research is description of the state
be taxing too and complicated. of affairs as it exists at present.
2. Another disadvantage is the so-called learning curve. SAMPLING DESIGN : The sampling method used for
This means, banking online especially in locating this study is Non Probability convenience sampling.
the sites may be complicated and hard to find. SAMPLE SIZE: Sample size for the survey was 150.
3. Another disadvantage is bank site changes. If this
DATA COLLECTION METHOD:The data were collected
occurs, the bank will require you to re-enter all your
through interview using schedule. The schedule was
information again and other related data.
framed with multiple choice questions and open ended
questions. The survey period was spread from 1 February,
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
2014 to 10th February, 2014.
Research is an intensive study conducted to arrive a
better conclusion of problems. DATA COLLECTION SOURCES : Questionnaire was
prepared to collect primary data from the consumer. The
RESEARCH DESIGN : This study is of Descriptive nature data were collected from the company profile, magazines
and includes survey and fact finding enquiries. The major and text books.

INTERPRETATION & ANALYSIS


GENDER
Interpretation: The result shows that majority of respondents i.e. 76% are using the E-banking services and 24%
are the female who are using E-banking services. Female are not using this service because they have less
knowledge about the internet and they trust face to face interaction more. So it shows that E-Banking.
Age

AGE TOTAL NO. OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

Below 20 34 22.67%

21 - 30 40 26.67%

31 - 40 32 21.33%

41 - 50 27 18 %

Above 50 17 11.33%
Total 150 100%

Interpretation: the result shows that majority respondents i.e. 27% falls under the category of 21-30 years and
23% falls under below 20 years it shows that E-banking is mainly famous among youngsters as they are major
users of E-banking and Least comes under above 50 years.

Occupation:

OCCUPATION TOTAL NO. OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE


Government 37 24.65%
Private 40 26.67%
Business 48 32%
Others 25 16.67%
TOTAL 150 100%

Interpretation: interpretation: the result shows the majority of respondents that are using E-banking are Business
man. i.e. 32% they are using E-Banking services because it results in time saving. And 27% respondents are

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working in private sector and 24% respondents are working in govt. organizations and 17% are others which
includes students and house wives they are using E-banking because it saves time and students they have complete
knowledge of internet.

Income

INCOME TOTAL NO. OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE


Below 10,000 23 15.33%
10,000 - 25,000 48 32%
25,000 - 50,000 45 30%
More than 50,000 34 22.67%
Total 150 100%
Interpretation: The result of this study shows that 32% of the respondents who are using E-banking fall under the
income category of 10,000-25,000 and 30% falls under the income category of 25,000 to 50,000 and 23% % falls
under the income category of more than 50,000 and 15% % falls under the income category of below 10,000.
1. While opening up the Account, were you Aware of E-banking services provided by your bank?

Options Total no of res pondents PERCENTAGE

Yes 109 72.67%

No 41 27.33%

Total 150 100%

Interpretation: According to this survey majority of respondents i.e.73% were aware about E-banking services
provided by their bank and 27% of respondents were not aware about the E-banking services provided by their bank
at the time of opening up of their account because of lack of awareness and some are using banking services from
last so many years at that time bank was not offering E-banking service so they were not aware at that time but now
they are
2. Which of the following E-banking services is you Aware of?

Options No. of Respondents Percentage (100%)

Internet Banking 49 44.95%


Mobile Banking 97 88.99%
Phone Banking 67 61.47%
One Line Banking 12 11.01%
Debit Card 102 93.58%
Others 21 19.27%

Interpretation: According to this study almost every customer is using more one E-banking service and Debit Card
is used by almost 95% of respondents and mobile banking is used but 89% of respondents and 61% respondents
are using phone banking and only1 1% are using online banking this shows the trend that how customers are using
E-banking and among all the E-banking products debit cards are mostly used by respondents because they are
easy to use and do not require technical or computer knowledge.

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3. Are you availing E-Banking services?

Options No. of Respondents(109) Percentage

Yes 96 88%

No 13 12%

Total 109 100%

Interpretation: The results show that 88% respondents who are aware of E-bankingthey are availing E-banking
services and 12% are not availing E-banking services yet they are aware of E-banking the reason is that they still
have faith in traditional banking.
4. How convenient find Accessing your Bank online?

Options No. of Respondents Percentage

Easy 34 31%

Normal 53 49%

Difficult 22 20%

Interpretation:The results shows that 49% respondents found it normal when theyaccess their bank online and
31% respondents found it easy in accessing their bank online and 20% respondents found it difficult to access their
bank online because of lack of internet knowledge and connectivity

5. how frequently do you use each of the following services?

Factors Once in a Once in a Once in a Once in a Infrequently


day week fortnight monthly
Total
A Internet banking 55 50% 26 24% 11 10% 10 9% 7 6% 109
B Mobile banking 45 41% 31 28% 15 14% 10 9% 8 7% 109
C Phone banking 44 40% 31 28% 22 20% 9 8% 3 3% 109
D Online banking 31 28% 23 21% 21 19% 16 15% 18 17% 109
E Debit card 51 47% 42 39 9 8% 4 4% 3 3% 109

6. Which of the following factors influence you the most to use E-banking services?

Factors Strongly More than Average Less than Not at Total


average average all

a. All time availability 55 50% 31 28% 13 12% 8 7% 2 2% 109


b. Ease of use 49 45% 27 25% 17 16% 11 10% 5 5% 109
c. Nearness 45 41% 33 30% 25 23% 4 4% 2 2% 109
d. Security 43 39% 25 23% 19 17% 14 13% 8 7% 109
e. Direct access 49 45% 31 28% 19 17% 8 7% 2 2% 109
f. Friend\Relative 51 47% 27 25% 17 16% 10 9% 4 4% 109
g. Status symbol 57 52% 31 28% 13 12% 6 6% 2 2% 109

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7. To what Extent is your Satisfied with your Banks’ E-Banking Services?

E-Banking services Total No. Respondents Percentage


Highly satisfied 56 51%
Satisfied 31 28%
Neutral 4 4%
Dissatisfied 15 14%
Highly dissatisfied 3 3%
TOTAL 109 100%

Interpretation: The most of the customers are really liked the facilities provided by banks as they strongly agree that
the facilities are good for them so they like to avail the E-banking services provided by the different banks and the
result shows that 51%respondents are highly satisfied with the e-banking services provided by their bank and 28%
respondents are satisfied with the e-banking services provided by their bank and 14% respondents are dissatisfied
with the e-banking services provided by their bank.

8. Which of the following benefits accrue to you, while using E-banking services?

Benefits Total No. Percentage


Time saving 56 51%
Inexpensive 31 29%
Easy processing 14 13%
Easy Fund Transfer 8 7%
Total 109 100%

9. Kindly rate the following reasons enlisted for not using the E-banking services?

Factors Highly More than Average Less than Less


important Average Average important

a. No need( Satisfied with 10 9% 4 4% 12 11% 3 3% 12 11%


traditional banking)
b. It seems like a botheration 5 5% 0 0% 9 8% 16 15% 11 10%
c. Insecurity 10 9% 7 6% 12 11% 4 4% 8 7%
d. No access to 9 8% 3 3% 9 8% 8 7% 12 11%
internet/mobile
e. Lack of operational 18 17% 3 3% 7 6% 7 6% 16 15%
knowledge
f Hidden costs 12 11% 3 3% 9 8% 8 7% 9 8%

10. Rate the following statements with regards to potential problems identified in E-banking services?
Factors Highly considered Major Minor Ignorable
Time consuming 18 17% 14 13% 9 8% 35 32% 33 30%
Security Issue 8 7% 20 18% 29 27% 30 28% 22 20%
ATM out of order 9 8% 18 17% 14 13% 33 30% 35 32%
Internet Connectivity Issue 18 17% 25 23% 13 12% 29 27% 24 22%
Password forgotten 22 20% 35 33% 9 8% 18 17% 25 23%
Card misplaced/Misused 28 26% 16 15% 35 32% 21 19% 9 8%
Difficulty in Claiming False 35 32% 21 19% 29 27% 16 15% 8 7%
transactions

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11. If you use, rate your online banking facility on the following criteria using ascale of 1 to
(where 1 is very dissatisfied and 5 is very satisfied)
Factors 1 2 3 4 5
Quality of information 26 24% 36 33% 22 20% 17 16% 8 7%
Quality and Quantity 14 13% 32 29% 46 42% 11 10% 6 6%
of content
Security of personal 35 32% 28 26% 18 17% 12 11% 16 15%
information

12. Would you like to use E Banking services after getting the required knowledgeabout the services offered
by the banks?
Get information about E -banking Total Percentage
Yes 89 59%
NO 61 41%
Total 150 100%

Interpretation: The result shows that 59% respondents Suggestions :


would like to use E Banking services after getting the 1. Covering up the towns in rural areas with ATMs so
required knowledge about the services offered because that the people in those area scan also avail better
nowadays E-banking services considered very important services.
and everyone use these services daily to do work easily
and quickly but 41% respondents would not like to use 2. Prompt dealing with permanent customers and
E-Banking services after getting the required knowledge speedy transactions with out harassing the
about the services offered by the banks. customers.
3. Fair dealing with the customers. More contributions
Findings:
from the employees of . The staff should be co-
1. From our study we find out that 114 male and 36
operative, friendly and must be capable
female are using E-banking services of both the
of understanding the problems of the customers.
banks. So that’s why we considered only those
persons who are having knowledge about all services 4. Give proper training to customers for using E-banking
of E-banking which is provided by the banks.
5. Create a trust in mind of customers towards security
2. Most of the respondents who lies under the age of of their accounts
21-30 are using E-banking services as near about
6. Provide a platform from where the customers can
40 respondents are using these services because
access different accounts at single time without extra
under the age of these respondents they are having
charge.
more knowledge about the services of e-banking.
7. Make their sites more users friendly. Customers
3. Among those aware (which account for 150 in
should be motivated to use I-banking facilities more.
number) about 109 persons use e-banking services,
which is 73% of total population studied. Conclusion
4. Amongst these Debit Card scores the largest used The functions of online bank site in term of features
service status (68%) Close on the heels is Mobile and other service can help in creating online banking
Banking (64.66%), Phone Banking (44.66%), while adoption and create the customer loyalty level among
One Line banking lags behind by scoring the least the banks. Satisfaction customer online service quality
ie.,0.08%. is one of the crucial determinants of the success of
online banking Online banks must be always
5. Among the users, various problems that are adaptability of rapid changes in technology to present
encountered while using e-banking services.Firstly a good service for customer in term of quality,
they highly considered Difficulty in claiming false availably, accessibility, interactivity and friendliness
transactions are major reasons that create hurdles to meet customer needs and focus always on increase
in its usage, while card misplaced and misused, level of customer satisfaction. Finally is the trust
password forgetting, time consumption and internet aspect. Online banking should be entered very
connectivity issue also considered seem to be the carefully if you wish to enjoy your financial life.
least bothering problems.

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References : 5. O’Hanlon J and Rocha, M., (1993), “ Electronic


Banking for Retail Customers”, Banking Technology
1. Averace Chrisanthi, Tony Carnford, Developing
Ltd.
Information Systems. Concepts, “Issues And
Practice”, Ed. Macmillan Press, 1993. 6. SCN Education B.V. (2001). Electronic Banking:
The Ultimate Guide to Business and Technology
2. Oliver, R.L. (1997), Satisfaction: A Behavioural
of Online Banking, (1st ed.). Germany: Vieweg.
perspective on the consumer, New York: The
MacGraw-Hill Companies, in Mägi, 7. Sohail, M.,and Shanmugham, B., (2003), “E-
Banking and Customer Preferences in Malaysia:
3. Parasuraman, A., Ziethaml, V. A. and Berry, L. L.
An Empirical Investigation,” Information Sciences,
(1985) - A Conceptual Model of Service Quality and
150(4), pp. 207-217.
its Implications for Future Research¯, Journal of
Marketing, Vol. 49, (Fall), pp. 41-50. 8. AhamadKaleem,SaimaAhmed(2008),” Banker
’sPerceptionof
4. Mattila, M., Karjaluoto, H., & Pento, T., (2003).
Internet Banking adoption among mature Electronic Bankingin Pakistan “,Journal of Internet
customers: early majority or laggards?. Journal of Banking and Commerce,Vol13,No1.
Services Marketing, 17, 514 – 528.

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A STUDY ON CONSUMER PREFERANCE TOWARDS LAPTOPS


WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO TIRUCHIRAPPALLI TOWN
1 2 3 4
J. Arputha Sahaya Raj B.Adikkalamary Y. Milton B. Santhiya

ABSTRACT
Good service and customer satisfaction are very important for companies for both small and big companies. Today
competition between companies is growing all the time is why good service is becoming more and more important.
When a company manager serve its customer well enough and market them happy company can create long term
customer relationship and possibly get Free marketing at the same time when satisfied. Customer tell about the good
service they got satisfied customer have a positive impact on the company’s results and that is why it is important an
and interesting to investigate this impact. When measuring customer satisfaction it’s possible to get useful information
of the company customer and the results can be used to improve the company and its service. Measuring customer
satisfaction should be a continuous process that is carried out regularly, not just one if it is done regularly results will be
more beneficial. In this way we have to analysis and find out the study on consumer preference towards Laptops with
Special Reference to Tiruchirappalli Town.

INTRODUCTION : RESEARCH METHODOLOGY


A laptop computer, usually called a notebook Market research is the process of systematic gathering,
computer by manufacturers, is a battery- or AC-powered recording and analyzing of data about customers,
personal computer generally smaller than a briefcase competitors and the market. Market research can help
that can easily be transported and conveniently used in create a business plan, launch a new product or service,
temporary spaces such as on airplanes, libraries, fine tune existing products and services, expand into
temporary offices, and at meetings. A laptop typically new markets etc. It can be used to determine which
weighs less than 5 pounds and is 3 inches or less in portion of the population will purchase the product/service,
thickness. Among the best-known makers of laptop based on variables like age, gender, location and income
computers are Dell Laptops, HP Laptops, Lenovo level. It can be found out what market characteristics
Laptops, Toshiba Laptops, Samsung Laptops, Acer your target market has. With market research companies
Laptops, Macbook Pro Price, Macbook Air Price, ASUS can learn more about current and potential customers.
Laptops, Compaq and Apple Laptop computers generally The purpose of market research is to help companies
cost more than desktop computers with the same make better business decisions about the development
capabilities because they are more difficult to design and marketing of new products. Market research
and manufacture but work more effectively and efficiently. represents the voice of the consumer in a company.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM: The methodology includes area of study, source of data
y Difficulties in selecting a particular brand. sampling design, tools for analysis used and other related
aspects.
y Problems faced by the consumers.
AREA OF STUDY
y Changing – opinion on usage of a particular brand.
The area covered under the study is Trichy town. The
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY study has been conducted in various areas of
Tiruchirappalli like, Contonment, Thillainagar,
y To study Consumers Awareness towards Compaq
Mainguardgate, Palakarai, Fort, Srirangam and Worraiyur.
laptops.
y To study Consumers preference towards Compaq SOURCE OF THE DATA
laptops. Primary data were used and questionnaires were framed
y To study the satisfaction level of consumers using for data collection from 100 respondents.
Compaq laptops. SECONDARY DATA
y To offer suggestion based on the views and opinions Data’s were collected from various journals, magazines
expressed by the consumers. and News Papers etc.,
1
Assistant Professor, Department of commerce CA, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy.
2
PG Research Scholar, Dept. of commerce CA, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy-2.
3
P.G. Research Scholar, St.Joseph’s College, Trichy
4
P.G. Research Scholar, St.Joseph’s College, Trichy

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SAMPLING DESIGN they can buy. Consumer preferences involve the ranking
Convenient sampling method is used for data collection. of goods and services according to how much benefit
they afford. The study of consumer preferences employs
TOOLS FOR ANALYSIS assumptions about consumers’ behavior and how they
Simple percentage analysis. decide preferences.

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY Elements of Definition


a) Confined only to Tiruchirappalli city. A consumer preference explains how a consumer ranks
a collection of goods or services or prefers one collection
b) Only 100 respondents are taken into account.
over another. This definition assumes that consumers
DEFINITION OF CONSUMER : rank goods or services by the amount of satisfaction, or
An individual who buys products or services for personal utility, afforded. Consumer preference theory does not
use and not for manufacture or resale. A consumer is take the consumer’s income, good or service’s price, or
someone who can make the decision whether or not to the consumer’s ability to purchase the product or service.
purchase an item at the store, and someone who can Consistent Choices
be influenced by marketing and advertisements. Any
A consumer preference assumes that the consumer can
time someone goes to a store and purchases a toy,
choose consistently between or among goods and
shirt, beverage, or anything else, they are making that
services. The consumer must prefer one set of goods or
decision as a consumer.
services over others or treat all as equally beneficial.
DEFINITION OF CONSUMER PREFERENCE Consistency is an issue when the consumer must
The study of demand in economics involves how consider more than two alternatives. If a consumer ranks
consumers select goods and services. According to dress shoes ahead of tennis shoes and tennis shoes
James C. Cox in The Economic Journal, consumer ahead of sandals, the consumer must prefer dress shoes
economics traditionally operates on the hypothesis that to sandals.
consumers seek the most utility, or satisfaction, that
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Table -1 Showing the classification of the respondents according to the
knowledge about computer skills

Knowledge about Computer Skills No.of.Respondents Percentage

Beginners 25 25%

Intermediate 45 45%

Expert 30 30%

TOTAL 100 100%


Source: Primary Data

INTERPRETATION
From the above table it can be observed that 25% of the respondents are just beginners, while 45% of the respondents
are intermediate, 30% of the respondents are expert.
Table - 2 Showing the classification of the respondents about their awareness of Compaq laptop
AWARENESS OF COMPAQ LAPTOP NO.OF.RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

YES 95 95%

NO 5 5%

TOTAL 100 100%

Source: Primary Data

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INTERPRETATION
From the above table it can be observed that 95% of the respondents are aware of Compaq laptop and 5% of the
respondents are not.

Table-3 Showing the classification of the respondents through which source they are aware of the
laptop

SOURCE NO.OF.RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

Advertisements 4 4%

Friends and Relatives 27 27%

Self 53 53%

Others 16 16%

TOTAL 100 100%


Source: Primary Data

INTERPRETATION
From the above table it can be observed that 4% of the respondents are aware through advertisement, 27% of the
respondents are through friends and relatives, 53% know by themselves, 16% through others.

Table - 4 Showing the classification of the respondents through which media they are aware
MEDIA NO.OF.RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE
Newspaper and Magazines 23 23%
Television and Radio 4 4%
Posters and Banners 43 43%
Internet Advertisements 20 20%
Exhibitions 10 10%
TOTAL 100 100%
Source: Primary Data

INTERPRETATION
From the above table it can be identified that 23% of the respondents through Newspaper and Magazines, while 4%
through Television and Radio, 43% through Posters and Banners, 20% through Internet Advertisements, 10%
through Exhibitions.

Table - 5 Showing the classification of the respondents which influence them to buy a Compaq laptop
INFLUENCE THEM TO BUY A NO.OF.RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE
COMPAQ LAPTOP
Self 23 23 %
Family Members 47 47%
Friends and Relatives 20 20%
Children’s 2 2%
Spouse 8 8%
TOTAL 100 100%
Source: Primary Data

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INTERPRETATION
From the above table it can be observed that 23% of the respondents buy their laptops by themselves, 47% of the
respondents are influenced by family members, 20% through friends and relatives, 2% through children, and 8%
through their spouse.

Table - 6 Showing the classification of the respondent’s purpose for which they use laptop
PURPOSE FOR WHICH THEY NO.OF.RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE
USE LAPTOP
Office use 27 27%
Educational use 49 49%
Personal use 18 18%
Web surfing 5 5%
Others 1 1%
TOTAL 100 100%
Source: Primary Data

INTERPRETATION
From the above table it can be observed that 27% of the respondents use their laptop for office use, while 49% of
the respondents for educational use, 18% the respondents for personal use, 5% for web surfing, and 1% for others.

Table - 7 Showing the classification of the factors influenced to buy a Compaq laptop

FACTORS INFLUENCED NO.OF.RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE


Connectivity and Mobility Features 22 22%

Value Added Features 3 3%


Post Purchase Services 10 10%
Peripheral Specifications 7 7%
Core Technical Features 3 3%
Physical Appearance 20 20%

Price and Payment Conditions 35 35%


TOTAL 100 100%

Source: Primary Data

INTERPRETATION
From the above table it can be observed that 22% of the respondents are influenced through connectivity and
mobility features, while 3% of the respondents through value added features, 10% of the respondents through post
purchase services, 7% of the respondents through peripheral specifications, 3% through core technical features,
20% through physical appearance, and 35% through price and payment conditions.

Table - 8 Showing the classification of how often they use laptop


HOW OFTEN THEY USE LAPTOP NO.OF.RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

Hourly 14 14%
Daily 47 47%
Weekly 12 12%
Fortnight 27 27%
TOTAL 100 100%
Source: Primary Data

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INTERPRETATION
From the above table it can be observed that 14% the respondents use hourly, while 47% of the respondents use
daily, 12% of the respondents use weekly, and 27% of the respondents use fortnight.

Table - 9 Showing the classification of how many years they are using laptop
YEARS NO.OF.RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE
Less than 1 year 24 24%
1-2 year 36 36%
2-3 year 20 20%
More than 3 year 20 20%
TOTAL 100 100%
Source: Primary Data

INTERPRETATION
From the above table it can be observed that 24% the respondents are using less than one year, while 36% of the
respondents are using 1-2 years, 20% of the respondents are using 2-3 years and 20% of the respondents are
using more than 3 years.

Table -10 Showing the satisfactory level of respondents with the features of Compaq laptop

SATISFACTORY LEVEL OF RESPONDENTS WITH THE


FEATURES OF COMPAQ LAPTOP
NO.OF.RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE
YES 62 62%
NO 38 38%
TOTAL 100 100%
Source: Primary Data

INTERPRETATION
From the above table it can be identified that 62% of the respondents are satisfied with the features of Compaq
laptop while, 38% of the respondents are not satisfied with that.

Table - 11 Showing the satisfactory level of respondents with the customer service of Compaq laptop

SATISFACTORY LEVEL OF
RESPONDENTS WITH THE
NO.OF.RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE
CUSTOMER SERVICE OF COMPAQ
LAPTOP

YES 45 45%

NO 55 55%

TOTAL 100 100%


Source: Primary Data

INTERPRETATION FINDINGS
From the above table it can be identified that 45% of the ¾ Out of the sample 57% belongs to male category,
respondents are satisfied with the after sales services and only 43% belongs to the female category.
of Compaq laptop while, 55% of the respondents are
¾ Majority of the respondents belongs to (45%) the
not satisfied with that.
age group of 20 to 40 years.

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¾ Majority of the respondents are (57%) single. Competition:


¾ Majority of the respondents are (54%) in To overcome the competitive market and to attract the
postgraduate level. consumers the company can adapt suitable sales
promotion techniques.
¾ Greater part of the respondents is employed followed
by business. Consumer satisfaction:
¾ Majority of the respondents are (34%) belong to the The complaints filed by the consumers can be rectified
income group of 200000-300000 and 20% of the as soon as possible to gain more consumer satisfaction
respondents belong to the income group of less than level.
100000 and above 300000.
CONCLUSION
¾ Most of the respondents are in the intermediate The preferences never remain constant. So, efforts should
stage, followed by experts. be taken by the manufacturer to make their products
¾ Most of the respondents are aware of Compaq laptop. attractive to retain their position in the market. For this
purpose, new models can be introduced at regular
¾ Most of the respondents are aware of the laptop
intervals and the prices must reduced so that people
through self followed by friends and relatives.
can afford it. Concessions can be made for the students
¾ Most of the respondents are aware through posters and some discounts can be allowed for others. Frequent
and banners. advertising can also be followed to retain the consumers.
This is because the day by day the day the laptop is
¾ Most of the respondents are not influenced by family
increasing and the consumers always prefer the best
members.
quality at affordable rate. The above study on consumer
¾ Most of the respondents use their laptop for preference towards Compaq laptop has been very
educational use. informative and a source of exposure and knowledge.
¾ Most of the respondents are influenced by price and
payment condition. References:

¾ Most of the respondents use their laptop daily. 1. “Consumer”, wikipedia.com


¾ Most of the respondents use laptop for 1-2 years. 2. “Marketing”, ROY KATZ, 10/01/2002, wikipedia.com
¾ Majority of the respondents are having complaints
with their laptop. 3. “Customer”, ROY KATZ, 10/10/2002, Wikipedia.com

¾ Most of the respondents are having complaint with 4. “Customer”, Wikipedia.com


the low battery life.
5. “Customer Satisfaction”, your dictionary
¾ Most of the respondents don’t have any idea of
changing their laptop. 6. www.lenovo.com
¾ Most of the respondents preferred for dell laptop. 7. www.hp.com
¾ Most of the respondents recommend their brand for 8. www.acer.com
others. 9. www.dell.com
¾ Most of the respondents saying the reason for not 10. www.tricy.com
recommending is not worthy and let others decide.
11. h t t p : / / s 3 . a m a z o n a w s . c o m / p p t - d o w n l o a d /
SUGGESTIONS shashankgprollno112-130507091013-phpapp01.
Awareness: pdf?response-content-disposition
The consumers must be properly educated about the =attachment&Signature=zwJbRX6nrdAfMNg
various purposes of using laptops other than education %2Fexds5t40vqM%3D&Expires=1393595325&AWS
and personal use. The consumers should be made aware AccessKeyId=AKIAIW74DRRRQSO4NIKA
of the add-on features and their purposes. 12. http://www.ehow.com/info_8698883_definition-
Advertisement: consumer-preference.html#ixzz2ucsduOU2
The laptops must be advertised even more frequently
through televisions to retain old consumers and to attract
new customers.

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THE JOURNEY OF ECOMMERCE IN INDIA : A ROAD MAP


SHOWING THE SURFACING PROSPECTS AND HURDLES
1 2
M. Antony Jesuraja S. Domnic Xavier
ABSTRACT
The ever-growing population of netizens across India gives an immense scope for ecommerce on par with its global
counterpart. It is growing fast in this segment but not at the level playing field with the developed as well as emerging
economies in the world. It has the potential to excel well by efficiently utilising the growing patronage among youth,
middle class population and educated elders. It has high tech aspiring entrepreneurs who would like to adopt online
business as their model of success. Problems and Challenges are competing with opportunities and benefits
vigorously. In this scenario, it is highly imperative to look into the hurdles and bottlenecks of Ecommerce with a view
to facilitate its growth to its fullest potentiality through constructive collaborations among various players at different
levels and maximise its contributions to its economy.

Introduction: towards online global market to find their buyers. In this


As McKinsey & Co projects India would be having scenario, it is very much important to analyse the
between 330 million to 370 million internet users by 2015, prospects and challenges, India would be facing in its
11% of its population are active netizens as of now and march on the cyber journey. It is also essential to identify
being the third largest country in terms of number of the key drivers that stimulate the development in this
internet users , India can exponentially lead itself to a part of the world.
tremendous growth in online business and e-commerce.
Key drivers of Ecommerce and online business in
The consumer retail market segment in India which was
India
at $470 billion in 2011 and expected to grow at $675
billion by 2016 and $850 billion by 2020, has the potential • India as a consumption driven economy has the
to involve online trade significantly as the field is almost enormous potential to be fledging ecommerce market
under explored with $2.5 billion worth market in 2009 as varieties of products and services are made
and $6.3 billion in 2011 and $14 billion in 2012 at the available with competitive prices and follow up
rate of 55% growth per year. So far The travel sector services.
dominated by IRCTC with 40% of its booking through
online) and Makemytrip.com, has been the largest player • Broadband internet connections are growing at a
of Ecommerce by absorbing the major junk of money to galloping speed as network backbone readily adopts
the tune of 80% and leaving away the remaining to E- itself to successive spectrums starting from 2G to
tailing consisting of online sale of durable goods, financial 3G and To 4G
services and digital downloads and also grows at 30.6% • Manufacturers of communication devices see India
which is significantly higher compared to the growth of as a prospective market to develop their businesses
other countries in this segment. It is way behind in by offering wide variant of conducive electronic
exploding the capacity compared to their counterparts devices such as laptops, tablets, smart phones and
USA and China. With the mobile devices going smart dongles at different levels without compromising the
and speed of internet expected to multiply with 3G on core features, thus they take the use of internet to
the roll and 4G is expected to arrive, the middle class the individual and family level.
swelling rapidly in terms of size and income, the
traditional retailers aspiring to imprint their impression • As the youth of today are inherently associate
online and the global online players generously betting themselves with internet and view online shopping
their money on potential Indian internet users, online like any other shopping mode, it definitely has wide
business and ecommerce would occupy a significant scope for its growth and show ways to their elder
place in the coming years. Federation of Indian Exporters counterpart who are really catching up with the
prevailing trends.
organisation (FIEO) reported a mammoth 400% growth • Recent reports clearly highlight the fact that India is
every year in the online export sector with a size of $1.4b rapidly moving towards urban centric population as
in 2012. As cost savy and value oriented exporters are significant and consistent increase is visible in its
gradually inching population and number of households. It has opened
1
Professor, Department of Commerce, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy.
2
Research scholar, Department of Commerce, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy

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the gate for ecommerce as it can successfully sell • Intrusion of global players into Indian ecommerce
different categories of products without any segment is on the card (Amazon by investing in
cumbersome bottle necks. Junglee and Ebay in Snapdeal $133million and
Morgan Stanley investment management in Flipcart
• Internet and mobile worlds are not in a mood to ignore
for Rs. 2332 crores million). It can definitely upgrade
smaller towns and rural areas as sizeable population
and uplift technological ingrediants of Ecommerce.
with high disposable income and aspiration to lead
a standard of living on par with their urban counterpart • Cost involved in the traditional method of exporting
and they actively penetrate into this segment to goods by way of labour, travel and international calls
enhance their income earning capacity (Online iin establishing contact with prospective importers
apparel retailer Myntra has 50% of its sales in small or international buyers is high for exporters.
cities and towns).
Benefits of Ecommerce
• The upward growth of middle class segment of the
population in terms of high disposable income and • Opening up the borders for export of commodities
rising standard of living and the attitude to spend produced by millions of SMEs and MSMEs with
generously throws huge amount of opportunities to cross border trading websites such (30000 sellers
the online business men especially etailers. Their of Ebay reach out 4 million consumers in and around
aggravating problems such as lengthy working 3000 cities 15,000 sellers selling products to 120
hours, increased travel times and lack of time for million people all over the world which is just small
physical shopping also pave way for online compared to millions of enterprises still not in this
shopping(MyGrahak.com provides groceries online prospective channel
to 22000 consumers with a dream of capturing a • Empowerment of millions of small players to use
whopping share in this segment). Ecommerce platform to get their supply chain
• As budding and young entrepreneurs visualise the shortened and tighten up the pilferage of money.
internet and ecommerce as the thrust area for their
businesses and their desire to operate at the global • Provides opportunities to build customer base from
level and almost everyone is aware and come with their desktop by showcasing right type of products
IT background the segment will live upto expectation. with sincere and dedicated research. Devan Patodia
, a Kolkotta based entrepreneur, who straight away
• Application providers for Internet and ICT are working ventured into online business, seized the opportunity
round the clock by competing with one another to to sell eco friendly cotton bags and packaging
provide applications conducive for e-tailing by materials in the US market through online. He also
enabling them to add varieties of products ranging exports silk based export and enjoys high return
from music to motor bikes in the virtual showroom. with minimum investment with an annual turnover of
• On par with traditional sellers (brick and mortar) the Rs. 4 crores. Sandeep Mehrotra of Uttar Pradesh
online sellers as well as platform providers for sales and Naveen Pamnani of New Delhi who started as
intensively come out with innovative sales traditional traders were able to successfully intrude
promotional methods such as ‘flash sales’, ‘ by invite into the online segment by successfully surpassing
only sales’ , ‘ cyber Monday’ , great online shopping initial hurdles (Business Today June 2012).
festivals etc.
• Share of Ecommerce in GDP to go at 4% by 2020
• Ecommerce operators are ready to patronage people and IT-BPO to pect at 10% and Tele communication
who are ready to provide products under innumerous services at 15% (NASSCOM report)
categories to offer theirs with attractive and
competitive prices. • Growth of ecommerce will have spillover effect in
other forms of industries such as logistics and online
• Social networking sites such as face book, Tweeter advertising media and IT/ ITES
and Orkut have billions of users under their umbrella
to connect to and to communicate and share with • Online businesses have the capacity of providing
one another which provides ample of opportunities quality jobs at different levels directly or indirectly.
to develop a platform for online businesses without
much hurdles. The online business providers and Challenges of Ecommerce and online businesses:
traders should sensitise themselves by closing • Compared to the technological developments and
monitoring the needs and aspirations of netizens. strengths, India is way behind in its infrastructural
developments in comparison to other developed and

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emerging nations. It could not accelerate the • Constructive collaboration is the need of the hour
investment in internet friendly infrastructures as it is among logistics providers, warehouse operators,
very slow and lethargic in attracting FDI from hi-tech ecommerce platform providers, sellers and local
transnational companies. government bodies to smoothen the process of
• Rigid governance and stringent laws make it worse delivery by mutually benefitting each other.
for the companies to actively engage and grow in Conclusion:
this segment
Online businesses in India can be envisaged to have a
• Prevailing of low internet penetration (11%)far below great future for the Ecommerce platform providers, sellers
the global average penetration of 34% and buyers. They can create and maintain millions of
jobs and significantly contribute towards GDP of the
• Missing links in supply chains and lack in stretching
out to far flung areas nation. It also provides platform to venture into global
market with minimum investment and simple business
• Cash on delivery being predominant payment mode model. Though several key drivers stimulating their
and meager presence and adoption of cheap online prospects, a good number of challenges can come to
payment modes. It is the costliest mode of payment the surface to shape and induce them to achieve greater
and erodes the returns of the companies involved in glories in the coming years. They can be instrumental
the businesses. in helping India to reach out the projections with ease.
• As the fraud and return of goods take place in
References:
between 5% to 25% in different categories, it is quite
difficult for the companies to survive and earn profit. 1) Ecommerce Rhetoric, reality and opportunity,
Flipcart has restricted its shipment to Rs. 10,000 in Executive summary, https://www.kpmg.com/IN/en/
certain areas of Uttarpradesh. IssuesAndInsights/.../KPMG-IAMAI-ES.pdf
• Tax at multiple levels and at different rates. Each 2) FORRESTER, Trends in India’s E-commerce
state has its own tax rates. market, www.assocham.org/arb/.../
Solutions to the problems Forrester_Trends_In_Indias_eCommerc.pd August
23, 2012.
• Constructive co-operation among stakeholders and
players such as government, regulatory and industry 3 )Pritam P Hans, Be a global Merchant, Business
bodies and other facilitators to smoothen the flow of Today, June 2012, http://businesstoday.intoday.in/
capital in the right direction without much bottle story/indian-exporters-take-benefits-of-online-
necks to invest in the technologies which are back shopping-business/1/184740.html
bone to the industry. 4) Arun Shroff, E-Commerce in India: Trends,
• Implementation of Goods and service tax to make Opportunities and Challenges, http://
tax to look simple and uniform jurisdictional laws. indiaadvisoryboard.com/e-commerce-in-india-trends-
National Council for Applied Economics Research opportunities-and-challenges/ February 1, 2013,
reports that GST can be an impetus to economic
5) India huge opportunity for eBay; lead $133 mn
growth by .9% to 1.7 % which can magnitude the
Snapdeal investment, Business Today, http://
effect (140 countries are adopting GST)
businesstoday.intoday.in/story/india-huge-
• Payment gateways to be established in opportunity-for-ebay/1/203789.html February 27,
collaboration with Banks, financial institutions and 2014.
international providers of payment gateways such
6) Jyoti Arora, Prospects of E-Retailing in India, IOSR
as Paypal.com along with security providers to speed
up the collection processes and provide secured Journal of Computer Engineering, Volume 10, Issue
payments to customers and reduce costs . 3(Mar-Apr.2013), PP 11-15, WWW. Iosrjournals. Org
Increasing the confidence level of buyers and sellers 7) Partha Sarathi, Anish Kumar Saha & Shahin Ara
will multiply the quantum of businesses. Begum, The application of E-commerce in Business
• Free or minimum cost delivery system should be Application : Their problems and prospects,
built up in collaboration with players in the distribution International Journal of Computer Applications,
network to increase the patronage for ecommerce Volume 49-No. 10, July 2012 PP36-40
operations delivery or building own delivery system 8) Madan Lal, E-Commerce and M-Commerce
which can be costly in terms of time, money and Revolution: perspectives, problems and prospects,
effort. It should not make any compromise in making The Chartered Accountant, December 2005, 824-
timely delivery in hours. 840.

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A STUDY ON ANALYSIS OF EMPLOYEES WORKING


ENVIRONMENT WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE
TO SRF PVT LTD.VIRALIMALI
1 2 3 4
V.Vignesh N. Gobinath N. Guru Dr. D. John Prakaran

ABSTRACT
The working environment provided by the management for its employees to perform better has been the major
objective of the management from the old days to present organization management. The work place environment
in majority of industry is unsafe and unhealthy. People working in such environment are prone to occupational
disease and it impacts on employee’s performance. Thus productivity is decreased due to the workplace
environment. The study was made to know, how the working environment influences the employees of SRF Pvt.
Ltd. Viralimalai.
The study is based on bringing out the individual attitude in the organization. Attitudes are positive, negative or
neutral views of persons, behavior and event. Attitude of an individual plays an important role in determining the
organization climate. Attitudes come from judgments. The study will provide the views and thoughts of the
individual. The inference drawn in the study will make the person in charge to take accurate steps in the area
where there is a loop hole.

As the study will be of great help for the organization, thereby brings an excellence in their action.

INTRODUCTION Working Environment Measures


Working conditions refers to the working environment Requirements regarding systematic health, environment
and aspects of an employee’s terms and conditions of and safety work in order to safeguard the employees’
employment. This covers such matters as: the health, environment and safety, the employer shall
organization of work and work activities; training, skills ensure that systematic health, environment and safety
and employability; health, safety and well-being; and work is performed at all levels of the undertaking. This
working time and work life balance. shall be carried out in cooperation with the employees
and their elected representatives.
Changes in working conditions
Changes in working conditions and others aspects of Special Safety Precautions
the employment relationship can generate serious In order to maintain safety at the workplace, the employer
industrial relations problems. One issue is that workers shall ensure that employees are informed of accident
may not have precise information about their working risks and that health hazards that may be connected
conditions in the first place. This was addressed by with the work and that they receive the necessary
Council Directive 91/533/EEC of 14 October 1991 on an training, practice and instruction, that employees
employer’s obligation to inform employees of the charged with directing or supervising other employees
conditions applicable to the contract or employment have the necessary competence to ensure that the work
relationship. The directive stipulates that the employer is performed in a proper manner with regard to health
must provide information covering all essential aspects safety and expert assistance Act.
of the employment relationship. The employer is
obligated to prepare a document with the required When satisfactory precautions to protect life and health
information and give it to the employee not later than cannot be achieved by other means, the employer shall
two months after the commencement of employment. ensure that satisfactory personal protective equipment
Further, a new document that reflects any changes in is made available to the employees, that the employees
core working conditions must be issued. are trained in the use of such equipment and that the
equipment is used.

1
PG research Scholar, Dept. of Commerce CA, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy.
2
PG research Scholar, Dept. of Commerce CA, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy.
3
PG research Scholar, Dept. of Commerce CA, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy
4
Asst. Professor of Commerce and Head, Dept. of Commerce CA, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy

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Requirements Regarding the Psychosocial Working objective of the management from the old days to present
Environment organization management. The work place environment
in majority of industry is unsafe and unhealthy. People
™ The work shall be arranged so as to preserve the working in such environment are prone to occupational
employees’ integrity and dignity. disease and it impacts on employee’s performance. Thus
™ Efforts shall be made to arrange the work so as to productivity is decreased due to the workplace
enable contact and communication with other environment. The study was made to know, how the
employees of the undertaking. working environment influences the employees of SRF
Pvt. Ltd. Viralimalai.
™ Employees shall not be subjected to harassment or
other improper conduct. SCOPE OF THE STUDY
™ Employees shall, as far as possible, be protected The study is based on bringing out the individual attitude
against violence, threats and undesirable strain as in the organization. Attitudes are positive, negative or
a result of conduct with other persons. neutral views of persons, behavior and event. Attitude of
an individual plays an important role in determining the
™ Physical working environment factors such as factors
organization climate. Attitudes come from judgments.
relating to building and equipment, indoor climate,
The study will provide the views and thoughts of the
lighting, noise, radiation and the like shall be fully
individual. The inference drawn in the study will make
satisfactory with regard to the employees’ health,
the person in charge to take accurate steps in the area
environment, safety and welfare.
where there is a loop hole. As the study will be of great
NEED FOR THE STUDY help for the organization, thereby brings an excellence
in their action.
The following are the needs to do the research at SRF
LIMITED, VIRALIMALAI. RESEARCH METHOLOGY
¾ The management was in the position to know RESEARCH DESIGN
whether the attitude of employee towards working
Research design is a plan of action that guides the entire
environment is conductive.
research. In this story Descriptive research design has
¾ To measure the satisfaction level of the employees. been adopted.
¾ To get suggestions from the employees for further SAMPLING METHOD
improvement in existing human resource system.
Sample design is a definite plan determined before any
¾ To contribute to growth of the organization. data are actually collected for obtaining a sample from
a given population. Simple random sampling technique
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
has been used for the study. Samples have been drawn
PRIMARY OBJECTIVE in such a way that every employee has an equal chance
of having included for investigation.
To study the attitude of employees towards the
working environment of SRF LIMITED VIRALIMALAI SAMPLE SIZE
SECONDARY OBJECTIVE Among 400 workers researcher has chosen 75
respondents as sample size who are the employees
¾ To study the effectiveness of the organization’s working in SRF LIMITED, VIRALIMALAI.
culture.
METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION
¾ To identify the opinion on environment factors of the
company. The primary data were collected from the respondents
through well designed questionnaire. The secondary data
¾ To find the various factors which influence the job were collected from the journal, periodicals, books,
satisfaction of the employees. publication of reputed institutions.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The working environment provided by the management
for its employees to perform better has been the major

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DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION


Table 1.1 Duties are Clearly Defined
S. NO PARTICULARS NO OF % OF RESPONDENTS
RESPONDENTS
1 Fully Disagree 0 0
2 Disagree 11 15
3 Neutral 28 37
4 Agree 23 31
5 Fully Agree 13 17
Total 75 100
Source: Primary Data

Interpretation
Table 1.1 shows the distributions on the basis of duties are clearly defined to the respondents. It is clear that 15%
of respondent are Disagree, 37% of respondents are Neutral, 31% of respondents are Agree and 17% of respondents
are Fully Agree. It is inferred that majority (37%) of the respondents are Neutral on the duties are clearly defined.

Table 1.2 Receive Regular Communication

S. NO PARTICULARS NO OF % OF RESPONDENTS
RESPONDENTS
1 Fully Disagree 0 0
2 Disagree 9 12
3 Neutral 32 43
4 Agree 18 24
5 Fully Agree 16 21
Total 75 100
Source: Primary Data

Interpretation
Table 1.2 shows the distributions on the basis of receive regular communication by the respondents. It is clear that
12% of respondent are Disagree, 43% of respondents are Neutral, 24% of respondents are Agree and 21% of
respondents are Fully Agree. It is inferred that majority (43%) of the respondents are Neutral on receive regular
communication.

Table 1.3 Respect in the Organization


S. NO PARTICULARS NO OF % OF RESPONDENTS
RESPONDENTS
1 Fully Disagree 0 0
2 Disagree 12 16
3 Neutral 25 33
4 Agree 21 28
5 Fully Agree 17 23
Total 75 100
Source: Primary Data

Interpretation
Table 1.3 shows the distributions on the basis of respect in the organization in the respondents. It is clear that 16%
of respondent are Disagree, 33% of respondents are Neutral, 28% of respondents are Agree and 23% of respondents
are Fully Agree. It is inferred that majority (33%) of the respondents are Neutral on respect in the organization.

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Table 1.4 Sufficient Chance to Express his Grievances


S. NO PARTICULARS NO OF % OF RESPONDENTS
RESPONDENTS
1 Fully Disagree 4 5
2 Disagree 13 17
3 Neutral 21 28
4 Agree 20 27
5 Fully Agree 17 23
Total 75 100
Source: Primary Data

Interpretation
Table 1.4 shows the distributions on the basis of giving sufficient chance to the respondents to express their
grievances. It is clear that 5% of respondent are Fully Disagree, 17% of respondent are Disagree, 28% of respondents
are Neutral, 27% of respondents are Agree and 23% of respondents are Fully Agree. It is inferred that majority (28%)
of the respondents are Neutral on giving sufficient chance to the respondents to express their grievances.

Table 1.5 Take Care of his Health


S. NO PARTICULARS NO OF % OF RESPONDENTS
RESPONDENTS
1 Fully Disagree 3 4
2 Disagree 14 19
3 Neutral 26 34
4 Agree 20 27
5 Fully Agree 12 16
Total 75 100
Source: Primary Data

Interpretation
Table 1.5 shows the distributions on the basis of taking care of health of the respondents. It is clear that 4% of
respondent are Fully Disagree, 19% of respondent are Disagree, 34% of respondents are Neutral, 27% of respondents
are Agree and 16% of respondents are Fully Agree. It is inferred that majority (34%) of the respondents are Neutral
on Taking care of their health by the organization.

Table 1.6 Work Place is Neat and Maintained Well

S. NO PARTICULARS NO OF % OF RESPONDENTS
RESPONDENTS
1 Fully Disagree 0 0
2 Disagree 15 20
3 Neutral 28 37
4 Agree 23 31
5 Fully Agree 9 12
Total 75 100
Source: Primary Data

Interpretation
Table 1.6 shows the distributions on the basis of work place is neat and maintained well. It is clear that 20% of
respondent are Disagree, 37% of respondents are Neutral, 31% of respondents are Agree and 12% of respondents
are Fully Agree. It is inferred that majority (37%) of the respondents are Neutral on work place is neat and maintained
well.

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Table 1.7 Sufficient Infrastructure in Work

S. NO PARTICULARS NO OF % OF RESPONDENTS
RESPONDENTS
1 Fully Disagree 4 5
2 Disagree 9 12
3 Neutral 22 29
4 Agree 26 35
5 Fully Agree 14 19
Total 75 100
Source: Primary Data

Interpretation
Table 1.7 shows the distributions on the basis of sufficient infrastructure in the working place of the respondents. It
is clear that 5% of respondent are Fully Disagree, 12% of respondent are Disagree, 29% of respondents are
Neutral, 35% of respondents are Agree and 19% of respondents are Fully Agree. It is inferred that majority (35%) of
the respondents are Agree on sufficient infrastructure in working place.

Table 1.8 Sufficient Safety Equipment

S. NO PARTICULARS NO OF % OF RESPONDENTS
RESPONDENTS
1 Fully Disagree 0 0
2 Disagree 12 16
3 Neutral 24 32
4 Agree 20 27
5 Fully Agree 19 25
Total 75 100
Source: Primary Data

Interpretation abilities and skills of the employees. This will help


Table 1.8 shows the distributions on the basis of the employees to know that they being recognized
availability of sufficient safety equipment’s in the working and used in their specialized area.
place of the respondents. It is clear that 16% of
™ It is inferred that majority (28%) of the respondents
respondent are Disagree, 32% of respondents are
are neutral that the management giving sufficient
Neutral, 27% of respondents are Agree and 25% of
chance to express their grievances.
respondents are Fully Agree. It is inferred that majority
(32%) of the respondents are Neutral on availability of ™ It is understood that (34%) of the employees are
sufficient safety equipment’s in the working place. Neutral that their company take care of their health.
FINDINGS, SUGGESTIONS AND CONCLUSION ™ It is concluded that (37%) of the respondents Neutral
with the work place is neat and maintained well. This
FINDINGS
shows that the organization is providing a neat and
™ It is understood that (37%) of the employees are comfortable environment, where the employees would
Neutral that they know their job and what is expected feel at ease.
of them on a daily basis which shows their attitude
™ It is inferred that that (35%) of the respondents Agree
towards the jobs and helps them to perform better.
that the management is providing sufficient
™ It depicts that (48%) of the employees are neutral infrastructure at work and thereby helps them to have
that they are receiving regular communication from a positive attitude to achieve the mission.
the company. This helps to get their job done well
™ It is understood that (32%) of the respondents are
as well as the friendliness of the management.
Neutral with the safety measures and equipment’s.
™ It is clear that (33%) of the employees are Neutral
that the management respects them and uses the

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SUGGESTIONS REFERENCES
™ Company should understand the profile of the ƒ Beaker B and Gerhart B., “The impact of Human
employees in allocation of workload, work timings Resource Management on Organizational
and also the external environment. Performance”. Bantom Books, 1996.

™ Company shall think of improving the share of female ƒ Belohlav A., “The Art of Displaying Your Employees”,
employees substantially. Prentice Hall, 1955.

™ By providing additional benefits, more ƒ Bednar A and Levis W.H., “Attitude- Change
encouragement can be given to the employees to Principles”, Addison Wealey, 2001.
achieve the mission.
ƒ Hunsaker P.L., ‘Training in Interpersonal Skills”,
™ Adequate training should be given in new technology Prentice Hall, 1996.
to build confidence in the employees and to build a
good attitude among them. ƒ Sahl, Robert J., “Human Resources and Labor
Relations”, 1990.
™ Frequently the management can organize meeting
with the workers to develop the interrelationship ƒ Kotter J.P and Schiesinger L.A., “Chossing Strtegies
among the superiors and workers. for Change”, Academic press, 2003.

™ Company should capitalize the positive contributing ƒ York, David R., “Human Resources and Labor
factors like sufficient infrastructure, providing safety Relations”, 1985.
equipment’s, adequate water facilities, promotional
WEBSITES
system and providing regular refreshment.
ƒ www.citehr.com
™ Company should pay more attention towards ƒ www.srfindustries.com
transportation facilities and should remove the scraps
ƒ www.hrmanagement.com
immediately from the working place.

CONCLUSION
™ The above findings and suggestions show that the
attitude of employees is an important criterion for
the functioning of the organization.

™ Not only the material resources but also the human


resources are an important asset to the company.

™ Though the organization is performing well, there are


certain constraints which have to be overcome to
reach greater heights.

™ There is good scope for improvement by way of


effective planning and implementation.

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STUDY ON QUALITY OF WORK LIFE IN BABY


ENGINEERING INDUSTRIES, TRICHY
1 2 3 4
Prof. A. Hendry Ruban B. Sudha S. Kathiravan A. Saranya
ABSTRACT
Quality of Work Life improvements are defined as any activity which takes place at every level of an organization,
which seeks greater organizational effectiveness through the enhancement of human dignity and growth. A process
through which the stockholders in the organization, management unions and employees – learn how to work together
better to determine for themselves what actions, changes and improvements are desirables and workable in order to
achieve the twin and simultaneous goals of an improved quality of life at work. Since the employee is both a social
and economic entity, possessing different characteristics in various work situation. There can be a perfect adjustments
of the workers in his work unit if the worker possesses the exact capacities required for the work. The work similarly
affords the opportunity for exercising these capacities and the workers interests are generally satisfied in the
performance of his job. However, a happy combination of all the elements are seldom achieved in actual practice and
a lack of balance form one of the major causes of waste in production, dissatisfied employers and an unhappy
employee. Hence I decided to focus my research work on QUALITY OF WORK LIFE which is an essential criteria
which caters to the well being of the employee.

INTRODUCTION important personnel needs through their experience in


Quality is no more a specialized word but has become the organization”.
a necessary and a must word for the best survival. In
SANGEETHA JAIN
this era, quality of human inputs is the greatest asset to
any organization. Maintaining the quality of such human “The whole parcel of the terms and notions all of which
inputs rises from maintaining the quality of work life really belong under the Quality Work life umbrella. They
perfectly. include industrial effectiveness, human resource
development, organizational effectiveness, work
A perfect Quality of Work Life would help the restructure, job enrichment, socio-technical systems,
organization. Better quality of work life would lead to working humanization, work-group concepts, labor
employees well being thereby to the well being of the management, co-operation, working together, workers
whole organization. This is an attempt to capitalize the involvement, workers participation and co-operative work
human assets of the organization. structures”.

Quality of Work Life improvements are defined as any SHARMIR AND SALIMON (1985)
activity which takes place at every level of an Has defined quality of work life in the following way.
organization, which seeks greater organizational “Quality of work life is comprehensive construct that
effectiveness through the enhancement of human dignity access an individual’s job related well-being and the
and growth. extent to which work experiences are rewarding fulfilling
and devoid of stress and other negative personal
A process through which the stockholders in the
consequences”.
organization, management unions and employees – learn
how to work together better to determine for themselves NADLER AND LAWLER
what actions, changes and improvements are desirables
“A way of thinking about people, work, and organization.
and workable in order to achieve the twin and
Its distinctive elements are:
simultaneous goals of an improved quality of life at work.
1. A concern about the impact of work on people as
DEFINITIONS well as an organizational effectiveness
J.RICHARD AND J. LOY 2. The idea of participation in organizational problem
Defines the Quality of Work Life as “the degree to which solving and decision- making”.
members of work organization are able to satisfy

1
Asst. Professor, Department of Commerce CA, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy.
2
PG Research Scholar, Dept. of Commerce CA, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy.
3
PG research Scholar, Dept. of Commerce CA, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy.
4
PG research Scholar, Dept. of Commerce CA, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy

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NEED OF THE STUDY • Strongly agree


Since the employee is both a social and economic entity, • Agree
possessing different characteristics in various work • Nuetral
situation. There can be a perfect adjustments of the
workers in his work unit if the worker possesses the • Disagree
exact capacities required for the work. The work similarly • Strongly disagree
affords the opportunity for exercising these capacities
SOURCES OF DATA
and the workers interests are generally satisfied in the
performance of his job. However, a happy combination For smooth execution of research study the researcher
of all the elements are seldom achieved in actual practice has gone for both primary and secondary data.
and a lack of balance form one of the major causes of
PRIMARY SOURCE
waste in production, dissatisfied employers and an
unhappy employee. The information required for the study was directly
collected from the respondents by using questionnaire
Hence I decided to focus my research work on QUALITY method as primary source to collect the data.
OF WORK LIFE which is an essential criteria which
caters to the well being of the employee. SECONDARY SOURCE
The records and documents pertaining to the details of
SCOPE OF THE STUDY the organization and the employees constitute the
This study concerns the quality of work life provided at secondary sources.
baby engineering private ltd company. It highlights the
area of dissatisfaction as viewed by the employees and SAMPLE SIZE:
suggests positive action to the taken by the The sample size refers to the number of items to be
management So as to ensure satisfaction and ease of selected from the universe to constitute sample, where
performance. ‘sample’ is the respondents. The sample size for the
study is 50 out of 206.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The objectives of the study are: SAMPLE DESIGN:
A sample design is a definite plan for obtaining a sample
• To know the existing work life of the employees in from a given population. It refers to the technique or the
BEPL. procedure the researcher would adopt in selecting items
• To study the level of workers satisfaction with for the sample. While developing the sample design,
reference to quality of work life at BEPL. the researcher has paid attention to the following point.

• To understand the opinion of the workers regarding SAMPLING UNIT:


work, work environment, relationship with superiors, A decision has to be taken concerning a sample unit
safety and welfare measures and training before selecting sample the sampling units under study
programmes. was at BABY ENGINEERING PRIVATE LTD company,
• To arrive at findings and suggestions to improve the thuvakudi.
living standards of employees
SAMPLING PROCEDURE:
RESEARCH DESIGN Simple random sampling method has been applied for
The type of research design used for the study is the selection of the sample from the universe 50 samples
descriptive and survey method. were selected constituting 24.27% of the universe
accordingly questionnaire were distributed to the sample
METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION respondents to elicit their responses.
The researcher prepared the questionnaire that
DATA ANALYSIS METHOD
comprises of 58 questions in total. It is split into 3 parts.
The first part consists of 10 questions explaining the The collected data are converted into tables. To analyze
personal details of the respondents. the data, the statistical tools namely Chi-square test.

The second parts comprises of 42 questions pertaining Giving scores to each response as 1,2,3,4 &5 measured
the dimensions as QWL concept. The third part the perceptions of the workers. As instructed in the
comprises of 6 questions regarding suggestions. The standard scale, 5- Strongly agree, 4- Agree, 3-
questionnaire was framed in 5-point scale. Undecided, 2- Disagree, 1- Strongly disagree.

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The Statistical tools used were FINDINGS


Percentage Analysis In this chapter the researcher gives findings as follows:
This is the simplest form of analysis ie., the total 1. Findings based on Socio- demographic
respondents are together as per the similarity and the characteristics
percentage is taken from the whole number of
respondents thereby giving us the percentage of each 2. Findings based on Dimensions of Quality of Work
group of the respondents. Life

Chi-square Test 1. FINDINGS BASED ON SOCIO - DEMOGRAPHIC


CHARACTERISTICS
The Chi-square test is one of the simplest and most
widely used non-parametric tests in statistical work. The 1. 60% of the respondents are of Age up to 35 years.
quantity Chi-square describes the magnitude of the work.
2. 70% of the respondents are in technical department.
CHI-SQUARE TEST 3. 28% of the respondents are skilled workers.
AIM:
4. 78% of the respondents are married.
To find whether the employees level of exploiting the
opportunities available to use and develop human 5. 36% of the respondents have total years of
capacities varies with his age experience between 6-10 years

NULL HYPOTHESIS: 6. 48% of the respondents have their Experience in


this organization between 6-10 years
There is no association between the age group with
respect of opportunities to use and develop human 7. 30% of the respondents educational qualification is
capacities. sslc.

ALTERNATIVE HYPOTHESIS: 8. 60% of the respondents are of nuclear type of Family.


There is a association between the age group with 9. 38% of the respondents income is above 4000.
respect of opportunities to use and develop human
2. FINDINGS BASED ON THE DIMENSIONS OF
capacities
QUALITY OF WORK LIFE
CALCULATED VALUE:
™ Nearly 50% of the respondents are satisfied with
The calculated value is 33.5714. the safety and healthy working conditions provided
DEGREE OF FREEDOM : by the organization, which includes working
environment, first-aid facilities, infrastructural
Degrees of freedom = (r-1) (c-1) facilities, safety equipment, lighting and ventilation
r = number of rows facilities.
c = number of columns ™ The respondents have agreed that they have the job
here r = 5, c = 4 security but they feel that the compensation provided
= (5-1) (4-1) by the organization is not adequate.
= 12 ™ Half of the respondents agreed that the training
The table value of chi-square for 12 at 5% level of programmes helps to improve their skills, knowledge
significant is 21.026 and it was conducted by efficient faculty and there
Therefore calculated value > table value is enough sharing of information about the company
activities.
33.5714 > 21.026
™ Most of the respondents have neutral response, that
Inference:
they have good relationship with superiors and the
Hence the calculated value of chi-square is greater than superiors invites their suggestion in all cases of
table value, the alternative hypothesis is accepted. So, problem and the organization facilitates self
there is a association among the employees perception improvement for employees.
towards the usage and development of human capacities
in terms of age ™ That stress relieving programmes and tour
arrangement were not organized said 60% of the
respondents.

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™ Nearly 50% of the respondents are satisfied with ¾ Preventive maintenance can be done in all
the opportunity for career growth. machineries and equipments to avoid accident and
improve safety of workers.
™ There was a neutral response towards extra-curricular
activities, quality of work life, community welfare TRAINING
programmes and interest in their work by the
respondents. ¾ Required to upgrade their skills in other related areas
also.
™ 60% of the respondents strongly agree on social
integration in the work force. ¾ Industrial training tour can be conducted for the
employees.
™ Majority of the respondents are satisfied with work
and quality of life. CONCLUSION
Quality of work life is mandatory in today’s organization
™ Most of the respondents are not satisfied with the it is the watch word in today’s competitive business
supply of uniforms, shoes and restroom facilities. environment which taps the worker’s high-order needs
™ There was a neutral response towards the and thereby motivates them. In this study it is found
interpersonal relationship in the work organization. that majority of the respondents are satisfied with their
present work life. Attention is sought in certain aspects
SUGGESTIONS of quality like stress relieving programmes, tour
WORK arrangement, canteen, restroom facilities which need
to be catered to build a more safer, healthier and better
¾ Productivity can be improved by motivation and
organization/ work environment.
training.
¾ Division of work can also be implemented and REFERENCES
sustained. BOOKS
¾ Work timings can be changed periodically according 1. Gupta, S.P., Gupta, M.P., Business Statistics –
to shift basis. Sultan Chand & Sons, New Delhi.
2. Batra, G.S., Dangwal, R.C., Human Resource
WORK ENVIRONMENT Management - New Strategies.
¾ Sufficient tools can to be provided adequately. 3. Kothari, C.R., Research Methodology Methods and
¾ More spacious dining and restroom can be provided. Techniques – New Age International Publishers, New
Delhi..
WORKER –SUPERIOR RELATIONSHIP 4. Subba Rao, P., Personnel and Human Resource
¾ Arranging get-togethers for the workers, will enhance Managerment, Himalaya Publication House, New
good relationship. Delhi..
5. Aswathappa, K., Human Resources and Personnel
SAFETY AND WELFARE MEASURES Management, Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company
¾ Strictly adhering to use of safety equipments given Limited, New Delhi.
to each worker.

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A STUDY ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION IN E-BANKING WITH


SPECIAL REFERENCE TO IOB, ICICI BANKS IN
TIRUCHIRAPPALLI TOWN
1
Y. Moydheen Sha
Abstract

Nowadays, the electronic technology is playing a major role for the world of business especially in banking activities.
Electronic banking (e-banking) is the newest delivery channel for banking services. E-banking provides enormous
benefits to consumers in terms of ease and cost of transactions, either through Internet, telephone or other electronic
delivery. Electronic finance (E-finance) has become one of the most essential technological changes in the financial
industry. E-finance as the provision of financial services and markets using electronic communication and computation.
In practice, e-finance includes e-payment, e-trading, and e-banking.
Researches show that impact of internet banking on cost savings, revenue growth and increased customer satisfaction
on Industry is tremendous and can be a potential tool for building a sound strategy. The paper fills significant gaps in
knowledge about the consumer’s perspective of Internet banking, trace its present growth and project the likely
scenario. The paper presents the data, drawn from a survey of Internet banking consumers and the services providers
(banks) that offer internet banking and develops a functional model for maximizing value to the consumers, which the
banks may choose to adopt Internet banking strategically.

Key words: ATM, e-Banking, e-payment, SWIFT.

INRTODUCTION account as per their requirements. Thus, today’s banking


Nowadays, the electronic technology is playing a major is no longer confined to branches. Customers are being
role for the world of business especially in banking provided with additional delivery channels which are more
activities. Internet banking or e-banking is the newest convenient and are cost effective to the banks. This has
delivery channel for banking services. In fact, it has resulted in shrinking of geographical boundaries, easy
effectively “opened” twenty-four hours a day, seven days reach to the clientele, reliable and secure services. The
a week. Customers can do their daily banking activities E-Banking services include Automated Teller Machine,
without having to wait in line or wait on hold for telephone Plastic Card Currency, Internet Banking and Electronic
banking services. Clearing Services.

E-Banking implies performing basic banking transaction E- BANKING


by customers round the clock globally through electronic E- Banking can be defined as “delivery of bank’s services
media. Alternatively electronic banking can be defined to a customer at his office or home using Electronic
as “delivery of bank’s services to a customer at his office Technology.” The quality, range and price of these
or home by using electronic technology and this has electronic services decide a bank’s competitive position
resulted in conceptualization of virtual banking”. in the industry. Internet banking (or E-banking) means
any user with a personal computer and a browser can
In traditional banking, the customer has to visit the branch get connected to his bank’s website to perform any of
of the bank in person to perform the basic banking the virtual banking functions. In internet banking system
operations viz., account enquiry, fund the bank has a centralized database that is web-enabled.
transfer and cash withdrawal. The brick and mortar All the services that the bank has
structure of a bank is essential to perform the banking permitted on the internet are displayed in menu. Once
functions. the branch offices of bank are interconnected through
terrestrial or satellite links, there would be no physical
On the other hand, E-Banking enables the customers
identity for any branch. It would be a borderless entity
to perform the basic banking transactions by sitting at
permitting anytime, anywhere and anyhow banking. The
their office or at homes through PC or LAPTOP. The
network which connects the various locations and gives
customers can access the bank’s website for viewing
connectivity to the central office within the organization
their account details and perform the transactions on
1
Ph.D Research Scholar, PG Dept. of Commerce, Jamal Mohamed College(Autonomous), Trichy.

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is called intranet. These networks are limited to REVIEW OF LITERATURE


organizations for which they are set up. SWIFT is a live Hsin-Ginn Hwang: The purpose of this study is to
example of intranet application. Banks are using a variety develop a measurement instrument for customer
of names for online banking services, such as PC satisfaction with internet banking (IBCS). A web survey
banking, home banking, electronic banking or Internet was used with the subjects being internet banking users
banking. Regardless of the given name, these systems of Taiwanese banks. A total of 226 valid questionnaires
certainly offer specific advantages over the traditional were obtained with an 85% response rate. The study
banking methods. demonstrates that all the items in the Doll and
Torkzadeh instrument for end-user computing
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
satisfaction measures are still valid in the context of
The study focus the customer satisfaction of e-banking internet banking.
of Indian Overseas Bank(IOB) and ICICI Banks in
Trichirappalli Town. All the Banks are introduce the e- Singhal,D and V.Padhmanabhan (2008) in their article
banking facility since its inception and today is the bank on “A Study on Customer Perception Towards internet
having largest number of e-banking in the country. As banking: Identifying major contributing factors” they
the use of internet banking is increasing day-by-day, it basically that, there are certain issues raised in current
is important to study the insight about the level of literature on e–banking that are considered as major
customer satisfaction with respect to various aspects problems of Internet banking amongst which include:
of Bank and to identify the problem areas and proposed the case of Internet criminals and fraudsters attempt to
recommendation leading to improvement. This study will steal customer information through various methods
also help to gain knowledge about the e-banking to the such as phishing and pharming.
customers.
Wan et al. (2005) study the customers’ adoption of
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY banking channels in Hong Kong.
• To examine the reach of internet banking They covered four major banking channels namely ATM,
Branch Banking, Telephone Banking and Internet
• To study the extent of awareness and the usage of
Banking. The study segmented the customers on
e-banking services in the study area
demographic variables and psychological beliefs about
• To ascertain the customer’s satisfaction regarding the positive attributes processed by the channels. The
various e-banking services provide by IOB and ICICI psychological factors were ease of use, transaction
Banks security, transaction accuracy, speediness,
convenience, time utility, provision of different personal
• To understand the different services& issues in
services, social desirability, usefulness, economic
Internet banking.
benefits, and user involvement
• To know about the customer satisfaction, its quality
and availability RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
• To recommend solutions based on the study In a view to precede the research in a systematic way
the following research methodology has been used.
LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY By means of obtaining detailed opinion of the customers,
The study has some limitations, these limitations that this research falls under the category of descriptive
need to be acknowledged and addressed regarding the research. Both primary and secondary data collection
present study. was made. As a source of primary data collection the
interview schedule was prepared in a view to obtain
• The study is restricted to commercial banks located information from the respondents and apart from this to
in Tiruchirappalli district only. gather some relevant secondary information the
• The study is based on the opinion survey of secondary data were obtained from news papers,
customers. But, the opinion expressed may differ magazines, records, websites and books as a source.
according to time and situation. The primary data was collected from about 150
• The findings of the study can’t be generalized as the respondents. Based on the information obtained through
study is made covering a limited area namely, the questionnaire cum interview schedule the data were
Tiruchirappalli district of Tamilnadu coded and some of the analytical tools like Simple
Percentage and Chi-square methods were used to
analyze the data. The objectives are attained by

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collecting the secondary data from various journals, magazine and web sites. The study covered ICICI and IOB
bank customers from different places in Tiruchirappalli city. The survey also focused on covering all the demographic
factors in the conveyance sample itself..

Analysis and Interpretation of the Primary data


1. Demographic, socio and economic background of respondents
The distributions of the Demographic, socio economic profile of the respondents are as follows:
Table No. 1 Distribution of Respondents on the basis of Demographic, Social and Economic background of 150
customers

Sl. Customer profile No. of % Sl. Customer profile No. of %

No Frequency No Frequency

Age Sex

< 20 12 8 Male 123 82

20 -45 68 45 Female 27 18
1 45 -55 43 29 2

55 -65 22 15

> 65 5 3

Education Occupation

HSC 18 12 Business men 23 15

Graduation 42 28 Employee 49 33
3 Post Graduation 53 35 4 Professional 60 40

Professional 37 25 Student 18 12

Type of A/c Relationship with the Bank

SB a/c 102 68 >1 year 09 6

Current a/c 43 29 1 to 4 years 42 28


5 Other a/c 05 3 6 4 to 7 years 73 49

7 to 10 years 21 14

< 10 years 05 3

Deposit Amount Monthly Income

Below Rs.10,000 89 59 Below Rs.20000 40 27

Rs.10,000 -50,000 30 20 Rs2 0000 -40000 63 42


7 8
Rs.50,000 -1,00,000 23 15 Rs 40000 -60000 24 16

Above Rs.1,00,000 08 06 Above Rs 60000 23 16

Source: Questionnaire Cum Interview Schedule

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Age: account and 3% of them are having other deposit


From the above table it is clear that 8% of the account.
respondents belongs to the age group of<20, 45% of
Relationship with the bank:
them are 20-45 years of age, 43% of them are between
45-55 years, 15% of them are between 55-65 years and The above table shows that 6% of the respondents have
3% of them are above the age of 65 years. less than 1 year of relationship with the bank, 28% of
them have 1 to 4 years, 49%of them having 4 to 7 years,
Sex: 14% of them are having 7 to 10 years of relationship,
From the above table shows 82% of respondents are and 3% of them are having account with the bank for
male and remaining 18% of respondents are female. more than 10 years.

Education: Amount of deposit with the bank:


The above table shows that 12% of the respondents have The table shows 59% of them are having below
HSC, 28% of the respondents have completed Rs10,000 as deposit in the bank, 20% of them are having
graduation, 35% of them are post graduates, 25% of Rs10,000 to Rs.50,000; 15% of them are having
them are professionals. Rs.50,000 to Rs1,00,000;and 6% of them are having
above Rs.1,00,000 as depositin the bank.
Occupation:
Monthly Income
With regard to occupation, the above table shows that
15% of the respondents are business men, 33% of the The table shows 27% of them are having below
respondents are Employees, 40% of them are Rs20,000 of income, 42% of them are having Rs20,000
Professionals and 12% are Students. to Rs.40,000; 16% of them are having Rs.40,000 to Rs
60,000; and 16 % of them are having above Rs. 60,000
Type of account with the bank: as a monthly income.
The above table shows that 68% of the respondents are
having saving account, 29% of them are having current

Table-2 showing the Customer’s opinion on e-banking


Sl Service provided by e - Banking HS S N D HD Tot al
1 Balance enquiry 45 62 31 8 4 150
2 Deposits using ATM 26 49 41 26 8 150
3 Withdrawals using ATM 90 35 17 8 0 150
4 e - Transfer of funds 33 53 26 21 17 150
5 Online Trading 40 65 26 9 10 150
6 Debit car d / Credit card 42 71 21 12 4 150
7 e - payments 35 61 32 19 3 150
8 e - Statement 46 73 24 7 0 150
9 Tele banking 26 38 42 29 15 150
10 ECS service 65 56 21 8 0 150

Source: Questionnaire cum Interview Schedule

From the above table shows the respondents opinion F1. Balance Enquiry services
about the internet banking. Here, ‘HS’ denotes Highly F2. Deposits using ATM
Satisfied, ‘S’ denotes Satisfied, ‘N’ stands Neutral, ‘D’
F3. Withdrawals using ATM
stands Dissatisfied and ‘HD’ denotes Highly Dissatisfied.
F4. e-Transfer of funds
Chi-Square Analysis F5. Online Trading
Relationship between demographic variables and F6. Debit card / Credit card
respondents satisfaction regarding e-banking.
F7. e-payments.
The opinion of respondents obtained in the following
F8. e-Statement
factors denoted as F1 – F10

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F9. Tele banking


F10. ECS service
Table No-3 shows the Satisfaction of respondents on e-Banking

Satisfaction of respondents on e -bankin g in chi -square values

Demographic Service Provided by Internet Calculate Chi -Square Results

Variables Banking d Value value

Age Balance Enquiry services F1 28.026 26.296 Rejected

Sex Deposits using ATM (F2) 19.069 9.488 Rejected

Education Withdrawals using ATM (F3) 14.782 21.026 Accepted

Occupation e-Transfer of funds (F4) 17.065 21.026 Accepted

Type of Account Online Trading (F5) 15.021 15.507 Accepted

Relationship with the Debit card / Credit card (F6) 24.214 26.296 Accepted

Bank

Deposit Amount e-payments (F7) 19.265 21.026 Accepted

Monthly Income e-Statement (F8) 23.256 21.026 Rejected

The above table reveals that there is a relationship 5. There is no significance between the Type of Account
between the respondent’s opinion on Service provided and online trading Facility due to null hypothesis
by Internet banking and the demographic variables like was accepted.
Age, sex, Education, Occupation, type and amount
6. There is no significance between the Relationship
,Years of relationship with the bank, amount deposited
and Debit card/Cerdit cardfacility due to null
and monthly income of the customers.
hypothesis was accepted
H0: There is no relationship between demographic 7. There is no significance between the Amount of
variables and respondents satisfaction regarding internet Deposit and e-payments due to null hypothesis was
banking accepted.
H1: There is a relationship between demographic
variables and respondents satisfaction regarding internet 8. There is significance between the monthly income
banking. and e-statements service due to null hypothesis was
Rejected.
FINDINGS:
SUGGESTIONS
1. There is significance between the Age and Balance
Enquiry Service due to null hypothesis was rejected. Above analysis reveals that in general bank customers
are happy about the various factors associated with e-
2. There is significance between the Sex and Deposit Banking. But still customers have resistance to use
using ATM service due to null hypothesis was internet banking because of Safety issues.The customer
Rejected. feels the absences of personnel touch in the online
3. There is no significance between the Education and service so the bankers should respondent to customers
Withdrawals using ATM due to null hypothesis was need as soon as possible. The availability of information
accepted should be automatic to the customers periodically, before
they make enquiry for account details. It is to be
4. There is no significance between the Occupation and suggested to prevent online banking from remaining
e-transfer of funds due to null hypothesis was customers to prompt this service through advertising
accepted

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company and also Bank should provide the services in REFERENCES:


different languages. The bank should extend their tie-up 1. ICICI Bank Consumer Banking in India,
contracts with other various institutions whether financial www.icicibank.com
or non-financial for convenience of its customers
2. Adoption of Internet Banking: An Empirical
The customers should be very careful while carrying out Investigation of Indian Banking Sector By Balwinder
online transactions that are transfer of account etc. The Singh, Reader, Department of Commerce and
most common fear in e-banking or net banking is that of Business Management, Guru Nanak Dev University,
security. Most people avoid Net banking because they Amritsar, India.
fear their account will be broken into by hackers.
3. Internet Banking Comptroller’s Handbook October
Customers should never share personal information like
1999.
PIN numbers, passwords etc with anyone, including
employees of the bank. PIN and/or passwords should 4. Data Protection in Consumer E-banking Journal of
be changed immediately. Customers should properly sign Internet Banking and Commerce, April 2006,
out their login after usage. vol.11,no.1 (http://www.arraydev.com/
commerce/jibc/)
CONCLUSION
5. Basics of eCommerce – Legal & Security issues ISBN
E-banking has become a necessary survival weapon and
81-203-2432-3
is fundamentally changing the banking industry
worldwide. Today, the click of the mouse offers 6. “Customer satisfaction in the Indian banking sector –
customers banking services at a much lower cost and A Study”, IIMB Management review, Vol-20, No.1,
also empowers them with unprecedented freedom in March 2008.
choosing vendors for their financial service needs. The 7. eCommerce – Concepts, Models, Strategies, CSV
rise of Internet banking is redefining business relationship Murthy, Himalaya Publishing House
with the customers. Thus internet Banking is becoming
the need of the hour and banks which omit to switch 8. eCommerce : An Indian Perspective , 2nd Ed. PT
over to e-banking cannot survive in this competitive world. Joseph, SJ
Though e-banking posses lot of threats and insecurity 9. Venkataramana.V, Somayajulu, “CRM – Emerging
problems these are like two sides of coins where we Concepts, Tools and Applications”,
have both advantages and disadvantages. The duty of
the bankers is to concentrate on the latest security Excel Books, New Delhi, 2005.
aspects like fire walls and they should protect the 10. Measuring customer satisfaction with internet
privacy of their customers. banking: an exploratory study, International Journal
of Electronic Finance, Volume 1, Number 3 / 2007,
Volume 1, Number 3 / 2007

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A STUDY ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION TOWARDS PROFESSIONAL


COURIER SERVICES RESPONSE IN TRICHIRAPPLI

1 2 3 4
Rajees.J Matharasi vidhyabharathi.V Aravinth.R Kowsalya devi S

Abstract
Communication is essential for mankind. From the era of conveying message through the messengers, we have
come to the age of interaction. Till the development of transportation services, we used animals and birds for sending
our views, messages, letters. Mail was carried by runners or couriers who journeyed on foot, on horse and camel and
by bullock cards and horse carriage and country boats. There was no regular system of carrying parcels with the
introduction of railways it become possible to carry mails to distant places safety and at short regular intervals. The
prime focus is on the facts that development of transportation facilities fuelled the process of mail services and helped
the department of posts in improving the quality of services. We cannot deny the fact the services in expensive in
nature served the socio economic sectors of the country substantially. Since 1907, when the railway mail service was
established till present, the department of posts has been found using the services of Indian railways both for
quantitative and qualitative transformation in the postal system.
With the increasing pressure of work and decreasing efficiency, the department of posts failed in managing the
mailing services which made it essential that an alternative system emerges to cater to the changing needs of trade
as well as the domestic sectors. The courier services thus came into existence. A number of organizations started
offering the services are regional, national and international levels. Thus the courier services started to concentrate on
the development of quality marketing input get the quality marketing output.

As the name suggests, couriers belong to the services industry. They offer services to various segments, of which are
discussed in detail. Services can be defined as action services of organization services that maintain and improves
the well being and functioning of people. As essential for any business customer satisfaction must be the outcome of
the courier services business too.

PROFISSIONAL COURIER IN INDIA STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM


The Professional Couriers has grown and placed itself A study of courier service in Woraiyur, Trichy case study
as an ultimate service provider in the Courier Industry in of the professional courier service. It is meant for
India with its assurance of 25 years expertise. We have analyzing whether the services rendered by the
already registered our presence with our exclusive and professional couriers are satisfactory to the inhabitants
largest network in the courier and express industry in of Trichy, what are the steps that should be taken to
India. We have created bonds among all around us and solve the customer problem and suggest a few.
with the company by valuing the one-to-one relationship.
We aim at doing things differently to create a revolution SCOPE OF THE STUDY
in the customer service to keep all of us smiling with This study pertains to the overall functioning of the
satisfaction. professional courier in Woriyur, Trichy city. The study
analyses the general public’s degree of utilization of the
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY courier service in getting the delivery of goods a right
• To study the opinion about the professional courier time in right place to a right person.
service
METHODOLOGY
• To study the customer satisfactions recording delivery The primary was collected from the respondents using
of goods. a well structured questionnaire to elicit the necessary
• To identify the reasons for preference of the information which makes the possibility of getting the
professional courier service. respondents opinion.

1
Assistant professor of Commerce CA, St.Joseph’s College, Tiruchirapalli.
2
PGResearch scholar, Department of commerce CA, St.Joseph’s College, Tiruchirapalli.
3
PGResearch scholar, Department of commerce CA, St.Joseph’s College, Tiruchirapalli.
4
PGResearch scholar, Department of commerce CA, St.Joseph’s College, Tiruchirapalli

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The secondary data has been collected from the books AREA OF THE STUDY
journals and internet.l Trichy town is taken as a whole for the purpose of the
study. Tiruchirappalli is a centrally located district of
SAMPLING
Tamil Nadu. The specific area taken for the study is
Convenient sampling has been used. The sample covers Woraiyur. It is an area where people belonging to the
different classes of customers. 100 samples were upper and middle strata of income, reside but a heavy
selected for this purposes. pressure of increase in population has led to increase in
demand of increase in demand of this place given a
TOOLS AND DATA COLLECTION
portion for increasing income.
For the purposes of this study interview schedule were
used for the data collection. The study was made on PROFILE OF THE PROFESSIONAL COURIER
extensive use of primary data to elicit the required The professional couriers are proud to introduce ourselves
information. Information was collected regarding the as one of the leading courier companies which is capable
factors that influence the attitude behaviour and opinion of providing exemplary service through out the country
of the customers relating to the courier services. and abroad in any terrain and under any condition made
HYPOTHESIS possible by the dedication of several hundred
professionals who are trained to do the specified job in
1. There is no relationship between postal services and an outstanding fashion.
courier services.
2. There is no different between occupation and preferring
this courier services.
Data Analysis and Interpretation
Table 1.1
Opinion about the courier service
Opinion of Customer No. of. Respondent Percentage (%)
Fair 27 27
Better 48 48
Good 13 13
Best 12 12
Total 100 100

Inference
The table shows that out of 100 customers the maximum of 48% of customers felt that the courier service is better.
The table shows that out of 100 customers the maximum of 27% of customers felt that the courier service is fair.
The table shows that out of 100 customers the maximum of 13% of customers felt that the courier service is good.
The table shows that out of 100 customers the maximum of 12% of customers felt that the courier service is best.

Table 1.2
Knowledge sources of professional courier ervice
Source No. of. Customers Percentage (%)
Friends 28 28
Neighbors 24 24
Advertisements 36 36
Others 12 12
Total 100 100

Inference

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The table shows that out of 100 customers the maximum of 36% of customers felt know about the courier service
through their advertisements.
The table shows that out of 100 customers the maximum of 28% of customers felt know about the courier service
through their advertisements.
The table shows that out of 100 customers the maximum of 24% of customers felt know about the courier service
through their advertisements.
The table shows that out of 100 customers the maximum of 12% of customers felt know about the courier service
through their advertisements.
Table 1.3 Amount
Spend on Customer No. of. Respondent Percentage (%)
Minimum 31 31
Moderate 41 41
Maximum 28 28
Total 100 100

Inference
The table shows that out of 100 customers the maximum of 41% of customers felt spend a moderate amount on
courier service.
table shows that out of 100 customers the maximum of 31% of customers felt spend a moderate amount on courier
service.
table shows that out of 100 customers the maximum of 28% of customers felt spend a moderate amount on courier
service.

TESTING OF HYPOTHESIS
Chi-square test for independence of attributes
1. H0: There is no relationship between courier service and postal service.
H1: Courier service is better than postal services,

2 2
O E O -E (O -E) (O -E) / E
20 12.6 7.4 54.76 4.34
8 14.7 -6.7 44.89 3.05
2 2.7 -0.7 0.49 0.18
7 8.4 -1.4 1.96 0.23
11 9.8 1.2 1.44 0.15
2 1.8 0.2 0.04 0.02
13 14.28 -1.28 1.64 0.11
21 16.66 4.34 18.83 1.13
- 3.06 -3.06 9.36 3.06
2 6.72 -4.72 22.28 3.32
9 7.84 1.16 1.34 0.17
5 1.44 3.56 12.67 8.8
2
X 24.56

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Degree of Freedom = (r-1) (c-1)


= (4-1) (3-1)
= 3x2
= 6%
X2 0.05 = 12.6
Calculated value = 24.56

Inference:
Since the calculated value is greater than table vale (24.56 > 12.6). Hence we reject H0. We concluded that courier
service is better than a postal service.

2. H0: There is no significant difference between the occupation and preferring this courier service.
H1: There is no different between the occupation and preferring this courier service
2 2
O E O -E (O -E) (O -E) / E
11 10.5 0.5 0.25 0.02
11 6.75 4.25 18.06 2.67
0 2.5 -2.5 6.25 2.50
0 2.5 -2.5 6.25 2.50
3 2.75 0.25 0.06 0.02
25 21.00 4 16 0.76
7 13.5 -6.5 42.25 3.12
7 5.0 2 4 0.80
4 5.0 -1 1 0.20
7 5.5 1.5 2.25 0.40
6 10.5 -4.5 20.25 1.92
9 6.75 2.25 5.06 0.74
3 2.5 0.5 0.25 0.10
6 2.5 3.5 12.25 5.00
3 2 .75 0.25 0.06 0.02
2
X 20.79

Degree of Freedom = (r-1) (c-1) FINDINGS


= (3-1) (5-1) • 53% of the respondence are male
= 2x4
• 40% of the people with in the age of group 20-30
= 8%
make use of courier service.
X2 0.05 = 15.5
Calculated value = 20.79 • 38% post graduates are used in courier services
frequently.
Inference:
• 48% of the customers are of opinion that the courier
Since the calculated value is greater than table value
service is better.
(20.79 > 15.5). Hence we reject H0. We concluded that
there is no different between occupation and preferring • 36% of the people come to know about the courier
this courier services. service through their advertisement.
• 41% of the customer spend a moderate amount on
courier service.

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• Most of the customer to amount spent for courier a large scale through all the fast selling news paper
services 41% are moderate. and magazines.
• 77% of the customer directly approach the CONCLUSION
professional courier regarding any complaints.
The present research study was on earnest efforts taken
• 50% of the customer prefers courier service because by the researcher in order to study the customer
of it quick services. satisfaction towards professional courier. The
professional courier is fast and efficient courier services.
• 34% of the customer are of opinion that the price
It benefits business people, government, employees,
charged by the courier service is better.
educational institution, students etc. Courier services
• 74% of the people recommended this courier for its should be started in all areas in order to reach every
fast, quality and safety services. nook and corner. Though the courier services was started
• 39% of the customer to declare that service in 20th century, it is helpful for sending documents,
performance of the courier is good. parcels all over India abroad with cheaper cost and it
will reach the place very quickly.
• This satisfaction level of customers towards
professional courier are 88%. REFERENCE
1. S.M. JHA: Service Marketing
SUGGESTIONS
2. M.M. VARAM and R.K. AGGARWAL: Marketing
• Some of the customers feel that letters should be Management
dispatched on time. So proper methodology should
be adopted to carry out the process successfully. 3. G.DAVID HUGHES: Marketing Management
• Avoid rough handling of non delivery documents. 4. C.R. KOTHARI: Research Methodology
• Some customers feel that they should improve their 5. D.N. ELHANCE, VEENA ELHANCE, BM
services in all interior places for easier access of the AGGARWAL: Fundamentals of Statistics
customers.
WEBSITE
• In order to create more customer awareness about www.tipcina.com
professional courier, it is necessary to advertise on

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A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON MODERN MARKETING SERVICES


RENDERED BY SBI AND ICICI IN TRICHY DISTRICT
1 2 3 4
DR.F.X.Virgin Fraga M.Merin Fernando D.Vedha Lakshmi & T.Ramya

Abstract
Now-a-days money is very essential for all individuals as well as to industries, companies, etc. The main
sectors in Tiruchirappalli district are agriculture, small business, small scale industry and medium scale
industry. They have also been slowly increasing every year. Individuals want to save money for their future,
so they need banking services. Businessmen need banking service to carryout their business transactions.
The primary function of bank is to act as a channel for providing and transferring finance to industry, individuals,
society. The present study under the title, “A study on the Modern Marketing Services rendered by ICICI
and SBI in Trichy Town”, is undertaken mainly to analyse the competition between the banks in rendering
marketing services to the customers. The private banks are more consumer oriented than Public sector
banks because the technological advancement used by the private banks are higher that that of public
sector banks.

INTRODUCTION Another common held view is that the word ‘Bank’ might
Today banks have become a part and parcel of our life. be originated from the German word ‘Back’ which means
There was a time when the dwellers of city alone could a joint stock fund. Of course, a bank essentially deals
enjoy their services. Now banks offer access to even a with funds. In due course, it was Italianised into ‘banco’,
common man and their activities extend to areas hither Frenchised into ‘bank’ and finally Anglicised in to ‘Bank’.
to untouched. Apart from their traditional business This view is most prevalent even today.
oriented functions, they have now come out to fulfill
national responsibilities. Banks cater to the needs of EVOLUTION OF BANK MARKETING:
agriculturists, industrialists, traders and to all the other Marketing as a concept evolved in banks in the post
sections of the society. Thus they accelerate the world war II period. In the initial stages, marketing was,
economic growth of a country and steer the wheels of by and large, associated with advertising, public
the economy towards its goal of “self reliance in all fields”. relations and the sales promotional aspects. The
It naturally arouses our interest in knowing about the operative word in banks was ‘business development’
‘bank’ and the various men and activities connected with and not selling or marketing of services. Bankers as a
it. breed were known for their conservative approach.
ORIGIN OF BANKING: It is true that, for long, banks got alone fine without
making systematic marketing efforts. Banks did not feel
Since the banking activities were started in different the need to go beyond emphasizing good public relations
periods in different countries, there is no unanimous view and ‘business development’. But in the recent past,
regarding the origin of the word ‘Bank’. The word ‘Bank’ the markets have seen transformation. A reckoning of
is said to have derived from the French word ‘Banco’, or the realities of the market place cannot but beckon the
‘Bancus’ or ‘Banc’ or ‘Banque’ which means, a ‘bench’. banks in India to be on the more in the marketing sense.
In fact the early Jews in Lombardly transacted their Growing competition, emergence of a new range of
banking business by sitting on benches. When their banking services, need for innovative product
business failed, the benches were broken and hence the development to keep pace with the level of economic
word ‘bankrupt’ came into vogue. But Macleod has development, compulsions in the area of profitability of
expressed a different view. According to him, the money banking business, coverage of new spatial areas,
changers were never called ‘Benchieri’ in the Middle Ages. ensuring optimum use of the vast banking infrastructure
So, this deviation may be a mere conjecture. already built by the system, need for ensuring a better

1
Professor, Department of Commerce, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy.
2
Research scholar, Department of Commerce, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy.
3
Research scholar, Department of Commerce, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy.
4
Research scholar, Department of Commerce, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy.

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focus on customer satisfaction, improving the extent STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
of professionalisation in banking and a better
appreciation of the long term perspectives are some of The present study under the title, “A study on the
the valid reasons that can be cited to bring home the Modern Marketing Services rendered by ICICI and
need for a total marketing orientation in banks. SBI in Trichy Town”, is undertaken mainly to analyse
the competition between the banks in rendering
COMMERCIAL BANKS AND MARKETING: marketing services to the customers. The private banks
are more consumer oriented than Public sector banks
Commercial banks have played a vital role in giving a because the technological advancement used by the
direction to economy’s development over time by private banks are higher that that of public sector banks.
financing the requirements of trade and industry the
country. By encouraging thrift among people, banks IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY
have fostered the process of capital formation the Now-a-days money is very essential for all individuals
country. Commercial banks in advance the savers in as well as to industries, companies, etc. The main
the community to hold their savings in the form of sectors in Tiruchirappalli district are agriculture, small
socially useful assets. After the nationalization of 14 business, small scale industry and medium scale
major commercial banks in 1969, banks woke up from industry. They have also been slowly increasing every
their splendid isolation and found themselves in a highly year. Individuals want to save money for their future, so
competitive and rapidly changing environment. As a they need banking services. Businessmen need banking
result, their approach to customers and market service to carryout their business transactions. The
underwent a change and their focus was gradually primary function of bank is to act as a channel for
shifted to the marketing of products. The first major providing and transferring finance to industry, individuals,
step in the direction of marketing was initiated by the society and the like. Therefore, it is important to study
‘State Bank of India’ when, in 1972, it reorganized itself the modern marketing services rendered by ICICI and
on the basis of major market segments, dividing the SBI bank particularly at Triuchirappalli town in relation
customers on the basis of their activities, and carved to the mode of exchange of finance in the district as a
out four major market segments, viz., the commercial whole.
and institutional segments, the small industries and
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
small business segment, the agriculture segment and
personal and services banking segment. The main objectives are:
The hallmark of the reorganized set-up was customer 1) To identify the various marketing schemes rendered
orientation. It aimed at: by both the banks in Trichy Town.
a) A total view of customer’s needs; 2) To examine various service benefits rendered by
b) Meeting the identified needs in the best ‘State Bank of India’ and ‘Industrial Credit And
possible manner by developing appropriate and Investment Corporation of India’ to their customers.
suitable services; 3) To analyze the service benefits from the view point
c) The identification of potential customers; and of the customers.
d) Conducting the activities at the branches on 4) To evaluate the major services scheme like ATM,
the basis of carved out market segments credit card, Debit card, et al by ICICI and SBI.
instead of job-wise.
5) To offer suggestions for improving modern services
to be rendered by the banks.
PRIVATIZED BANKS: In the Privatized Banks, the
Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
(ICICI), plays a significant role in the development of SOURCE OF DATA
the capital market. It has spread out its wings in the The sources of data are of two types, they are
field of marketing by rendering various services to the i) Primary source, and
customers to avail a long term relationship with the ii) Secondary source
bank. The services provided to the ICICI customers,
Primary data is obtained by collecting data through the
are like ATMs, Debit Cards, Credit Cards, NRI services,
form of QUESTIONNAIRE method. The Questionnaire
Roaming current accounts, etc. Through these services
is given to the sample respondents who are availing the
the customers of ICICI are motivated to avail the benefits
Modern Marketing Services from ICICI and SBI.
of all the products. Thus the banking culture spreads
Secondary data is collected by having interaction with
its blessings far and wide in the economic system
the officials of ICICI and SBI and from the reports,
benefiting the whole community.
journals, directives advertisement modes and the like.

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SAMPLE SIZE ABBREVIATIONS USED


ICICI and SBI banks are having many branches in Trichy • ICICI Industrial Credit and Investment
Town. There are numerous numbers of customers to Corporation of India
these banks. But the sample was designed to 50 • SBI State Bank of India
respondents in total. Then it has been divided into two, • NRI Non-Residential Indian
which covers 25 respondents from ICICI customers and
• ATM Automatic Teller Machine
another 25 respondents form SBI customers for this
research work. AREA UNDER STUDY
DATA COLLECTION METHOD The area covered under the study is Trichy town. The
Convenient sampling method was adopted for sample study has been conducted in various areas of
selection and collection of information from them. Tiruchirappalli like, Contonment, Thillainagar,
Mainguardgate, Srirangam and Worraiyur.
ANALYTICAL TOOLS USED
The data has been interpreted with the help of various
diagrams like bar diagrams, pie diagrams, etc. The data
has been further classified into percentages for easy
understanding.

Particulars of the respondents on the basis of the maintenance of the relationship with banks
Relationship ICICI SBI
No. of re spondents Percentage No. of re spondents Percentage
Continue 23 92 25 100
Discontinue 2 8 --
Total 25 100 25 100

Source: Primary Data

Particulars of the respondents on the basis of the purpose for Opening an account
ICICI SBI
Purpose
No. of re spondents Percentage No. of re spondents Percentage
Savings 13 52 4 16
Security 9 36 20 80
Others 3 12 1 4
Total 25 100 25 100

Source: Primary Data

Particulars of the respondents on the basis of satisfaction with the services


ICICI SBI
Particulars
No. of re spondents Percentage No. of re spondents Percentage

Satisfied 15 60 17 68
Dissatisfied 10 40 8 32
Total 25 100 25 100

Source: Primary Data

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Particulars of the respondents on the basis of the problems faced by them


ICICI SBI
Problems
No. of re spondents Percentage No. of re spondents Percentage

Satisfied 15 60 17 68
Delay in completing
the Transaction 9 36 5 20
Distance from your place 1 4 3 12
Delay in processing of
Loan operation 2 8 8 32
Fixed working hours
of the Bank 6 24 3 12
Technical problems - - 4 16
None 7 28 2 8
Total 25 100 25 100

FINDINGS • Convenience and needs made most of the


• 80% of respondents are male; respondents to become the customers of the bank;
• 44% of the respondents are graduates and it is clear • Most people opt the banks which are near to their
from the study that no illiterates are availing the residency;
modern services from the bank; • 100% of the respondents of ICICI bank avail the
• 22% of the respondents are business people; ATM services;
• 7.2% of the respondents are married; • 100% of the respondents of SBI bank avail the
modern service of ATM – cum - Debit cards;
• More number of respondents (i.e) 44% of the
respondents belong to the family size upto three • ½ of the respondents use ATM and debit cards
members; more than three times in a month;
• The monthly income for 44% of the respondents • Nearly 32% of respondents use their credit card
range from Rs.5,000 to Rs.10,000; for three times in a month;
• Nearly 6 respondents out of 50 have their accounts • ¾th of the respondents use their ATM cards in
in both SBI and ICICI banks; other stations like Chennai, Coimbatore, Bangalore
and also outside India;
• Eventually 33 respondents in total have their
accounts in other banks like nationalized bank, • Majority of the respondents of ICICI deposit and
private and co-operative banks; withdraw a sum upto Rs.2000;
• In the above said respondents, some 7 respondents • Both the banks ICICI and SBI charge reasonable
have closed their accounts because of convenience service charges;
in other banks like easy approachability and closer • Employees of the banks assist their customers
to home; during transactions;
• 88% of the respondents are interested to have • The study reveals that 52% of the respondents
savings account rather than current account; prefer ICICI for less time consuming;
• 60% of the respondents in SBI and 36% of the • Also, 72% of the respondents prefer SBI bank for
respondents in ICICI have their accounts in a period the security;
of more than 10 years. • Majority of the respondents feel that transactions
• ICICI bank reached the customers through agents are fast, accurate and are made easier in ICICI bank;
and advertisements, whereas SBI bank respondents • ½ and 3/4th of the respondents of ICIC and SBI
are influenced by other; open their accounts for the purposes of savings
and security;

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• Nearly every customers do wish to continue their • Financial statements for the customer’s accounts
healthy relationship with their respective banks; must be sent regularly to all the account holders
• Probably ¾th of the customers have requested to of the respective bank;
send their financial statement of their accounts CONCLUSION
regularly;
The researcher has taken atmost steps to enlight the
• Large number of respondents (i.e) ¾th of the modern services rendered by ICICI and SBI banks at
respondents are satisfied with the services of their Trichirappalli town, with concrete objectives. The
bank. researcher finds that the services rendered are not
SUGGESTION reaching the poor and rural masses. The researcher
has also suggested certain suggestions to enlight the
• Females should be motivated to be a customer
modern services to the rural masses. There are
of the bank;
many ways to develop this work in the country.
• Agriculturist should also be motivated; Finally, the researcher feels that the RBI should have
• Most of the customers are having accounts in more control over the operations of both the banks.
other banks, because of high interest for loans in
ICICI and less efficiently in transaction in SBI REFERENCES
Bank. So the respective banks must take BOOKS:
necessary steps to fulfill their needs properly;
• Balaji .B, Services Marketing and Management,
• The banks must reconstruct its present 2002, S.Chand & Co. Ltd.
promotional policies because most of the
customers are not satisfied with these programs • Dr.Nirmala Prasad.K. & Chandradass .J, Banking
of their banks; and Financial Systems, 1994, Himalaya
Publishing House.
• No respondents of SBI knew about their bank
through agency. Therefore, agencies must be • Gordan.E and Natarajan.K, Banking Theory, law
fixed to create awareness to the public about the & Practice, 2003, Himalaya Publication House.
benefits of this bank; • Jha.S.M, Services Marketing 2003, Himalaya
• Banks should take necessary steps for the Publishing House.
customers who are very far away from the bank; • Madhukar R.K, Dynamics of Bank Marketing,
• Roaming current account is a very good service 1990, Sri Sudhindra Publishing House.
provided by ICICI bank. But there are very less • Rajashekar. N. Banking in the New Millenium,
number of respondents availing this service. So, 2003, ICFAI University.
bank should concentrate on the above; • Saxena K.K., Bank Marketing - concepts and
• Some of the respondents feel the service charges Applications, 1988, Skylark Publications.
are high. Therefore, the respective bank should • Sundharam P.M & Varshney P.N. Banking
take up effective steps to reduce the service Theory, Law & Practice, 1992, Sultan Chand &
charges; sons.
• ICICI bank should take necessary steps or try to • Vaish.M.C, Modern Baking, 1984, RBSA
reduce the interest rates for loans; publishers.
• SBI bank must act quickly because many • Vasant Desai, Indian Banking – Nature &
respondents feel that this bank consumers more problems, 1987, Himalaya publishing House.
time to complete a transaction;
• To avoid more time consumption the bank may
concentrate on fixing up more counters;
• SBI bank must also take effective steps to
process loans quickly;
• Dissatisfaction prevailing among the employees
regarding the services provided by the banks
must be taken care of;

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A STUDY ON WOMEN EMPOWERMENT THROUGH


ENTREPRENEURSHIP WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO
TIRUCHIRAPPALLI TOWN 1
Pradeepa Sriniwasan

ABSTRACT
Entrepreneurship is the need for the present society and for the future India. They are the driving forces behind
Indian economy. Entrepreneurs are people who come out with a new ideas, innovations, do things, which are not
generally done in the ordinary course of a business. Empowerment of women entrepreneur is a new mantra for
development of economy. Women from the lower strata of the society though educated, are unable to find employment
in urban India. It is entrepreneurship that paves the path of these women in particular and society in general. The
study considers women from such lower strata of society turning into entrepreneurs in the city. It is observed that
women entrepreneur networks are major sources of knowledge about women’s entrepreneurship and they are
increasingly recognized as a valuable tool for its development and promotion. Of the 1.3 billion people who live in
absolute poverty around the globe, 70 percent are women work two-thirds of the world’s working hours; Women
earn only 10 percent of the world’s income. Women own less than 1 percent of the world’s property. Developing
entrepreneurship among women will be right approach for Women Empowerment. This would enhance their socio-
economic status. Once a woman feels that she is economically strong, she will feel equal to man in all respect. For
which an effort has been made in this paper is to identify empowerment of women’s through entrepreneurship.

LOOK LIKE A GIRL, ACT LIKE A LADY, THINK LIKE A MAN, WORK LIKE A BOSS...!

for women have been created where they can excel their
INTRODUCTION skills with maintaining balance in their life. Accordingly,
“”Created for women by women…”” during the last two decades, increasing numbers of
The term ‘women empowerment’ has come to occupy Indian women have entered the field of entrepreneurship
an important position globally over the years. and also they are gradually changing the face of business
of today, both literally and figuratively. But still they have
Educational attainment and economic participation are
not capitalized their potential in India the way it should
the key constituents in ensuring empowerment of be. The success of those women entrepreneurs will
women. The economic empowerment of women is a significantly speed up the progress of economic
vital element of strong economic growth in any country. development and removal of poverty in the state. As
Entrepreneurship happens to be one of the best way empowerment of women basically depends on gaining
towards self sufficiency and poverty alleviation for women financial, social and cultural strength, their performance
in a country where employment is not guaranteed. as entrepreneurs in their business becomes crucial to
reach this goal. In this context a measure of performance
Involvement of women in entrepreneurial activities would
of the women entrepreneurs over years would answer
ensure effective utilization of labour, generation of income the question if they have got empowered at all.
and hence improvement in quality of life. Women
empowerment through entrepreneurship is a must for a What is empowerment?
modern developed economy. Generally, women Empowerment is the process of enhancing the capacity
entrepreneurs in Trichy are engaged mainly in traditional of individuals or groups to make choices and to
activities like weaving, knitting, embroidery, running of transform those choices into desired actions and
schools, crèches, doormat from banyan wastes, cushion outcomes. In management terms, empowerment could
making, jute bag training, craft works, readymade also mean the act of giving power and authority to a
garments, jam, jelly and pickle making etc. In recent person to perform his designated tasks.
years it has been observed that women entrepreneurs
However, there are many challenges involved in
of Trichy are venturing into non-traditional traits also.
The women have achieved immense development in their systematically documenting the empowering process
state of mind. With increase in dependency on service and/or empowerment outcomes.
sector, many entrepreneurial opportunities especially

1
PG Research Scholar, Department of Commerce CA, St.Joseph’s College, Tiruchirapalli

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The concept of empowerment is difficult to define It helps in dispersal of economic power.


and even more difficult to measure. It stimulates the equitable redistribution of wealth,
The impacts of empowerment are intangible, income and political power in the interests of the
including such expressions as self-confidence, status country.
and decision-making. Attitudinal changes are also It also reduces backward and forward linkage which
difficult to measure. stimulates the process of economic development in
The process of empowerment is expressed and/or the country.
seen in a myriad of ways. It also promotes country’s export trade.
The manifestations of empowerment differ by socio- DONT BE A WOMEN,
cultural setting, and even within the same socio-
THAT NEEDS A MAN...
cultural setting, empowerment is experienced by
BE A WOMEN,
different groups in different ways.
A MAN NEEDS...!
What is Entrepreneurship?
Entrepreneurship is the terminal stage of the STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
entrepreneurial process wherein after setting up a venture The basic problem or difficulty of a women entrepreneur
one looks for diversification and growth. is that she is woman-this pertains to her responsibility
towards facility, society and work. With joint families
Who is an Entrepreneur?
breaking up, many women simply don’t have the support
An entrepreneur is not a routine businessman he might of elders. Women have been confronted by such
not have resources but he will have ideas. He is innovative dilemmas ever since they started leaving home for the
and creative. He can convert a threat into an opportunity. work place. On the other hand, the attitude of the society
Functionally all entrepreneurs are self-employed and towards her and constraints in which she has to live and
income generating persons but the reverse is not true- work are not very conduce. The tradition, customs, socio
all self-employed and income generating persons are cultural values, ethics, motherhood subordinates to link
not entrepreneurs. husband and men, physically weak, hard work areas,
What is Women Empowerment? feeling of insecurity, cannot be tough etc are some
peculiar problems that the Indian women are coming
Women’s empowerment refers to the ability of women across while they jump into entrepreneurship.
to transform economic and social development when
empowered to fully participate in the decisions that affect OBJECTIVES
their lives through leadership training, coaching, To identify the reasons for women for involving
consulting, and the provision of enabling tools for women themselves in entrepreneurial activities.
to lead within their communities, regions, and countries. To recognise the success of women through
entrepreneurship.
Need of women entrepreneurship:
To identify the factors of hindrance for women
The entrepreneurship plays a major role in the entrepreneurship.
economic development of country. To determine the possible success factors for
Entrepreneurship promotes increases in national women in such entrepreneurial activities.
production and productivity in the primary, secondary To make an evaluation of people’s opinion about
and tertiary sector through technical and other form women entrepreneurship.
of innovation.
It promotes capital formation by mobilizing the idle SCOPE OF THE STUDY
savings of the public. The study focuses on the women entrepreneurs in
selected areas in Trichy town. The scope of the study
It provides immediate large-scale employment. Thus, encompasses women entrepreneurs and the problems
it helps to reduce the unemployment and under- faced by women by them who are engaged in starting a
employment problems in the country. new enterprise. It studies the reason which induces
the women entrepreneurs to take up entrepreneurship
It facilitates the transfer of technology.
and the constraints of women entrepreneurship it create

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the confident among the women to meet their obstacles in the life and day-to-day operations in an effective
manner. It creates the self empathy, self esteem, self-respect, courage to them.

HYPOTHESIS
Empowerment through Entrepreneurship has an influence on the personal, economic and social status of women.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research design Survey method


Data collection Primary data collection: questionnaires and
interview method with women entrepreneurs.
Secondary data collection: data’s were
collected from websites, journals, books and
discussion with the public.
Sample area Tiruchirappalli town
Sample size 45(due to resource and time constraints a maximum of 400
samples has been identified as the universe. Among the
universe 11% i.e., 45 women entrepreneurs has selected by
the researcher for the study.)

FINDINGS OF STUDY
The data collected from the field are analyzed to assess the problems and prospect of Women Entrepreneurship.

TABLE-1 : Showing Age wise distribution of the Entrepreneurs

Frequency No. of Entrepreneurs Percentage


21 – 25 5 11%
25 – 35 19 42%
35 – 45 16 36%
45 and above 05 11%
Total 45 100%
Source: Primary Data

Inference:
In the above table it shows that the majority of women started their enterprise at the age of 25 – 45, whereas age
from 21-25 are few to the field and 45 above are less in number.
TABLE- 2 : Showing qualification wise distribution of the Entrepreneurs
Frequency No. of Entrepreneurs Percentage
Below SSLC 9 20%
HSLC 15 33%
UG 16 36%
PG 5 11%
Total 45 100%
Source: Primary Data

Inference:
In the above the qualification of the women could get some other job. But they selected entrepreneurship
as career. This reflects the changing attitude of women entrepreneurship. As regards educational qualification table
shows that 9(20%) women entrepreneurs were below SSLC, 15(33%) were HSLC whereas 16(36%) were graduates
and 5(11%) of them were postgraduate.

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TABLE - 3 : Showing Marital status of the Entrepreneurs


Frequency No. of Entrepreneurs Percentage
Married 19 42%
Unmarried 15 34%
Widow 11 24%
Total 45 100%
Source: Primary Data
Inference:
The above table shows that the 19(42%) women entrepreneurs are married and 15(34%) women were unmarried
and rest of the women’s are widow.

TABLE- 4 :Showing Income wise classification of the Entrepreneurs

Frequency No. of Entrepreneurs Percentage


Below 50000 2 4%
50000-70000 9 20%
70000-90000 11 24%
90000-120000 12 27%
120000-140000 6 14%
Above 140000 5 11%
Total 45 100%
Source: Primary Data

Inference:
It is observed from the survey that the total annual income of 2(4%) women entrepreneurs was below Rs. 50,000.
The annual income of 9(20%) women entrepreneurs were within the range of Rs. 50,000 – 70,000, 11(24%) women
entrepreneurs have annual income in between 70,000 – 90,000, 12(27%) women entrepreneurs earn between the
range from 1,20,000-1,40,000 and 5(11%) women entrepreneurs had annual income which exceeds Rs. 1,40,000.

TABLE- 5 : Table showing problems faced by women entrepreneurs while setting up their enterprise

Problems No. of Entrepreneurs Percentage


Shyness 16 36%
Dependency 18 40%
Lack of confidence 26 58%
Fear of failure 22 49%
Child care/ House work 35 78%
Lack of knowledge 5 11%
Marketing 36 80%
Finance 38 84%
Source: Primary Data

Inference:
Majority of women entrepreneurs considered entrepreneurship as secondary to their home and family. They gave
maximum importance to their husband and children and their relationship with them. Women entrepreneurs reported
that finance was a major problem. Marketing was the next problem faced by them.

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RECOMMENDATIONS According to the study following conclusions are made:


In view of the data’s cited above, it is necessary to adopt In the personality status, especially the self
some measures for development of entrepreneurship confidence and the psychological satisfaction gained
among women. Following recommendations have been by entrepreneurs are very important; it enabled them
made for the development of women entrepreneurship in to shoulder further entrepreneurial activity or face any
Trichy: problem in the family.
The banks can play an important role by lending However the entrepreneurs were of the opinion that
money to women entrepreneurs. the efficiency, skills, earnings, honour received and
Banks, Government agencies etc. should launch the even elevated economic status of women
awareness and publicity campaigns about schemes entrepreneurs cannot change the attitude of society
available for women. towards women in general. Male dominance in
society is reluctant to change their attitude towards
The Government can also help women in marketing
women.
their products through its outlets at various levels.
The systematic and wholehearted role of the mentor
The family members can also be involved in the
NGO/s in the transformation of these women from
business with a view to sharing the burden of
lower strata of the society.
entrepreneurial work.
Backward and forward support from agencies to these
Training also plays a significant positive role in
women entrepreneurs is the important factor to
promoting women entrepreneurs.
sustain them in their business ventures.
Training organizations should provide them support
Power over economic resources and participation in
by constant monitoring and Follow -Up.
decision-making is making them more confident and
CONCLUSION that is the women empowerment in true sense.

The results show that profitability of the enterprise, loans


REFERENCES
availed, confidence of women entrepreneurs to succeed
Women Entrepreneurs - Rani(Lalitha. D)
are important determinants of the growth of net worth of
Empowerment of Women - Pandit(Vijayalakshmi.P)
the enterprises of women over the years of their existence,
Women empowerment and globalization - Dr. Menu
irrespective of the size of entrepreneurs at present.
agrawal
Entrepreneurship of women has enhanced their economic
status and decision making power. Women entrepreneurs Journals
are aware of opportunities available to them, but there is “Empowerment of Women through Self Help Groups”-
scope for improvement in it. Economic status, self worth, Journal published by RVS College of Arts and Science
self confidence and social status of women entrepreneurs
are the variables that define empowerment of women. 1. Empowering Women through Entrepreneurship: A
Women entrepreneurs in Self Help Group are more study in Tamil Nadu, India
empowered than other Non Self Help Groups Geetha Sulur Nachimuthu and Barani Gunatharan;
entrepreneurs. If women gain economic strength, they
gain visibility and a voice at home, workplace and International Journal of Trade, Economics and
community. This has an impact on their social status in Finance, Vol. 3, No. 2, April 2012
terms of increase in their literacy, education of their 2. Women Empowerment through Entrepreneurship:
children and family well being. Therefore, empowerment A Case Study of Guwahati Municipal Corporation,
of women has a rich payoff in economic development Marami Das] [ISSN: 2231-4946] Faculty Member,
and egalitarian goals of the society. Swadeshi Academy Jr. College Research Scholar,
CMJ University, Shillong, International Journal of
Computer Applications in Engineering Sciences

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A STUDY ON DEPRESSION AND STRESS AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS


IN TIRUCHIRAPPALLI TOWN
1 2
Dr. N. Maheswari B. Poornima

ABSTRACT
Stress affects everyone differently and therefore, every one manages their stress differently. Many studies have
been done on the importance of managing stress and methods of managing stress, based on different characteristics
such as gender, culture, and ethnicity. However, there have not been many studies on how college students manage
stress. The Intend of this study is to analyise the stress level of college students.

INTRODUCTION
To examine the relationship between stress and
Attending college can be a stressful experience for many
new and retaining students. Heavy academic workloads academic performance.
and the feeling that you’re constantly racing to meet HYPOTHESIS
another deadline can be daunting. And this is in addition There is a close relationship between sources
to campus activities, new friendships, the pressure to
of stress and impact of stress.
go out multiple nights a week and variable sleep
schedules that often come with the fast-paced college There is a close relationship between sources
lifestyle. of stress and potential personal consequences.
Stress is simply the body’s non-specific response to any RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.
demand made on it. Stress is a nervous tension or anxiety. The primary data was collected from the respondents
Stress been created by the means of expressing talents using well structured questionnaire in order to elicit
and spending energies and pursuing happiness; It can necessary information which make the possibility of
also cause exhaustion and illness, either physical or getting the respondents options. The secondary data has
psychological; heart attacks and accidents. been collected from the books, journals, internet.
PROFILE OF THE CITY SAMPLE SIZE:
Tiruchirappalli now called Trichy is situated on the banks The research are collected information from 100
of the Cauvery river. Trichy, the fourth largest city in the respondents from various colleges in thiruchirapalli town.
state was a citadel of the early Cholas which later fell to
the Pallavas. Trichy’s most famous landmark is an 83m SAMPLING TECHNIQUES:
high rock which is the only outcrop in the otherwise flat A non-probability sampling technique has been used.
land of the city. The most amazing fact about the rock is The tools used for this study are percentage analysis
that it is one of the oldest in the world-approximately and chi-square.
3,800 years, which makes it as old as the rocks of
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Greenland and older than the Himalayas.
1. According to Lazarus & Folkman (1984), stress is a
SCOPE OF THE STUDY mental or physical phenomenon formed through one’s
It’s important to pay attention to stress because it can cognitive appraisal of the stimulation and is a result
affect the health. Research in learning about how stress of one’s interaction with the environment. The
can affect the body, why sleep is so important and how existence of stress depends on the existence of the
to incorporate important stress-busting techniques, stressor.
including useful time-management tips, has returned out 2. Feng (1992) and Volpe (2000) defined stressor as
to be important at the current scenario. anything that challenges an individual’s adaptability
OBJECTIVIES or stimulates an individual’s body or mentality. Stress
To identify the components of academic stress can be caused by environmental factors, psychological
factors, biological factors, and social factors. It can
experienced by students.
be negative or positive to an individual, depending on
To identify the impact of academic stress among the strength and persistence of the stress, the
the students. individual’s personality, cognitive appraisal of the
stress, and social support.
1
Asst. Professor, Department of Commerce CA, St.Joseph’s College, Tiruchirapalli.
2
PG Research Scholar, Department of Commerce CA, St.Joseph’s College, Tiruchirapalli
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3. Stress from high expectations of teachers, parents, and self is usually an agony for students studying in
schools (Cheng, 1999).
4. As observed by Lauren Bigham , Helen W. Bland , Bridget F. Melton (2012)[2], College years have been deemed
as one of the most stressful periods of a person’s life. Coping mechanisms and lifestyle habits currently employed
by the millennial college students are not only ineffective for alleviating stress, but also has the effect of putting
these students at risk for low stress tolerance.
5. Research seems to show that stress is multifaceted and therefore the stress management techniques used
varies from person to person. Among college women, one of the most effective ways to help them manage
stress is to provide support systems. (Johnson, et al. 2000)
6. The same was true for a study that focused on the interaction between role clarity, work overload, organizational
support among US army soldiers. While understanding their individual roles helped reduce stress no matter how
great their workload was, having organizational support significantly reduced the amount of stress soldiers felt
(Bliese & Castro, 2000)
7. Another study found that religiosity increased the positive outcomes towards stress and reduced the negative
outcomes associated with stress among college students. According to Read & LeCheminant (2009), when
students were involved in their church and were more focused on their spirituality, the students seemed happier
and were more well-adjusted to the stress they face.
8. Other studies that have shown that progressive muscle relaxation and/or relaxing music will reduce stress
among college studies (Kibler & Rider, 1983) and that biofeedback, when used consistently, also helps college
students learn to recognize and reduce stress. (Ratanasiripong, et al., 2010).
9. In an article about how administrators cope with stress, Swent (2001) states that school administrators and
teachers tended to use more physiological activities to deal with stress than cognitive/psychological and
interpersonal activities. Therefore, stress management techniques vary greatly from person to person.
10.Wang and Ko (1999) pointed out that girls feel upset more easily than boys, mainly because of their concerns
about physical appearances. Girls may perceive themselves as”very ugly”, feel that they are too fat, too short,
too high, or dislike their hair color or skin color

DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION


Table No: 1 Academic demands causing stress
Particulars No of respondents Percentage
Maintaining time 25 25%
Duration of time 17 17%
Assignment 23 23%
Internal marks 20 20%
Exams 15 15%
Total 100 100
Interpretation:
The above table denotes that 25% of the respondents felt that maintaining time causes stress, 17% of the respondents
felt that duration of time causes stress, 23% of the respondents felt that assignment causes stress, 20% of the
respondents felt that internal marks causes stress, 15% of the respondents felt that internal marks causes stress.

Table No: 2 personal consequences


Particulars No of respondents Percentage
Inferiority complex 28 28%
Loneliness 23 23%
Avoided by society and friends 27 27%
Generally restlessness 22 22%
Total 100 100

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Interpretation:
The above table denotes that 28% of the respondents had inferiority complex, 23% of the respondents felt loneliness,
27% of the respondents tried to avoid by society and friends, and 22% of the respondents felt generally restlessness.
Table No: 3 - Impact of the stress on students
Particulars No of respondents Percentage
Drop outs 19 19%
Drunkards 14 14%
Drug addiction 12 12%
Chain smokers 14 14%
Lose interest in education 19 11 %
Absenteeism 22 14%
Total
Interpretation:
The above table denotes that 19% of the respondents became to drop outs, 14% of the respondents became to
drunkards category, 12% of the respondents became drug addicted, 14% of the respondents became chain smokers,
16% of the respondents belong to insanity category, 11% of the respondents had lost interest in education, 14% of
the respondents maintained absenteeism.

Table No: 4 Relaxing Stress


Particulars No of respondents Percentage
Competition 28 28%
Cultural 26 26%
Yoga 22 22%
Meditation 24 24%
Total 100 100
Interpretation:
The above table denotes that 28% of the respondents relaxed through to competitions conducted by college, 26%
of the respondents relaxed through cultural, 22% of the respondents relaxed through yoga, 24% of the respondents
followed meditation activities.

HYPOTHESIS TESTING
Table no:5 Relationship between Sources of stress and personal consequences
O E (o-e) (o-e)2 (o-e)2/e
6 7 -1 1 0.1428
7 5.75 1.25 1.5625 0.2717
6 6.75 0.75 0.5625 0.0 833
6 5.5 0.5 0.25 0.0454
6 4.76 1.24 1.5376 0.3230
4 3.31 0.69 0.4761 0.1438
3 4.59 -1.59 2.5281 0.5507
4 3.74 0.26 0.0676 0.0180
6 6.44 -0.44 0.1936 0.0300
5 5.29 -0.29 0.0841 0.0158
7 6.21 -0.79 0.6241 0.1004
5 5.06 -0.6 0.36 0.0711
5 5.6 -0.6 0.36 0.0642
4 4.6 -0.6 0.36 0.0782

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5 5.4 -0.4 0.16 0.0296


6 4.2 1.8 3.24 0.7714
5 4.2 0.8 0.64 0.1523
3 3.45 -0.45 0.20 0.058
6 4.05 1.95 3.80 0.9388
1 3.30 -2.30 5.29 1.6030
Total 5.4932
Calculated value is = 5.4932 Table value at 5% is 21.0

RESULT
Since calculated value is lesser than the table value the Hypothesis is accepted.

Table No: 6 Relationship between sources of stress and impact of stress


O E (o -e) (o -e)2 (o -e)2/e
3 4.75 -1.75 3.0625 0.644 7
4 3.5 0.5 0.25 0.0714
6 3 3 9 3
4 3.5 0.5 0.25 0.0714
4 4.75 -0.75 0.5625 0.1184
4 5.5 -1.5 -2.25 0.4090
3 3.23 -0.23 0.0529 0.0163
4 2.38 1.62 2.6244 1.102
1 2.09 -1.09 1.1881 0.5684
3 2.38 0.62 0.3844 0.1615
2 3.23 -1.23 1.5129 0.4683
4 3.74 0.26 0.0676 0.1785
4 4.37 -0.37 0.1369 0.0313
3 3.22 -0.22 0.0484 0.0150
2 2.76 -0.76 0.5776 0.2092
3 3.22 -0.22 0.0484 0.0150
5 4.37 -0.63 0.3969 0.0908
6 5.06 -0.94 0.8836 0.1746
5 3.80 1.20 1.44 0.3789
2 2.80 -0.80 0.64 0.2285
2 2.40 0.40 0.16 0.0666
3 2.80 0.20 0.04 0.0142
4 3.80 0.20 0.04 0.0105
4 4.40 0.40 0.16 0.0363
4 2.85 1.15 1.32 0.4640
1 2.10 1.10 1.21 0.5761
1 1.80 0.80 0.64 0.3555
1 2.10 1.10 1.21 0.5761
4 2.85 1.15 1.32 0.4640
4 3.30 0.70 0.49 0.1484
10.6669
Calculated value is =10.6669 Table value at 5% is 31.4
RESULT
Since calculated value is lesser than the table value the Hypothesis is accepted.

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FINDINGS CONCLUSION
Most of the respondents(25%) expressed that College students feel relatively more stressors in the
maintaining time, assignment, internal marks are career aspect In addition, colleges should provide
the major stress on academic demands. But some courses on life stress coping on a regular basis to
of the respondents said that exams are the major consolidate students’ psychology and teach them how
stress on academic demands to relax themselves along with stress management
It is found that most of the respondents (21%)belong skills. Through proper education, students are able to
to category that new environment, new responsibility, identify stressors, manage them, and seek support.
friends, financial security are the environmental Teachers should also assist students with inferior
demand causing stresses. The respondents also felt academic achievement to minimize their troubles with
that exposure to new people ideas , exposure to learning.
new templates also causes stress.
REFERENCES
Most of the respondents(45%) responded that being
Feng, G. F. (1992). Management of Stress and
away from home is causing stress but some of the
Loss.Taipei: Psychological Publishing Co.,Ltd.
respondents responded does not causes stress.
Lazarus, R. S., and Folkman, S. (1984). Stress,
Most of the respondents(40%) responded that
Appraisal, and Coping. New York: Springer.
relationship with friends relaxes does not causes
stress. since some of the respondents responded Wang, H. C. and Ko, H. W. (1999). Adolescent
Psychology. Taipei: Psychological PublishingCo., Ltd.
that it does not.
Cheng, C. S. (1999). Life Stress of and Guidance for
Most of the respondents (28%) express that
Adolescents. Taipei: Psychological Publishing Co.,
inferiority complex, loneliness, avoided by society
Ltd.
are the type of stress they experience.
Johnson, L.G., Schwartz, R.A., & Bower, B.L, (2000).
30% of the respondents stated that they go out with Managing Stress among Adult Women Students n
friend on free time. 23% of the respondents stated Community Colleges. Community College Journal
that listening to music, 22% of the respondents are of Research and Practice, 24, 289-300.
watching TV. 15% of the respondents are playing
Swent, B., (2001). How Administrators Cope with
sports. Stress. Theory Into Practice, 22(1), 70-73.
Most of the respondents responded (34%) that when Kibler, V.E. & Rider, M.S., (Mar 1983). Effects of
facing problems they talk with parents, talk with Progressive Muscle Relaxation and Music on Stress
friends, praying, but some of the respondents as Measured by Finger Temperature Response.
responded that smoking/drinking. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 39(2), 213-215
Most of the respondents(28%)responded (that their Merrill, R., Read, C., & LeCheminant, A., (Jul 2009).
relaxing stress is competition and but other The influence of religiosity on positive and negative
respondents responded suggest yoga. outcomes associated with stress among college
students.
SUGGESTIONS Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 12(5), 501-511.
The college students should pay attention to their Bliese, P.D. & Castro, C.A., (2000) Role clarity, work
physical and mental health and examine their overload, and organizational support: multilevel
emotions at all times to avoid onset of stress-induced evidence of the importance of support. Work &
depression or physical disorders. Besides, they Stress, 14(1), 65-73.
should learn to understand, accept and recognize Ratanasiripong, P., Sverduk, K., Hayashino, D., &
their limits, take a positive attitude toward getting Prince, J., (Mar 2010). Setting Up the
along with their friends, learn to express and manage Next Generation Biofeedback Program for Stress and
their emotions and effectively manage their emotions Anxiety Management for College Students: A Simple
so as to develop positive relations and an optimistic and Cost-Effective Approach. College Student
view of life. Journal, 44(1), 97-100.
In their learning process, they should cultivate an Lauren Bigham , Helen W. Bland , Bridget F. Melton
undaunted spirit. Once any stress-induced emotion Stress Tolerance: New Challenges For Millennial
arises, they should relax through an appropriate College Students ,Jun2012, Vol. 46 Issue 2, P.362
channel, examine their own problems, and seek
solutions www.psych.uncc.edu
www.rose-hulman.edu
In general , the students must build a positive www.uic.edu
outlook and a confident self image

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A STUDY ON CONSUMER BEHAVIOR TOWARDS DRINKING


WATER IN TRICHY DISTRICT
1 2
T. Priyanka Dr. N. Mahewari

ABSTRACT
The study of consumers helps the firms and organizations to improve their marketing strategies by understanding
issues such as how the consumers think, feel, and select between different alternatives, the psychology of how the
consumer is influenced by his or her environment (e.g., culture, family, signs, media), the behavior of consumer
while shopping or making other marketing decisions. The study analyses the consumer motivation and decision
strategies which differ between products according to their level of importance or interest. This helps marketers in
adapting and improving their marketing campaigns and marketing strategies so that they can effectively reach the
consumer. Consumer behavior is the study of individuals, groups, or organizations and the processes they use to
select, secure, and dispose of products, services, experiences, or ideas to satisfy needs and the impact that these
processes have on the consumer and society. World Health Organization –General Dr. Margaret Chan delivered
two keynotes addresses, emphasizing how safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene are fundamental to health,
well- being, and poverty eradication. So hygienic is very important to purified drinking water company to improve
their standards.

middle class population.


INTRODUCTION

1. The study attempts to analyze the impact of advertising


on consumer buying behavior .Market provides a key 2. The consumption of organic food has increased
to gain actual success only to those brands which exponentially over the last decade, especially in
match best to the current environment i.e." imperative" Western economies. China has an affluent urban
which can be delivered what are the people needs middle class population which is increasingly
and they are ready to buy at the right time without attracted to the organic food market. This research
any delay. The study, based on an analytical approach study involved a large sample size of respondents in
on a survey of 200 randomly selected consumers in four major cities of China. Data analysis was
Agra city, examined the role played by advertising in performed using structural equation modeling. The
influencing consumers buying behavior for Nestle, findings revealed that Chinese consumers' buyer
which is one of the leading nutrition, health and behavior of organic food is influenced by the
wellness company. Results reveal that consumers dimensions of product, associated regulations and
are highly influenced by advertising in their preference lifestyles. The unique model developed can be used
for the brand. The mean value of the consumers’ by academicians and practitioners globally to
preference for Nestle is 4.36 which is the highest in formulate effective marketing strategies in the future.
comparison to the various brands. The major reasons
3. “Consumer behaviour refers to the actions and decision
for this preference are its attractive advertising policy
processes of people who purchase goods and
and rich quality. In this reference, the survey reveals
services for personal consumption.”
that TV advertisements of Nestle influence the buying
of consumers the most. The creative presentation and 4. Consumer behaviour refers to “the mental and
language of TV advertisements of Nestle are emotional processes and the observable behaviour of
successful to convey Message, Emotion, Value consumers during searching for, purchasing and post
system. regarding the product. The study clearly consumption of a product or service”.
reveals that the advertisement has its impact on buying
behavior of consumers. Therefore, it is advisable to How consumers make decisions to spend their
companies to emphasize their advertisement available resources such as money, time and effort
campaign not only to retain their market but to height on consumption and use-related items is the subject
it also. The consumption of organic food has increased of consumer behaviour study. Consumer behavior has
exponentially over the last decade, especially in two aspects: the final purchase activity which is visible
Western economies. China has an affluent urban
1
PG Research Scholar, Department of Commerce CA, St.Joseph’s College, Tiruchirapalli.
2
Assistant Professor, Department of Commerce CA, St.Joseph’s College, Tiruchirapalli.

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to us and the decision process which may involve businesses are investing significantly on
the interplay of a number of complex variables not improvements of their IT systems in order to better
visible to us. In fact, purchase behavior is the end understand the needs and wants of their customers.
result of a long process of consumer decision-making. This in turn enables them to identify what and how
often their customers are purchasing Brink and Berndt
5. Kotler and Keller state that the importance of studying
consumer buying behavior as an area of marketing is OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
increasing due to several factors. In order to offer any • To study the consumer behavior while purchasing.
product or service to the customers businesses must
• To analyze the factors influencing purchase of
understand their customers’ culture, social group and
packaged drinking water.
many other factors. Understanding these factors helps
businesses to draw an effective marketing plan in order • To analyze the level of awareness and satisfaction
to satisfy the needs and wants of their customers in regarding the usage of packaged drinking water
more efficient way. According to Kotler and Keller among the customer.
(2012) the consumers usually pass through the five SCOPE OF THE STUDY
stages which such as problem recognition, information • The main purpose of the study is to identify the level
search, evaluation of alternatives, purchase decision of awareness of the consumer about purified drinking
and post-purchase behavior. It is of great importance water.
for the marketers to identify and study all these stages
METHODOLOGY
well in order to better find out about the buying behavior
of their consumers The research design adopted for this study has been
descriptive in nature . the data is collect through
6. According to Nargunkar (2008), globalization has
questionnaire by direct survey method.
changed the way the businesses operate and target
their customers. As more and more businesses are • Primary data:
operating in more than one country, they need to For the time constrains researcher collected only
understand the different cultures and characteristics 100 samples by issuing a well structured
of their customers. As businesses grow questionnaire in order to elicit necessary information
geographically, their customer bases change and the which makes the possibility of getting the
needs of customers in one country varies from the respondents options.
needs of the customers in another country. Therefore, • Secondary data:
the study of consumer buying behavior is essential in Datas were collected from websites, journals,
order to target all the customers in all different articles, annual report of andavar packaged drinking
geographical areas. water and discussion made with the public
7. Another factor leading to the importance of learning customers.
customer buying behavior is rapid advancements in
SAMPLING TECHNIQUE
the technology. Due to the development of information
technologies and IT systems, learning the customer Sampling techniques used in non probability convenience
buying behavior has become more practical and easier. sampling. The tools used for the study is percentage
It is also stated that the large and multinational analysis and chi- square.

DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION


Table-1 : Table showing the brands of the customers normally prefer
Serial number Brands No of customers Percentage

1 Andavar 30 30%
2 King 15 15%
3 Amma 40 40%
4 Tataplus 12 12%
5 Artic 3 3%
Total 100 100%
Source: Primary Data

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INTERPRETATION
From the above mentioned table it shows that 30% of respondents buy Andavar purified drinking water, 15% of
respondents buy king purified drinking water , 40% of respondents prefer Amma purified drinking water, remaining
12% and 3% of respondents buy Tataplus and Artic purified water.

Table-2 : Table showing the Frequency of buying water.

Frequency No. of Respondents Percentage

Daily 20 20%
0nce in 3days 40 40%
Once in 5days 16 16%
Weekly 24 24%
Total 100 100%
Source: Primary Data
Interpretation
From The above mentioned table it shows that 20% respondents buy purified drinking water on daily basis, 40% of
respondents purchase purified drinking water on once in 3days basis, 16% of respondents purchase purified
drinking water on once in 5days basis, 24% of respondents purchase purified drinking water on weekly basis.

Table-3 : Table showing the factors attracting customers towards purified water.

Factors NO. Of Respondent Percentage


Hygienic 34 34%
Price 12 12%
Convenience 14 14%
Door delivery 10 10%
Security of purified water 30 30%
Total 100 100%
Source: Primary Data

Interpretation:
From The above mentioned table it shows that 30% of consumer prefer security of purified drinking water, 34% of
respondents give their prefer to hygienic of the product, 14% of respondents concentrates on convenient, remaining
12% and 10% of respondents concentrate on price and door delivery.

Table-4 : Table showing the customer expectation about water.

Particulars No .Of Respondent Percentage


Good package 25 25%
Quality 30 30%
Home delivery 10 10%
Safety measures 20 20%
Others 15 15%
Total 100 100%
Source: Primary Data

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Table-5 : Table showing factors that the customer’s are satisfied.


Factors No Of Respondent Percentage

Price 15 15%
Quality & quantity 10 10%
Customers service 40 40%
Door delivery 15 15%
Package 20 20%
Total 100 100%
Source: Primary Data
Interpretation:
From the above mentioned table it shows that 15% of respondents satisfied on price, 10% of respondents are
satisfied with quality & quantity of water and 40% of respondents are satisfied on customer service, 15% of
respondents satisfied on door delivery remaining 20% of respondents satisfied on water packaged system.

Table-6 : Table showing the annual income of customers


INCOME PER ANNAM No. of Respondent Percentage
More then 1,00,000 29 29%
1,00,000-1,50,000 35 35%

1,50,000-2,00,000 20 20%
Above 2,00,000 16 16%
Total 100 100%
Source: Primary Data
Interpretation:
From the above mentioned table it shows that 29% of respondents get 1,00,000 as their income Per Annam , 35%
of respondents get Rs.1,00,000 to 1,500,000 as their income Per Annam, 20% of respondents get Rs.1,50,000 to
2,00,000 as their income Per Annam, 16% of respondents getRs.2,00,000 as their income Per Annam.

Table-7 : Table showing the amount spent on water:


Amount No of respondent Percentage
Less than 500 35 35%

500-1000 54 54%
Above 1000 11 11%
Total 100 100%
Source: Primary Data

Interpretation:
From the above mentioned table it shows that 35% of respondents spend Rs.500 on water, 54% of respondents
spend Rs.1000 on water, 11% of respondents spend Rs. above 1000 on water.

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Table - 8: The awareness of purified water:


Particulars No of Respondent Percentage
Yes 90 90%
No 10 10%
Total 100 100%
Source: Primary Data

Interpretation :
From the above mentioned table it shows that 90% of respondents are aware about purified drinking water and 10%
of respondents are not aware about purified drinking water.

Table-9: The way that customers came to know purified water

Particulars NO Of Respondents Percentage


Advertisement 69 69%
Magazines 6 6%
Friends 10 10%
Neighbors 15 15%

Total 100 100%


Source: Primary Data

Interpretation:
From the above mentioned table it shows that 69% of respondents get awareness through advertisement, 6% of
respondents get awareness through reading magazines, 10% of respondents get information from friends, 15% of
respondents get awareness through neighbors.

Table-10: Table showing usual purchase place of the water:


Places No of Respondent Percentage
Bus stand 33 33%
Shopping malls 3 3%
Exhibition 24 24%

Hotels 25 25%
Theatres 15 15%
Total 100 100%
Source: Primary Data

From the above mentioned table it shows that 33% of respondents purchase purified drinking water in bus stand
while travelling, 3% of respondents purchase purified drinking water in shopping malls, 24%of respondents
purchase purified drinking water inn exhibition, 25% of respondents purchase purified drinking water in hotels ,
remaining 15%of respondents purchase purified drinking water in theatres.

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Table-11 : Table showing the reasons for purchasing purified water:


Reasons No of respondent Percentage
Health 22 22%
Hygienic 26 26%
Quality 10 10%
Price 30 30%
Convenience 12 12%
Total 100 100%
Source: Primary Data
Interpretation:
From the above mentioned table it shows that 22% of respondents consider health is reason for purchase purified
drinking water, 26% of respondents consider hygienic reason for purchase purified drinking water, 10% of respondents
consider quality is a reason for purchase purified drinking water, 30% of respondents consider price is a reason for
purchasing purified drinking water, 12% of respondents consider convenience is a reason for purchase purified
drinking water.
Table-12 : Showing the factor to the verified awareness before using purified water
Awareness No. of respondents Percentage
Data manufacturingAnd expiry date 35 35%
Clean dispenser 15 15%
Seale pack 11 10%
Receipt of purchase water 30 30%
Crush the bottle after use 9 10%
Total 100 100%
Source: Primary Data
Interpretation:
From above mentioned table it shows that 35% of respondents having awareness about date manufacturing and
expiry date before using purified drinking water, 15% of respondents having awareness about clean dispenser
before using purified drinking water, 11% of respondents verified the sealed pack before using purified drinking
water, 30% of respondents verified Receipt of purchase water before using purified drinking water, 9% of respondents
have knowledge about crush the bottle after use.
HYPOTHESIS-1 : There is no relationship between income & average amount spent on water:
Chi-square test
O E (O-E) (O-E)2 (O-E)2/E

8 6.09 1.91 3.6481 0.5990

18 15.66 2.34 5.4756 0.3496

3 7.25 -4.25 18.0625 2.4913

8 7.35 0.65 0.4225 0.05748

17 18.9 -1.9 3.61 0.01910


10 8.75 1.25 1.5625 0.1285m

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4 4.2 -0.2 0.04 9.5288


9 10.8 -1.8 3.24 6.3

7 5 2 4 0.8

1 3.36 -2.36 5.5696 1.6576

10 8.64 1.36 1.8496 0.2140

5 4 1 2 0.5

Total 16.8622

Degrees of freedom:
= (c-1) (r-1)
=(3-1) (4-1)
=2.3=6
Result:
Table value 12.592 is less than the calculated value 16.8622 so the hypothesis.

HYPOTHESIS-2 : There is a close relationship between annual income and frequency of purchasing:
Chi-square test
2 2/E
0 E O-E (O-E) (0-E)
7 5.8 1.2 1.44 0.2482
12 11.6 .4 .16 0.0138
4 4.64 -0.64 .4096 0.0883
6 6.96 -0.96 .9216 0.1324
9 7 2 4 0.5714
18 14 4 16 1.1429
3 5.6 -2.6 6.76 1.2071
5 8.4 -3.4 11.56 1.3761
2 0.4 1.6 2.56 6.4
6 8 -2 4 0.5
4 3.2 .8 0.64 0.2
8 4.8 3.2 10.24 2.1333
2 3.2 -2.1 1.44 0.45
4 6.4 -2.4 5.76 0.9
5 2.56 2.44 5.9536 2.3256
5 3.84 1.16 1.3456 0.3504
Total 18.0395

Degree of freedom:
=(c-1) (r-1)
=(4-1) (4-1)
=3*3=9
Result:
Table value 16.9 is less than the calculated value is 18.0395, the research hypothesis is rejected and null hypothesis
is accepted.
FINDINGS
• 40% of respondents purchase packaged drinking water, 40% of respondents buy purified drinking water, 3%
of respondents purchase purified drinking water.
• 40% of respondents purchase purified drinking water on once in 3days, 16% of respondents purchase
purified drinking water on once in 5 days.

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• 34% or respondents attracted by hygienic, 10% or • The usage of packaged drinking water has made
respondents attracted by door delivery significant impact on the minds of normal man and
• 30% of respondents expect the quality from purified business class people; hence care should be taken
drinking water company, 10% of respondents expect to ensure to preserve the color, taste and necessary
the home delivery for their convenience. nutrients in the packaged drinking water.
• 40% of respondents satisfied on customer service CONCLUSION
product, but only 10% of respondents satisfied on The advent of packaged drinking water has gained
quality and quantity. popularity in many of the corporate, living rooms and in
• 35% of respondents get Rs.1,00,000 to 1,50,000 as flats. Medical practitioners also suggest common public
their income per annam, 16% of respondents get to drinking purified waters to ensure good physical and
Rs. above 2,00,000 as their income per annam. mental health. If proper plans, strategies are made;
there will be an absolute tapping of market can be made
• 54% of respondents spend Rs.1000 on water, 11%of
enhancing a positive attitude on the minds of common
respondents spend Rs. Above 1000 on water.
public.
• 90% of respondents aware about purified drinking
water, 10% of respondents aware about purified REFERENCES
drinking water. 1. Author, Dr. N. Naveen kumar, Dr. vijay kumar
• 69% of respondents get awareness through Gangal, Kirti singh. International Journal of research
advertisement, 60% of respondents get awareness in commerce and management, ADVERTISING
through reading magazines. AND CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOR.
• 33% of respondents purchase purified drinking water 2. Author(s), Chen, Yue. Article, publication year-2012.
in bus stand while travelling, 3% of respondents 3. Author, Peter D. Bennett, ed.” Dictionary of
purchase purified drinking water in shopping malls. Marketing Terms” 2nd ed.1995.
• 30% of respondents consider price is a reason for 4. Author, James F. Engel, Roger D. Blackwell and
purchase purified drinking water, only 10% of Paulw- Minjard. “CONSUMER BEHAVIOR”(1990).
respondents consider quality is a reason for purchase
5. Author, Kotler p. and keller, k.(2011),” MARKETING
purified drinking water.
MANAGEMENT”, LONDON.
• 35% of respondents verified the date of manufacturing
6. Author, Nargundkar R.” MARKETING RESEARCH:
and date of expiry before using purified drinking water,
TEXT AND CASE”, Tata McGraw-Hill Education,
only 10% of respondents verified crush the bottle
publication year(2008).
after use.
7. Author, Brink, A. S.Berndt , A.” RELATIONSHIP
SUGGESTIONS MARKETING AND CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP
• As the drinking water is very essential, the MANAGEMENT” , publication year-2009.
manufacturing should concentrate on the factors of
quality, so that the proposition of buying packaged
drinking water will get increase.
• The water is sourced by the manufactures by the
nearby rivers and wells; hence proper water treatment
has to be made.
• The aspect of quality has been always the influencing
factor on purchase. Consumer always prefer the
quality of purified water for consumption, so
manufactures should maintain quality to convert the
consumer into customer.

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A STUDY ON INTERNET MARKETING RESEARCH: OPPORTUNITIES


AND PROBLEMS
1 2
M.G. Saranya Prof. A. Hendry Ruban

ABSTRACT
The Internet is promised a brilliant future among the favourite tools of marketing researchers. Develops a typology of
Internet marketing surveys showing the existence of eight different designs that can be used by marketers. However,
researchers who plan to develop research using the Internet need to be aware of several problems related to this new
tool. In particular we show that the nature of the Internet creates different sampling problems. To identify these problems,
a seven-step procedure following the steps of the sampling process is proposed.

Introduction What are the objectives of the research? Many different


The Internet as a marketing research tool is relatively types of research may be conducted through the Internet
new and marketing researchers need to learn how to or with the help of the Internet. A
use it. In this paper we develop a framework to help typology of Internet marketing research designs may be
researchers to identify potential opportunities and constructed around three dimensions:
problems related to the use of the Internet for their (1) The objectives of the survey;
marketing research.
(2) The sampling units; and
We organize our discussion around three important
themes facing any researcher: (3) The data collection method.

(1) Survey design. The next paragraphs discuss these three dimensions
and their content. We then present eight different
(2) Sampling; and research designs based on the combination of these
(3) Field work three dimensions.
We first develop a typology of Internet marketing survey Objectives of the survey
designs based on the different combinations of the
Marketing researchers may use the Internet to meet
objectives of the survey, the selected sampling unit, and
three different types of research objectives:
the data collection method to be used. The result of this
combination leads us to discuss eight different designs. (1) They can study how the Internet is used as a
We then develop a seven-step methodology to identify marketing tool;
the potential problems related to sampling and discuss (2) They can use the Internet as an alternative medium
specific problems with the fact the Internet is ever
for traditional questionnaire surveys; or
changing. Fieldwork problems are finally presented with
a focus on the format of the questionnaire, the use of (3) They can use the Internet to study Internet consumer
search engines to obtain a frame and problems related behaviours.
to the sampling units. The use of the Internet pertains to studies of the way
Objectives firms use the Internet as a marketing tool. Pitts petal
(1996) noticed that Web sites have been used to achieve
™ To know difficulties to do internet marketing research. the objectives of a number of marketing strategies, for
™ To develop a typology of Internet marketing survey examples to:
designs that can be used my marketers. ¾ Gain access to previously unknown or inaccessible
™ To identify opportunities and problems. buying influences;
™ To know format of the questionnaire. ¾ Project a favourable corporate image;
™ To identify the problems during survey. ¾ Provide product information;
¾ Foster and encourage consumer involvement with
A typology of Internet marketing survey designs
the product range;
The first question to be asked by a marketer planning to
¾ Generate qualified leads for sales people;
use the Internet for its research is: what do I want to do?

1
PG Research Scholar, Department of Commerce CA, St.Joseph’s College, Tiruchirapalli.
2
Assistant Professor, Department of Commerce CA, St.Joseph’s College, Tiruchirapalli

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¾ Handle customer complaints, queries and sample of Internet users could also be drawn to ask
suggestions; and them to fill in an Internet questionnaire or to send then a
questionnaire by e-mail. These questionnaires may be
¾ Serve as an electronic couponing device. related to their Internet usage but not necessarily.
Internet marketing research may be used to study the Data collection methods
effectiveness of these uses of the Internet.
The third dimension of our typology of Internet marketing
The Internet could also be used to perform traditional survey designs is related to the data collection methods.
questionnaire surveys. Except for technical particularities, Three different methods may be used:
there are no real differences between Internet I. Direct observation;
questionnaires and traditional mail or phone
questionnaires. The advantage of the Internet is that it II. A questionnaire; or
can offer a richer support for the questionnaire and it III. An experiment.
also allows data to be recorded automatically (which is
The direct observation of the content of a web site or
a very important advantage). Internet questionnaire
page could either be done by the researchers or a
surveys could be used to investigate any traditional
sample of users. This method may be used to collect
marketing research question ranging from firms’
objective data such as the number of advertisements
marketing strategies and policies to consumer
on a page or the existence of frames or the number of
behaviours.
links inside a particular page; or to collect subjective
The third type of marketing objectives that could be data such as the satisfaction of users or their reaction
reached by an Internet marketing survey is the study of to the content or design of a web page.
Internet marketing survey is the study of Internet Four kinds of format could be used for Internet
consumer behaviours, for example understanding how questionnaire surveys:
consumers shop in cyberspace and why they do what
9 Web sites questionnaires;
they do. Internet consumption includes:
• Gathering information passively via exposure to 9 E-mail questionnaires;
advertising; 9 Text formatted forms sent by e-mail as an attached
file; or
• Shopping, which includes both browsing and
9 Downloadable text formatted form posted at a
deliberate information search; and
designed ftp which can be returned by mail or fax.
• The selection and buying of specific goods, services,
and information. Except for technical issues, there are no real differences
between these forms of questionnaire and the traditional
These kinds of surveys are concerned about how
questionnaires by mail or by phone.
consumers use the Internet, how they navigate, how they
buy on the Internet, etc. Customer satisfaction related An experiment can be conducted by the creation of an
to Web sites could also be studied in the same way. experimental web site and by studying users’ behaviors
towards some manipulated changes in the site. The
Sampling units content, the design, and/or the navigation flow may be
Three different sampling units could be used in an internet manipulated to identify their effect on consumer
marketing survey: behaviors.
1) Web pages; Eight different designs
2) Web sites; and Eight different research designs may result from the
combination of these three dimensions.
3) Internet users.
A sample of web pages could be drawn to survey the (1) The first and easiest design is to draw a sample of
design, the content, the advertising space on these web pages after the researchers have observed the
pages, or the time these pages remain unchanged, but content of the pages selected. This design may be
also the number of visitors that a page has or the time used to study the use of the Internet as a marketing
visitors spend on a particular page. A sample of web tool, especially the content of a page in terms of
sites could be drawn to survey firms’ Internet image or advertisement.
communication and marketing strategies, the structure
of a site, etc. Finally, a sample of Internet users could (2) A second design is to draw a sample of web pages
be drawn to study their general Internet behaviour, or by a two-stage sampling procedure. The first state
their behaviour toward a particular web site or page. A consists of drawing a sample of web sites and the

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second stage of drawing a sample of pages among sites. Unlike the design where only the users are
the selected sites. This design allows the sampled, this design allows the researchers to
researchers to control the representativity of the control which sites are visited by the internet users.
sample in terms of types of site. With this design, (8) An experimental design could also be used for an
non-commercial sites could, for example, be internet marketing survey. An experimental design
easily excluded from the sample. Observation may could also be used for an internet marketing survey.
also be used to study the usage of the Internet as a An experimental web sites may be designed and a
marketing tool.
sample of internet users could be drawn and asked
(3) A sample of web sites may also be drawn to study to visit the site. Their behaviours could be studied
the use of the Internet as a marketing tool by after modifications of some characteristics of the
observation but at a level higher than the web page. site, such as its content, visual design, or its navi
Compared with the previous design, this allows the gational design.
researcher to study the structure of a site. Use a
Survey sampling problems
similar design to develop a typology of Internet
retailers. After having reviewed the different survey designs
possible for an Internet marketing research survey and
(4) In the previous two designs, the researchers were before presenting the practical problems of such surveys,
the observers, but to study some subjective we have to discuss the problems related to sampling.
characteristics of web site the observation could These problems are among the most difficult in the case
of Internet surveys and actually some of these are not
better be done by a sample of customers. In this
yet completely resolved. The evolving nature of the
case two samples need to be drawn: first, a sample Internet is the source of most of the problems related to
of customers and then a second sample of web sites selection of a probabilistic sample.
or pages. This design may also be used to study
Moving universe
the use of the Internet as a marketing tool.
Among the more delicate sampling problems related with
(5) A sample of web sites could also be drawn to obtain Internet survey is the fact that the Internet is a moving
the address of firms and/or the name of managers. universe. The universe is the total group to be studied; it
Then a questionnaire could be sent to these firms or is the grand total of what is being measured. It must be
managers. This design is particularly interesting for defined so clearly that one will have no difficulty in
deciding which unit belongs to it. But the Internet is
two main reasons: first, before sending a
moving, growing dramatically; many new sites are born
questionnaire, some characteristics of the firms to every day and some others disappear. Consequently,
be sampled could be checked to be sure that these the sampling universe changes every day and it is
firms belong effectively to the population to be impossible to know the probability of selection assigned
studied; second, web sites can offer to the to each possible sample. If at a point of time this
researchers information is not listed anywhere else, probability could be known, it could not be for a period
of time. This leads to some problems of generalization.
for example, an e-mail address.
The results obtained from a survey at one point of time
(6) Instead of drawing a sample of sites, a sample of could only be generalized for this point of time. And
Internet users could be drawn to send them a problems are equally important for surveys that last for
questionnaire by e-mail or to send them to an Internet a period of time. The only solution to these problems of
a moving universe is to substitute static indicators for
address where is located .A similar design could
dynamic ones and by surveying in several points of time.
also be used by comely (1996) to investigate the
use of the internet as a data collection method. But Frame in a moving universe:
this design could also be used in various different A second important problem related with the internet is
questionnaire surveys related or not to the internet. the choice of a sampling frame. A sampling frame is the
list from which the sample will be the selected. But
(7) A sample of web sites and a sample of internet users resulting from the continuous births and death of web
could also be drawn . the internet users are asked sites, there is a difficulty in finding a sampling frame is
to visit selected web sites and to fill in a questionnaire representation of the universe could be defined, that is
concerning their experience with the selected web not the case for the frame. No frame is perfect but, with

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the Internet, the problem is particularly acute. Some to map the difficulties which lie on the road of the Internet
search engines could be used to obtain lists of web sites, marketing researcher. We first developed a typology of
but the results of the survey could only be applied to Internet marketing survey design, which proposes eight
these lists. One solution to improve the validity of the different designs based on the objectives of the
results is to evaluate the “representatively” of the frame. researchers, the sampling unit, and the data collection
This can be done by the comparison of the sampled method. The second part of the paper identified, following
frame with other frames. the seven steps of the sampling process, the problems
Field work problems related to sampling the Internet. Finally, we presented
some practical problems in conducting research on the
Once the survey design has been defined, and once a Internet.
sample has been drawn, some practical problems
subsist. Among these problems, the most important are: References
1. The format of the questionnaire; Comley, P. (1996), The Use of the Internet as a Data
2. The use of research engines to obtain a frame; and Collection Method, SGA Market Research, http://
sga.co.uk/esomar.html
3. Problems related to the sampling units.
Deming, W.E. (1950), Some Theory of Sampling, Wiley,
Formats for the questionnaire New York, NY.
Three kinds of formats could be used for these Fontenot, R.J. and Vlosky, R.P. (1998), “Exploratory
questionnaires: study of Internet buyer-seller relationships”, paper
i) Web site questionnaires; presented at the AMA Winter Educators’ Conference.
Griffith, D.A. and Krampf, R.F. (1998), “An examination
ii) E-mail questionnaires; and
of retail Web-sites: the impact of the retail marketing
iii) Text form sent by e-mail as an attached file. mix on consumer attitude”, paper presented at the AMA
Each one of these formats has some problems. Winter Educators’ conference.

Conclusion
The Internet is a formidable tool for marketing
researchers, which offers many opportunities; however
it also has several difficulties. In this paper, we attempted

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A study on performance Appraisal and services of Government Hospital in


Trichy
1 2
Palanichamy.S Dr A Francis Vijayakumar

Abstract:
Health care professional are becoming more involved in performance management as hospital restructure to increase
effectiveness. Although they are hospital employees, they are subject to performance appraisals because the hospitals
are accountable to patients and the community for the quality of hospital services. The purpose of having a performance
appraisal program in hospital is to monitor employee’s performance, motivate staff and improve hospital moral. The
British association of medical man, agers has defined appraisal as “the process of periodically reviewing one’s
performance against the various elements of one’s job”. This paper will aim to describe the purpose & development of
an appraisal and service of government hospital in Trichy.

Definitions
Introduction
“Services include all economic activities whose output
Services marketing is a sub field of marketing which is not a physical product or construction, is generally
covers the marketing of both goods and services. Goods consumed at the time it is produced, and provides added
marketing include the marketing of fast moving consumer value in forms (such as convenience, amusement,
goods (FMCG) and durables. Services marketing timeliness, comfort or health) that are essentially
typically refer to the marketing of both business to intangible concerns of its first purchaser” (Quinn, Baruch
consumer (B2C) and business to business (B2B) and Paquette, 1987)
services. Common examples of service marketing are
found in telecommunications, air travel, health care, Hospital Services
financial services, all types of hospitality services, car There is a large network of public hospitals and nursing
rental services, and professional services. posts spread across the State to provide accessible
health care to all communities. There are also hospital
A service, according to Vargo and Lusch (2004), is ‘the
support services and palliative care facilities.
application of specialized competences (knowledge and
skills) through deeds, processes, and performances for Hospitals
the benefit of another entity or the entity Hospitals provide a broad range of in-patient and out-
itself. Services are economic activities, rather than patient health care services to match the needs of the
tangible products, offered by one party to another. community.
Rendering a service to recipients, objects, or other
assets depends on a time-sensitive performance to bring In-Patient Services
about the desired result. In exchange for money, time, In-patient services include medical, surgical, paediatric,
and effort, service customers expect value from access obstetric and rehabilitation services. Many hospitals also
to goods, labor, professional skills, facilities, networks, provide mental health services and services for older
and systems; but they do not normally take ownership people
of any of the physical elements involved. Out-Patient Services
The promotion of economic activities offered by Most hospitals provide out-patient services including
a business to its clients. Service marketing might include emergency services, day procedures, diagnostic and
the process of selling telecommunications, assessment services, and therapy services. Hospitals
health treatment, financial, hospitality, car rental, also support various community based programs to
air travel, and professional services. prevent or reduce the need for hospitalisation.
“Activities, benefits and satisfactions, which are offered
for sale or are provided in connection with the sale of Public hospital
goods” (American Marketing Association, Committee of A public hospital or government hospital is
Definitions 1960) a hospital which is owned by a government and receives
government funding. This type of hospital provides

1
Research Scholar, Department of Commerce CA, St. Joseph’s college, Trichy.
2
Assistant Professor, Department of Commerce, St. Joseph’s college, Trichy

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medical care free of charge, the cost of which is covered by the funding the hospital receives
Hospital services Definition
Hospital services is a term that refers to medical and surgical services and the supporting laboratories, equipment
and personnel that make up the medical and surgical mission of a hospital or hospital system.

Purpose
Hospital services make up the core of a hospital’s offerings. They are often shaped by the needs or wishes of its
major users to make the hospital a one-stop or core institution of its local community or medical network. Hospitals
are institutions comprising basic services and personnel—usually departments of medicine and surgery—that
administer clinical and other services for specific diseases and conditions, as well as emergency services. Hospital
services cover a range of medical offerings from basic health care necessities or training and research for major
medical school centers to services designed by an industry-owned network of such institutions as health maintenance
organizations (HMOs). The mix of services that a hospital may offer depends almost entirely upon its basic mission(s)
or objective(s).

Objectives
¾ To find out the awareness among the people those who need the specified treatment in the hospital
¾ To study the doctors specialty in Government hospital
¾ To analyze the level of service provided by government hospital and how far the patients assess the quality of
the service.
¾ To analyze the facility involved in government hospital
¾ To study the public perception towards the performance of government hospital.

Scope
µ This study is about to get the information why people choose the Government hospital
µ To know the opinion of an individual patient about how doctors treatment in Government hospital.
Limitation
™ Short period is limited 2 weeks

Research Methodology
The sample size of user has been fixed arbitrarily as 100. By adopting convenience sample technique 100 Respondents
were contacted to identify their awareness. Reasonable care has been taken to include all type of visitors to the
hospital.
Research Instrument
The research tool used for collections data from the respondents is questionnaire. Questions were so drafted to
collect all required and relevant information for the study. The answer of the respondents were analyzed and used
in appropriate places in the report.
Data Analysis
Analysis included data into simple ones regrouping rearranging the figure give in data and find out ratio and
percentage. It also consists in breaking down a complex set of facts or figure into simple element. It establishes a
relationship between various amounts mentioned in data.
Data Interpretation
It consists in explaining the real significance of simplified analysis of data. The interpret means to put the meaning
of data into simple terms of the benefit of a person. Interpretation is a mental process based on analysis and
criticism. Interpretation is not possible without analysis and without interpretation analysis has no value.
Analysis and interpretation act as a bridge between arts of recording.
Tools
Here to calculate the performance appraisal and services of the government hospital the simple percentage method
is used.

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TABLE
General profile of the Respondent
No.of
Particular Classification Respondent Percentage

Age Below 20 10 10
20 to 30 20 20
30 to 40 30 30
Above 40 40 40
Reason for coming hospital Take treatment 50 50
To see ailing relations 30 30
Others reason 20 20
Official working hours Morning 60 60
Evening 20 20
Night 20 20
Hospita l issuing ambulance for the
place Needed at a correct time Yes 60 60
No 40 40
Facilities available in this hospital Bed facility 50 50
Modern equipment 10 10
Surgical facilities 20 20
Emergency treatment 20 20
Doctors are well trained in th eir field Yes 20 20
No 70 70
Sometimes 10 10
Medicines prescribed by the doctors
are
Provided in the hospital Yes 50 50
No 30 30
Sometimes 20 20
Insurance policy allowed by
government
Hospital was very useful for public Yes 70 70
No 30 30
Satisfied with the facilities provided Yes 50 50
for the Inpatient in government
hospital No 30 30
Sometimes 20 20

Findings
The field of study is undertaken with the prime object of knowing the awareness of the patients and the public, about
the facilities provided by the Government Hospital, Trichy. The following points were found after the study.
10% of the patients are aged below 20. 20% of the patients are aged between 20 to 30.30% patients are aged 30
to 40.40% of the patients are aged above 40.
So people are mostly going to hospital to take treatment that is 50%. To see ailing relation it accounts 30% and for
other reason only 20%.
In this 60 of staffs work during morning. 20% of staff work in the evening and only 20 of staffs work during the night.

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This table clearly explains that 60 of people said ambulances are available. 40% said no to this and 24% have
replied as sometimes.
Here regarding facilities 50% had said bed facilities are available in GH, 10% had said modern facilities are available
in GH , 20% had said surgical facilities are available and finally 20% had said emergency treatment are available
in GH.
20% have said that doctors are really well trained in their field. 20% have said no for this and 10% have voted as
sometimes for this question.
Regarding whether Medicines prescribed by Doctors are available in Market, 50% have replied yes, 30% have
replied No and 20% have replied sometimes.
70% of the people had said yes for the availability of insurance policy in GH and 30% had said no for the availability
of insurance policy in GH.
50% of the people are satisfied with the facilities provided by the GH and 30% are not satisfied with the facilities
provided by the GH and finally 20% of the people are satisfied sometimes only.

Conclusion
The training period was very beneficial. It is a good golden opportunity for me. Adequate knowledge has been
gained in various fields. The experience and knowledge gained during this period is very helpful. It gives the practical
experience to the candidate. The co-operation of the respondents has enabled me to gain more knowledge and has
provided experience in handling all the theoretical and practical aspects in day to day problems.
The field study will be useful for in all my future careers.

Reference
a. http://www.aueb.gr/users/esaopa/courses/part2.pdf
b. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Services_marketing
c. http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/service-marketing.html
d. http://www.health.wa.gov.au/services/category.cfm?Topic_ID=2
e. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_hospital
f. http://www.surgeryencyclopedia.com/Fi-La/Hospital-Services.html
g. “Activities of Tamil Nadu Health System Project”
h. “Tuber Clusis “-Tamil Nadu Government
i. www.tngov.in

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THE STUDY OF MARKET POTENTIAL AND CUSTOMER PREFERENCES


OF SPENCER RETAIL PRIVATE LIMITED IN TIRUCHIRAPPALLI
DISTRICT
1 2
Robert nelson.J Dr. Francis Vijayakumar.A

ABSTRACT
The Indian retail industry is now beginning to evolve in the line with the transformation that has swept other large
economies. It witnesses tremendous growth with the changing demographics and an improvement in the quality of life
of urban people. The growing affluence of India’s consuming class, the emergence of the new breed of entrepreneurs
and a flood of imported products in the food and grocery space, has driven the current retail boom in the domestic
market.
The concept retail which includes the shopkeeper to customer interaction, has taken many forms and dimensions, from
the traditional retail outlet and street local market shops to upscale multi brand outlets, especially stores or departmental
stores. Though at this moment, it is still premature to say that the Indian retail market will replicate the success stories
of names such as Wal-Mart stores, Sainsbury and Tesco but at least the winds are blowing in the direction of growth.

INTRODUCTION doing him a favour by servicing him. He is doing us


“Retailing is a distinct, diverse and dynamic sector”. “It a favour by giving as an opportunity to do so”.
is an activity of enormous economic significance to most Source: Mahatma Gandhi.
developed nations”. It generates revenue and wealth for The word retail has its origin in French word retailer and
nation, encourages investments and brings technological means “to cut a piece off” or “to break bulk”. The term
advancements. Stated that “it bring the employment and retailing defined as “all activities involved in selling good
creates wealth of the economy”. “It is a vibrant part of and services directly to final consumer for their personal
our changing society and a major source of employment” and non-business use”. In simple terms, it implies a first-
Retailing performs activities at larger level so it requires hand transaction with customer.
massive manpower to handle and manage its operations.
Definition
Retailing also helps society in general by providing goods
and services in reasonable price and increasing their The word retailing has its origins in the French verb „retailer
standards of living. “Retailing activity can be viewed as , which means “to cut up”, and refers to one of the
a significant contributor to the economy in general”. fundamental retailing activities which is to buy in larger
quantities and sell in smaller quantities. For example, a
Retailing is the set of activities that markets products or
convenience store would buy tins of beans in units of
services to final consumers for their own personal or
two dozen boxes, but sell in single-tin units. However, a
household use. It does this by organizing their availability
retailer is not the only type of business entity to ‘break
on a relatively large scale and supplying them to
bulk’. Wholesalers also buy in larger quantities and sell
consumers on a relatively small scale.” Retailing makes
to their customers in smaller quantities. It is the type of
products and services available in large quantities.
customer, rather than the activity, that distinguishes a
Retailers produce or order the products/services in bulk
retailer from other distributive traders; the distinction being
so they can take advantage of economy of scale and
that a retailer sells to final consumers, unlike a wholesaler
thus they can formulate competitive pricing strategies.
who sells to a retailer or other business organizations.
Products and services are generally sold through the
store or on the internet. A generally accepted definition of a retailer is ‘any
establishment engaged in selling merchandise for
Retailing- ‘Customer is king’
personal or household consumption and rendering
“A customer is the most important visitor on our services incidental to the sale of such goods’. There are,
premises. He is not dependent on us. We are however, many businesses that carry out retailing activity
dependent on him. He is not an indirection on our that are not in themselves classified as retailers. For
work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outside of example, a factory may engage in retailing activity by
our business. He is the part of it and we are not selling ‘seconds’ quality goods in the shop attached to

1
Research Scholar, Department of Commerce CA, St. Joseph’s college, Trichy.
2
Assistant Professor, Department of Commerce, St. Joseph’s college, Trichy

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its manufacturing premises. In the UK, a retailer is only classified as such for government reporting if the business
gains over half of its income from selling to the final consumer. The term retailing applies not only to the selling of
tangible
Products like loaves of bread or pairs of shoes, but also to the selling of service products. Companies who provide
meals, haircuts and aromatherapy sessions are all essentially retailers, as they sell to the final consumer, and yet
customers do not take goods away from these retailers in a carrier bag. The consumption of the service offering
coincides with the retailing activity itself.

Objective of the study


Ø To study about the perception of customers with reference to availability of product and service in supermarket’s/
Spencer’s
Ø To study about customer preferences and frequency of shopping
Ø To understand the customer expectation form retail service provider.
Ø To know the target customer’s of Spencer’s retail store.

Scope of the study:


Ø Retail sector is divided in to 2 part- organized and unorganised
Ø Over12 million outlets operate in the country and only 5% of them being larger than 500% sq ft (46m2) in size.
Organized retailing in India is projected to grow at the rate of 25-30% p.a., us estimated to grow from the US $
330 billion in 2007 to US $ 427 billion by 2010 and US $ 637 billion by 2015.
Ø Retailing is emerging as a sunrise industry in India and is presently largest employer after agriculture. Some
economists say that retailing is one of the pillars of the economy in India, and some say it is gold mine of Indian
economy
Ø Organised retail formats prevalent globally: malls supermarkets, hypermarkets, discount stores, department
stores, specialty stores, internet retailing convenience stores, MBO etc.
Ø The Indian retail market, which is the fifth largest retail destination globally, has been ranked the 2nd most
attractive emerging market for investment after Vietnam in the retail sector by AT Kearney’s seventh annual
Global retail development index (GDRI), in 2008. The share of retail trade in the country’s gross domestic
product (GDP) was between 8-10% in 2007. It is currently 12%, and is likely to research 22% by 2010.
Limitations of the study:
Ø The sample size chosen is limited to 400 only because of time and financial constraint.
Ø This study was based purely in Dr. A . S. Rao Nagar, Hyderabad.
Ø Data collected may not be a representation of the entire population.
Ø The time duration for this project was only for a period of 45 days.
Ø I also took the view of respondents who don’t shop from supermarkets.
Ø Information given by respondents may be correct and may not be correct.
Research methodology:
Ø The study is relied on primary as well as secondary data.
Ø The primary data is collected through personal interview using structured questionnaire
Ø The secondary is collected form management of the Spencer’s retail ltd, various books, journals and internet.

Data Analysis and interpretation


Table 1

Age group No. of respondents % of respondents


18 -25 134 33.5
20 -25 152 38
36 -45 56 14
46 -55 27 6.75
55+ 31 7.75

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Table 2

No of family and family member’s respondent


Member’s of family No. Of family % of family
1 2 0.5
2 20 5
3 42 10.5
4 123 30.75
5 138 34.5
6 54 13.5
7 15 3.75
8 4 1
9 1 0.25
10 1 0.25

Table-3
Education level of respondents
Education level No. Of respondents % of respondents
S.S.C 7 1.7 5
Inter 28 7
Graduate 215 53.75
Post graduate 138 34.5
Others 12 3

Table-4
Regular shopping of respondents
Shopping place No. Of respondents % of respondents
Supermarkets 284 71
Karan stores 45 11.25
Others 5 16.5
Supermarkets & Karan
stores 66 16.5

Tables-5
No of respondents who Spencer’s for shopping
No. Of respondents Shop at Spencer’s % of respondents
203 Yes 50.75%
197 No 49.25%

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Table-6

Shopping at Spencer’s in a week by respondents


No. Of times in a week No. Of respondents % of resp ondents
1 76 19
2 98 24.5
3 20 5
4 8 2
20 1 0.25
203 50.75

Finding of the study: Ø Complained and feedback should be taken care in


Ø Consumer life style and spending pattern are well manner to create the loyalty and goodwill.
changing more and more customers are visiting Ø Store layout should be redesigned that a customer
supermarket. can have easy access to the product.
Ø Despite high footfalls, the conversion ratio has been Ø Spencer ’s should provide club Spencer ’s
not good in the Spencer’s daily. membership card (apart from HSBC Loyalty card),
Ø More is creating intense competition before on that card one unique no. Should be there and
Spencer’s with the help of MORE @ YOUR DOOR. offer some point system on every purchase that will
attract the customers, through that Spencer’s can
Ø The other factors which attract the respondents to
increase its sales.
various super markets are variety of products offered,
fresh products like fruits and vegetables, availability Ø People generally search for the product on offer so
of dairy products, home delivery, parking facilities, the high margin product should be up fronted that
accepting debit/ credit cards, fast billing, booking mean those item should be in the eye height so that
counters, customer service, courteous and friendly it easily Catches the customer’s attention and
behaviour and ambience. generates impulse purchase.
Ø Store layout should be redesigned that a customer Ø Spencer’s should provide better customer service
can have easy access to the product. than its competitor’s increase the variety of
merchandise with deep assortment, arrangement of
Ø People generally search for the product on offer so
product should be in proper way the created good
the high margin product should be up fronted that
store image and it brings customers and works as a
mean those item should be in the eye height so that
word of mouth marketing for attracting more
it easily catches the customers’ attention and
customers. Spencer’s should also include apparels
generates impulse purchase.
segment in the store, should advertise through
Ø Spencer’s should provide better customer service pamphlets about various offers, provide parking
than its competitors increase the variety of space.
merchandise with deep assortment, arrangement of
product should be in proper way that creates good Conclusion:
store image and it brings customers and works as a In the organised retail market of Trichy, Spencer’s has
word of mouth marketing for attracting more come up with hypermarket in the twin city, giving good
customers. Spencer’s should also include apparels competition to its competitors like big bazaar and other
segment in the store, should advertise through retail outlets. In the near future it plans to open many
pamphlets about various offers, provide parking stores in Trichy and some stores in other part of rural
space. based cities. Many more competitors has entered the
market and many are about to enter the market, making
Suggestions and recommendation: Spencer’s journey even tougher. Hence, Spencer’s has
Ø Customers are very eager to know about offers, to take some important ste ps to overcome its problem
discount schemes provided by supermarket’s/ areas and implement the suggestions before the existing
Spencer’s then Spencer’s should do better promotion and new retailers grab the opportunity making Spencer’s
for creating awareness about all offers with the help existence.
of pamphlets, marketing gimmick using customer
database.

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Reference:
www.Spencerretail.com
www.Rpggroup.com
www.Scribt.com
Magazines:
India today
Business India
Hindu
Deccan chronicles

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BENEFITS OF CURRENCY HEDGING TO EXPORT COMPANIES


1 2
Dr. R.Mayakkannan S.Jayashree

Abstract
One of the biggest risk factors involved in operating an importing or exporting business is that while your sale is in
progress the value of a foreign currency may change relative to the value of the U.S. dollar. This means some of your
export profits can get lost in translation. Overseas buyers typically pay in their own currency, which is then exchanged for
dollars before it’s deposited in your bank. Here’s an example: You thought you were going to get $500,000 for that
shipment of wooden chairs your company exported to France. But by the time your goods make their way overseas on
a barge and the buyer takes delivery, the dollar has weakened against the euro and you end up only getting $460,000.
On the flip side: Instead of weakening, the dollar strengthens suddenly against the currency your buyer uses. By the
time your merchandise arrives, it costs the buyer more in the local currency to equal the dollar value you agreed upon,
and now the buyer doesn’t want to take delivery and close the sale. As you can see, currency fluctuations can really take
a bite out of your profits. That’s why savvy exporters and importers use currency hedging to protect their companies from
the risk of changing currency values.

INTRODUCTION consists of taking an offsetting position in a related


In 1971, the Bretton Woods system of administering security, such as a futures contract.
fixed foreign exchange rates was abolished in favor of
Meaning of currency Hedging
market-determination of foreign exchange rates; a
regime of fluctuating exchange rates was introduced. Currency hedging is the act of entering into a financial
Besides market-determined fluctuations, there was a contract in order to protect against unexpected, expected
lot of volatility in other markets around the world owing or anticipated changes in currency exchange rates.
to increased inflation and the oil shock. Corporates Currency hedging is used by financial investors and
struggled to cope with the uncertainty in profits, cash businesses to eliminate risks they encounter when
flows and future costs. It was then that financial conducting business internationally. Hedging can be
derivatives – foreign currency, interest rate, and likened to an insurance policy that limits the impact of
commodity derivatives emerged as means of managing foreign exchange risk
risks facing corporations. In India, exchange rates were
Types of currency Hedging:
deregulated and were allowed to be determined by
markets in 1993. The economic liberalization of the early Spot Contracts:
nineties facilitated the introduction of derivatives based A foreign currency contract to buy or sell at the current
on interest rates and foreign exchange. However foreign currency rate, requiring settlement within two
derivative use is still a highly regulated area due to the days, As a foreign currency hedging due to the short-
partial convertibility of the rupee. Currently forwards, term settlement date, spot contracts are not appropriate
swaps and options are available in India and the use of for many foreign currency hedging and trading strategies.
foreign currency derivatives is permitted for hedging Foreign currency spot contracts are more commonly
purposes only. used in combination with other types of foreign currency
hedging vehicles when implementing a foreign currency
Meaning of Hedging: hedging strategy. For retail investors, in particular, the
Hedging means taking a position in the future market spot contract and its associated risk are often the
that is opposite to position in the physical market with underlying reason that a foreign currency hedge must
a view to reduce risk associated with unpredictable price be placed. The spot contract is more often a part of the
change. A hedge is an investment that’s made, not so reason to hedge foreign currency risk exposure rather
much to take advantage of a situation, but to prevent or than the foreign currency hedging solution.
offset another potentially risky or uncontrollable
Forward Contracts:
situation. Making an investment to reduce the risk of
adverse price movements in an asset. Normally, a hedge A foreign currency contract to buy or sell a foreign
currency at a fixed rate for delivery on a specified future

1
Assistant Professor of Commerce, Sri Sankara Arts and Science College,Enathur, Kanchipuram.
2
Research Scholar, Pondicherry University, Pondicherry.

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date or period, Foreign currency forward contracts are PROFILE OF EXPORT COMPANIES
used as a foreign currency hedge when an investor The Reliance Industries Limited and Dr. Reddy
has an obligation to either make or take a foreign Laboratories Company has been taken to fulfill the
currency payment at some point in the future. If the date objectives of the study, since these companies involve
of the foreign currency payment and the last trading date in currency hedging activities.
of the foreign currency forwards contract are matched
up, the investor has in effect “locked in” the exchange Reliance industries limited
rate payment amount The Reliance Company is India’s largest private sector
Foreign Currency Swaps: company on all major financial parameters. They are
the first private sector company from India to feature in
A financial foreign currency contract whereby the buyer
the Fortune Global 500 list of ‘World’s Largest
and seller exchange equal initial principal amounts of
Corporations’ and ranks 117th amongst the world’s Top
two different currencies at the spot rate. The buyer and
200 companies in terms of profits. The company operates
seller exchange fixed or floating rate interest payments
world-class manufacturing facilities across the country
in their respective swapped currencies over the term of
at Allahabad, Barabanki, Dahej, Hazira, Hoshiarpur,
the contract. At maturity, the principal amount is
Jamnagar, Nagothane, Nagpur, Naroda, Patalganga,
effectively re-swapped at a predetermined exchange rate
Silvassa and Vadodara. The company operates in three
so that the parties end up with their original currencies.
business segments: petrochemicals, refining, and oil
Foreign currency swaps are more often used by
and gas. The petrochemicals segment includes
commercials as a foreign currency hedging vehicle rather
production and marketing operations of petrochemical
than by retail forex traders.
products. The refining segment includes production and
Data and Methodology marketing operations of the petroleum products.
1. Sources of data The oil and gas segment includes exploration,
development and production of crude oil and natural gas.
The present study is based on secondary data of
The other segment of the company includes textile, retail
Companies currency hedging practices of Reliance
business and special economic zone (SEZ)
Industries Limited and Dr. Reddy Laboratories
development. In the year 1966 the RIL was founded by
Limited Annual Report has been taken.
Shri DhirubhaiH.Ambani, it was started as a small textile
2. Period of data manufacturer unit. In May 8, 1973 RIL was incorporated
Reliance Industries Limited and Dr. Reddy and conformed their name as RIL in the year 1985. Over
Laboratories Limited are two export oriented the years, company has transformed their business from
companies. Therefore we have taken both companies manufacturing of textiles products into a petrochemical
annual report of last 4 years for the year 2009 to major.
2013.
Major subsidiaries and associates
Objective of the study On 31 March 2013, the company had 123 subsidiary
1. To study the current currency hedging practices and companies and 10 associate companies.
the use of currency hedging in export company
Reliance Life Sciences works around medical, plant
2. To assess the effectiveness of currency hedging in
and industrial biotechnology opportunities. It specializes
export oriented companies.
in manufacturing, branding, and marketing Reliance
Limitations of the study Industries’ products in bio-pharmaceuticals,
pharmaceuticals, clinical research services, regenerative
1. This study is based on secondary data and hence
medicine, molecular medicine, novel therapeutics,
the suggestions derived may not be accurate.
befouls, plant biotechnology, and industrial biotechnology
2. The period of study was very limited (4 years only). sectors of the medical business industry
3. This study limits itself only in India.
Reliance Logistics is a single-window company selling
4. This study is based on only two companies. transportation, distribution, warehousing, logistics, and
supply chain-related products, supported by in-house
Tools:
telemetric and telemetry solutions. Reliance Logistics
These studies found result through statistical tools such is an asset based company with its own fleet and
as Regression Analysis in Ms-Office excel Software. infrastructure. It provides logistics services to Reliance
group companies and outsiders.

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Reliance Clinical Research Services (RCRS), a contract research organization (CRO) and wholly owned subsidiary
of Reliance Life Sciences, specializes in the clinical research services industry. Its clients are primarily pharmaceutical,
biotechnology and medical device companies.
Reliance Solar, the solar energy subsidiary of Reliance, was established to produce and retail solar energy
systems primarily to remote and rural areas. It offers a range of products based on solar energy: solar lanterns,
home lighting systems, street lighting systems, water purification systems, refrigeration systems and solar air
conditioners.

DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETAION: REGRESSION ANALYSIS


The tool used in this study is regression. It is a statistical process for estimating the relationships among variables.
It includes many techniques for modeling and analyzing several variables, when the focus is on the relationship
between a dependent variable and one or more independent variables. More specifically, regression analysis helps
one understand how the typical value of the dependent variable (or ‘Criterion Variable’) changes when any one of the
independent variables is varied, while the other independent variables are held fixed. We can test regression by
using the formula below.
REGRESSION EQUATION:
Y=a+Bx
Y=DEPENDENT VARIABLE. A= ALPHA
Bx=Regression coefficients for the independent variable.

Table no 1
Reliance industries limited
Model R R Square Adjusted R Std.Error Of The F Sig
Square Estimate Value
1 0.654286591 0.428090943 0.142136414 28775.85514 1.4971 0.345713409
Percentage of forward contract on total sales
Year 2009 -2010 2010 -2011 2011 -2012 2012 -2013
% of sales 12. 62942 12.72676 7.587359 24.81619

The above Table no.2 reveals that F value is significant at 10% levels. This indicates that the variation caused by
option contract in sales is significant. The value of Correlation Coefficient (R) and Coefficient of Determination (R
square and Adjusted R square) of the model are shown in the Table. The value of correlation coefficient or R square
is 82%.These show that the independent variable option contract under reference has high degree of correlation
with sales. The regression results suggest that the model is a good fit as indicated by the values of R2 and F
statistics. The coefficients of the independent variable suggest that option contract has positive and significant role
to accelerate sales. From the study it is known that 82% of the option contract is influenced by sales.
Percentage of forward contract on total sales

Year 2009 - 2010 2010 - 2011 2011 - 2012 2012 - 2013

% of sales 23.49841 11.3552 7.619792 0.640305

Total sales value of Reliance Industries Limited is Rs. 190881million for the financial year 2009-10 by hedging their
sales with option contract they minimize the risk of Rs. 44854 million which is almost 23% of total sales and 2010-
11 the sales value is increased to 248170 million and their option contract value is 28181 million which is near to
11% and lower than last year 2009-10.Total sales for 2011-12 was Rs 329904 million and hedging value was Rs.
25138million which is 7.6% and lower than the last two years. In the year 2012 -13the sales value is Rs. 360297million
and hedging value is Rs. 2307 million this is the lowest value compare to last three years

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TABLE NO 3
Swap contract on total sales
Model R R Square Adjusted R Std.Error Of The F Value Sig
Square Estimate

1 0.66160198 0.43771718 0.156575769 487.2745653 1.5569 0.33839802

Dr. Reddy laboratories limited: Forward contract on total sales

Model R R Square Adjusted R Std.Error Of The F Value Sig


Square Estimate

1 0.223661777 0.050024591 -0.424963114 78.95766071 0.1053 0.776338223

Percentage of forward contract on total sales

Year 2009 - 2010 2010 - 2011 2011 - 2012 2012 - 2013

% of sales 0.242276 0.327493 0.08481 0.168892

Total sales value of Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Limited is currency to equal the dollar value you agreed upon, and
Rs. 68517million for the financial year 2009-10 by hedging now the buyer doesn’t want to take delivery and close
their sales with forward contract they minimize the risk the sale. As you can see, currency fluctuations can really
of Rs. 166 million which is almost .2% of total sales and take a bite out of your profits. That’s why savvy exporters
2010-11 the sales value is increased to 72368 million and importers use currency hedging to protect their
and their forward contract value is 237 million which is companies from the risk of changing currency values.
near to .3% and higher than last year 2009-10.Total All the big retailers that operate internationally use
sales for 2011-12 was Rs 94329million and hedging value currency hedging to make sure their profits aren’t eroded
was Rs. 80 million which is .08% and lower than the by currency changes, and small businesses can do it,
last two years. In the year 2012 -13the sales value is too. Foreign exchange risk is difficult to control because
Rs.114215 and hedging value is Rs. 192.9million this is unless you are a large import and export company, to
the highest value compare to last two year. hedge the currency risk would require paying spreads
and fees that would probably end up offsetting most of
SUMMARY the potential benefits from hedging. However even large
One of the biggest risk factors involved in operating an companies can get so focused on their regular business
importing or exporting business is that while your sale activity that they forget to hedge their currency exposure.
is in progress the value of a foreign currency may change Take BMW, one of the world’s largest car manufacturers
relative to the value of the U.S. dollar. This means some for example. In 2003, the Euro rallied 20 percent from a
of your export profits can get lost in translation. Overseas low of 1.04 to a high of 1.25 against the US dollar. The
buyers typically pay in their own currency, which is then company did very well and revenues increased 4.2
exchanged for dollars before it’s deposited in your bank. percent.
Here’s an example: You thought you were going to get
$500,000 for that shipment of wooden chairs your Findings and suggestions:
company exported to France. But by the time your goods A forward contract booked by an exporter seeks to protect
make their way overseas on a barge and the buyer takes his profitability from his business operations as long as
delivery, the dollar has weakened against the euro and the forward contract is not cancelled and the contracted
you end up only getting $460,000. On the flip side: Instead export takes place as per the agreed timeline, the exports
of weakening, the dollar strengthens suddenly against does not make any gains/losses on account of the
the currency your buyer uses. By the time your fluctuations in the foreign currency versus INR (if exports
merchandise arrives, it costs the buyer more in the local invoice in foreign currency If a forward contract (exports)

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is cancelled thus could be a gain for the exporter, if the foreign currency (VS INR) price depreciates as on date of
cancellation as compared to the spot rate on date of booking the contract. If a forward contract (exporter) is
cancelled there could a loss to the exporter, if the foreign currency (VS INR) prices appreciate on date of cancellation
as compared to the spot rate on date of booking the contract. Firms can make gains or losses from hedging. The
basic purpose of hedging is to protect against excessive losses. Firms also tend to benefit from knowing exactly
how much they will receive from the export deals and can avoid the uncertainty associated with future exchange
rate movements. In DR. Reddy laboratories the option contract gives more gain to exporter that is the risk involved
his minimize .when compared to forward contract and swap contract the options contract gives more gain in the
year 2012-13. In reliance industries limited the interest rate swap has increased by Rs. 238 in the year 2013. The
currency swaps has decreased by Rs. 880 in the year 2013. The options contract has decreased by Rs. 22831 in
the year 2013. The forward contract has increased by Rs. 64381 in the year 2013.

CONCLUSION:
In the current scenario, hedging through derivative markets is a major challenge ever for the exporters. Currency
Derivatives acts as a major tool for hedging the risk caused by exchange rate fluctuations. This study identifies that
a perception with as per companies is that currency derivatives trading can be used for hedging, forex exposure.
The nature of the derivatives instruments is to reduce the risk involved in foreign trade. So exporters are taking
currency derivatives trading for reducing their risk involved in foreign trade and making profits and they considered
these to be important factors for taking trade relate decisions. . They should be made aware of the various hedging
strategies, which can be used for reducing their risk. Awareness about the various uses of currency derivatives can
help traders to reduce risk and increase profits as the lack of knowledge appears to be the most significant barrier
to exporters and importers as it prevents then form taking business decisions. Indian companies currently hedge
their risk by entering into foreign currency forwards, swap and options agreements in over-the-counter market (OTC)
market. An exchange traded platform for currency futures is considered to be more transparent, efficient and
accessible than the OTC market. A majority of the companies prefer the centralized approach to the decentralized
approach as the companies seem to believe in controlling all their treasury activities from a single location in order
to hedge their risks. This would probably also help a MNC to focus on hedging the firm as a portfolio of currency
positions in order to take advantage of currency hedging.

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A STUDY ON WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS IN TIRUCHIRAPPALLI


DISTRICT OF TAMILNADU
1 2
Dr.P. Jayakumr Dr. M. Vincentsahayaraj
Abstract
Women entrepreneurs may be defined as, “women or group of women who initiate, organise and run business
enterprises”. The Government of India has defined women enterprises as, “An industrial unit where one or more women
entrepreneurs have not less than 51 per cent financial holding”. Women entrepreneurship needs tobestudied separately
for two mainreasons. Thefirst reasonsthat women’s entrepreneurship has been recognised during thelast decade as
animportant untapped source of economic growth.Women entrepreneurship has been emerging among women of
various classes. Research on entrepreneurships revealed that it has been the domain of men for a long. A research
conducted in Tiruchirappalli district on women entrepreneurs revealed that they are found in micro scale of operation
in the trades of tailoring, beauty clinic, fancy stores petty shops, food based products readymade garments, etc. They
found themselves comfortable with the famine and service nature and micro scale of activates. It was underlined that
the dual responsibility and associated lack of time to fully devote to business have made the women to confine to part
time and temporary nature of entrepreneurial activities. Also these women have lack of support from formal sector such
as banks, which made them increasingly, which made them increasingly, rely on moneylenders who charge really
exorbitant rate of interest.
Keywords: Entrepreneurs,Women Entrepreneurs,Employment,Timemanagement,break-even,Business problem.

Introduction Womenentrepreneurs may be defined as, “women or


“The Indian women has established equality with men in group of women who initiate, organize and run business
all walks of life and will never return to her former status enterprises”. The Government of India has defined women
of a painted doll, child bearing Machine (or) a mere enterprises as,”An industrial unit where one or more
hanger – on”-Mahatma Gandhi women entrepreneurs have not less than 51per cent
financial holding”.
“When women move forward, the family movesthe village
The present paper aims to study the socio-economic
moves” claimedJawaharlal Nehru. It is recognized the
conditions of women entrepreneurs in the study area,
world over that only when the women are in the
motivational factors to become an entrepreneur and the
mainstream of progress can any economic and social
problems faced by them in course of their entrepreneurial
development be possible and meaningful.With the advent
pursuits. Because their role in the development of the
of mass media and so many awareness programmes
family, society and in the nation is quite significant.
women today are awaken to the new concepts of life
and their changing roles in family and society. Women Objectives
have started stepping out of the age-old conventions and
1. To analyse the socio-economic conditions of women
now they perform shoulder to shoulder with men in almost
entrepreneurs in the study area.
every field.
2. To highlight the obstacles and problems faced by
They are growing more and more and more conscious women entrepreneurs and
of their role, status and rights in the society. Their hidden
3. To analyse the factors that help women to become
entrepreneurial talents triggered by persistence and
entrepreneurs.
perseverance contribute to amazing results. Her need
for personal identity, craving for achievement, urge for Review of Literature
independence etc are responsible for women
Dr. Manimekalai N. (1999) has examined the nature
entrepreneurs number around eight per cent of the total
and the characteristics of rural and urban women
entrepreneurs in India.
entrepreneurs and has pointed out strongly that there is
Women entrepreneurship is the thrust area at present a lot of potentiality among women and proper environment
as the Government, banks and other agencies are out should be created to nurture entrepreneur, who belong
to serve this sector with the twin objectives of enhancing mostly to the non-traditional group. While exploring the
self employment opportunities in general and formal training and financial supports rendered by
employment of women in particular. National Institutions in India the investigator has pointed

1
Assistant Professor in Economics, Christhuraj College, Tiruchirappali.
2
Assistant professor in Economics,SrinivasanDhanalakshmi College,Perambalur.

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out that these institutions offer much support to the urban women when compared to rural entrepreneurs.
Kamalakannan (2005) has identified the specific problems faced by women entrepreneurs in his analysis as stiff
competition from men entrepreneurs, High prices of raw materials, financial, managerial and technical constraints,
and poor co-operation from family members, attitude of the society towards women and problem of middlemen.
S. Muralikrishna (2006) in his study revealed that the higher number of entrepreneurs where in the age group of 25-
30 years. This shows that majority of entrepreneurs at their early age.
Dr.Valasamma Antony(2007), in her article “Women entrepreneurs on the upbeat” pointed out that preference for
self employment and the need for economic independence along with experience obtained from family business
constituted the motivating elements for the women to enter into business.

Methodology
This study is based on both primary and secondary data. Primary data will be collected from the 50 respondents in
Tiruchirappalli town through the interview schedule. Secondary data is collected from the books, journals and other
published materials. The collected data will be presented in the following tables.

Table 1: Age distribution of women entrepreneurs

Age No. of. respondents Percentage


Below 20 - -
20 - 30 20 40
30 - 40 19 38
40 - 50 11 22
Above 50 - -
Total 50 100
Source:Primary data

India is a young nation in the literal sense of the term. The current proportion of the young in the population quiet
high.In the same way in the study area, the young women entrepreneur is higher than the other age group. The
above table also shows that 78per cent of the respondents are found in the age group of 20-40 which is higher, and
also it is clear from the table that woman who are below the age of 20 and above 40were not interested in
entrepreneurship.

Table 2: Religion and Community wise classification of the respondents

Religion
Community
Hindus Christians Muslims Total Percentage
BC 20 5 3 28 56
MBC 10 3 1 14 28
SC 5 2 1 8 16
Total 35 10 5 50
Percentage 70 20 10 100
Source:Primary data

The above table shows that 70per centof the respondents belong to Hindu religion and 56per cent of the respondents
belong to backward Community and 16 per cent of the respondents belong to scheduled caste which is lower
because poverty is both a cause and consequences of low percentage in that community.

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Table 3: Marital status


No. of.
Status Percentage
respondents
Married 39 78
Un Married 8 16
Widow 2 4
Divorce 1 2
Total 50 100
Source:Primary data

Marriage is a universal phenomenon in India. The Indian women have married relatively early and only a very small
proportion have remained spinster. In the above table explains the 78 per cent of the respondentswere married and
16per cent were Unmarried. The predominant reason for unmarried women not opting for entrepreneurship is the
uncertainty of the place where they would be settling after the marriage.

Table 4:Educational Status of the Respondents

Educational No. of. Percentage


status respondents
High school 2 4
Higher secondary 21 42
Under graduate 23 46
Post Graduate 2 4
Technical 2 4
Total 50 100
Source:Primary data

According to the census definition, a person is deemed as literate if he or she can read and write with understanding
in any language. The above table shows that 46per cent of the respondents are graduates and 42per cent of the
respondents are studied upto higher secondary level. This helps them to do the work better compared to poorly
qualified.

Table 5: Type of family

No. of.
Type of family Percentage
respondents
Nuclear family 40 80

Joint family 10 20

Total 50 100
Source:Primary data

The joint family system is prevalent in the large part of the country. In the above table of the 80 per cent respondents
belonged to nuclear familiesare higher and 40per cent were in joint families. These respondents revealed that their
family elders were helping them by looking after their children when they were doing their businesses.

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Table 6: Distribution of the respondents by Motivational factors

Motivation No. of. respondents Percentage


Husband 14 28
Parents 6 12
Friends 11 22
Relatives 10 20
Society 5 10
Self 4 8
Total 50 100
Source:Primary data

The above table shows that majority of the respondents (28per cent) are motivated by their husband and 22per cent
are by their friends, this reveals that the male domination, attitude of the men towards females have changed.

Table 7: Nature of Business


Nature No.of. Respondents Percentage
Beauty Clinic 25 50
Fancy stores 10 20
Tailoring 5 10
Mess 2 4
Readymade garments 5 10
Vegetable shops 3 6
Total 50 100
Source:Primary data
The above table shows that the nature of business started by the respondents break popular assumption that the
women are fit only for the ventures of tailoring pickle makingpapad, Agarpathi making 50per cent of the respondents
are engaged in beauty clinic due to less risk involved and more safety.

Table 8: Investment
Investment No.of. Respondents Percentage
Below 10,000 4 8
10,000 - 25,000 2 4
25,000 - 50,000 40 80
50,000 - 1,00,000 - -
Above 1,00,000 4 8
Total 50 100
Source:Primary data
The above table shows that only eight per cent of the respondents invested more than 1,00,000. It shows that the
women did not want to take more risk by investing more.

Table 9: Business performance of the respondents


Profitability status No.of. Respondents Percentage
Profitable 20 40
break - even 16 32
Unprofitable 14 28
Total 50 100
Source:Primary data
It can be understood from the above table that the respondents are equally divided between three categories
(profitable, break-even, and unprofitable) of business performance in terms of profitability. The third category said
that they incurred losses in the first year of operation, but these women continued their business in spite of the
initial losses.

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Table 10: Problems faced by the respondents


Nature of Problem No.of. Respondents Percentage
Personal problem 20 40
Business problem 30 60
Total 50 100
Source:Primary data

The above table shows that 40per cent of the The banks should provide credit at reasonable interest
respondents are facing personal problems like,time without insisting on collateral security in the form of
management, Life style changes, Stress in making physicalassets. The government should design a suitable
decisions, Lack of free time, conflicting roles and 60per scheme to attract women towards entrepreneurship and
cent are facing business problems like working capital to keep their enterprises to survive.The success stories
shortage, problems related to inputs, employees, of several women entrepreneurs should be discussed
market problems and harassment from officials. But it among entrepreneurs to improve their business.
reveals that women entrepreneurs are mostly suffer by
business problems than personal problems. Conclusion
To conclude, women entrepreneurs play an emerging
Findings
diverse role in terms of enterprise creation in India. If
1) Nearly 78per cent of the respondents belong to age they are to continue to be a vibrant part of India’s
group of 20-40 movement toward market economies more support in
2) The study reveals that majority of the respondents terms of infrastructure is needed. The government support
belong to Hindu Religion and backward needs to include more tax incentives, better credit
community. conditions, advising and counsellingcentres and a strong
banking and Insurance system. With these support
3) 46per cent of the respondents are graduates and
system in place, women entrepreneurs will have an even
42per cent of the respondents are studied
greater impact on the economic development of India.
up to higher secondary level.
4) 78per cent of the respondents are married. Reference
5) 80per cent of the respondents live in nuclear family 1. Dhameja. S.K., “Wopmen Entrepreneurs”, Deep &
Deep Publications Pvt Ltd., New Delhi, Pp114-118.
6) 28per cent of the respondents are motivated by their
husband and 22per cent are 2. Ganesan.S., Status of women Entrepreneurs in India”,
Kanishka Publishers, New Delhi Pp.97-100.
motivated by their friends to undertake a business.
3. Manimekalai. N., (1999), Nature and characteristics
8) 50per cent of the respondents are engaged in beauty
of women entrepreneurs in India, Deep & Deep
parlour because of less risk.
Publications Pvt Ltd., New Delhi,Pp 50-57.
9) 80per cent of the respondents initial investment is
4. NayanBarua&AparajectaBorkakoty, “Women
between 25000 to 50,000.
entrepreneurs” APH publishing co-operation, New
10) 56per cent of the respondents revealed that they Delhi. Pp.44-48.
are running a business at profit.
5. Soundarapandian, Women Entrepreneurship, Issues
11) Majority of the women entrepreneurs (60per cent) and strategies, Kanishka Publishers, New Delhi,
are facing more business problems Pp.34-40.
than personal problems.In short, the position of the 6. Valasamma Antony, “Women Entrepreneurs on the
women entrepreneurs in the studyarea is better after upbeat – A study, Southern Economist Vol.25, No.21,
they became an entrepreneur. March 2007, Pp.11-13.
Suggestions
The DIC should identify skilled women who did not take
up any employment and motivate them to take up home
based entrepreneurial activities related to their skills.

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STUDY ON SELECT BANCASSURANCE COMPANIES IN INDIA


1
M.ESWARI

Abstract
Bancassurance as a concept first began in India when the insurance industry opened up to private participation in
December, 1999 Distribution of insurance products through bank branches, enlarged customers base, defensive
positioning, and size drive the insurers to embrace bancassurance. The focus that spur banks to seek distribution of
insurance products through their branch network are asset accumulation, disinter mediation, lower risk and higher
margin products (Unit-linked products), potential for cross-selling, scale, client solutions, risk diversification, cost benefits
and capturing increased profit.
This study makes one to have an insight about the overview performance of the Bancassurance companies (ICICI
Prudential Life Insurance Company, SBI Life insurance Company and HDFC Life insurance company). This study is
totally to the present day’s problems pertaining to Bancassurance companies. An attempt has been made to use the
various analysis and interpretation for the above problems.

1.1INTRODUCTION: The second article “Convergence Strategies for Banking,


Insurance and Investments” is sourced Bank
Bancassurance is the distribution of insurance products Administration Institute2 and Boston consulting Group
through a bank’s distribution channels. It is a service on converging financial markets. The study identifies the
that can fulfill both banking and insurance needs at the following key areas of opportunity for banks: increase in
same time. Bancassurance as a concept first began in ROI, customer retention and profitability, the lessons to
India when the insurance industry opened up to private be learnt from European banks, leveraging branch
participation in December, 1999 Distribution of insurance network and electronic distribution channels, focusing
products through bank branches, enlarged customers on underserved customer segments and growth
base, defensive positioning, and size drive the insurers opportunities. The article ends by spelling the way to
to embrace bancassurance. The focus that spur banks execute the winning strategy that requires careful
to seek distribution of insurance products through their consideration and co-ordination.
branch network are asset accumulation, disinter
mediation, lower risk and higher margin products (Unit- The third article “Bancassurance: Knowing and Growing
linked products), potential for cross-selling, scale, client with your customer” by 3Angus His lop is a write-up.
solutions, risk diversification, cost benefits and capturing Which is a part of the joint study on creating Tomorrow’s
increased profit. leading Retail Bank by price Waterhouse coopers (PWC)
and Economist Intelligence unit. It articulates the
1.2 Review Of Literature:
challenge set for bancassurance to achieve real
A brief discussion of the past studies relating to the synergistic competitive edge over specialist bank/
bancassurance is presented here. The studies consist insurance providers and new entrants. The authors focus
of materials from various agencies and academic on growing demand from customers for superior service,
communities. competitive prices and convenient access to a range of
The first article “ Bancassuracne: Driving factor” by Geoff delivery channels. The emphasis is on making cross -
Mayne and Mathew Taylor1of Fitch insurance ratings selling an integral part of the corporate culture, and as
agency, speaks of bancassurance as an emerging intimacy develops, turn cross-selling intro cross - buying
concept in the insurance industry seeking mew channels by the customer.
of distribution in the global context. It analyses the pros The article Bancassurance: “Three Partnership Models”
and cons of the integration of insurance firms and banks. is written by 4Dorlisa K Flur, Darren Huston, and Lisa Y
The article mentions that the concept of bancassurance Lowie are the article suggests, based on research, that
has gained popularity in recent years two different the sale of life insurance through banks will meet
models-the integrated organic approach (the French important set of consumer needs. The authors give the
model) and the merger approach (Netherlands-1991). steps to be followed by bancassurance startup:
The authors while giving the strategic rationale,
Develop the product → Build distribution→General
enumerates the driving factor from the points of view of
sales lead → Sell the product → Process the policy
both insurers and bankers.

1
Asst. Professor, Dept. of commerce with CA, NPR Arts and Science College, Natham.

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Administer the policy. Three partnership models are 1.7 LIMITATIONS OF STUDY:
suggested, which are based on the nature and extend The study has used secondary data for analyzing the
of association between the partners. The true value of performance appraisal and operating efficiency, so it is
Bancssurance can be achieved by both the parties only not cent percent accurate.
through concurrence of approaches, which is not a
2. Bancassurance an overview
matter of choice but an imperative need.
2.1 Introduction
The article “Bancassurance: Potential to Grow” is written
Bancassurance commonly means selling insurance
by 5Y Chandra Sekhar and KBS Kumar. In this article
products under the same roof of a bank. With the opening
trace of as a matter of fact, only 25% of the global
up of the insurance sector and with so many players
insurance population is insured and even among them
entering the Indian insurance industry, it is required by
most are underinsured. Banks emerge as potential
the insurance companies to come up with innovative
winners in this kind of scenario.
products, create more customer awareness about their
6
Graham Morris in his article “ Bancassurance in India products and offer them at a competitive price. New
– A beginning”, examines the question: why entrants in the insurance sector had no difficulty in
bancassurance in India? Augmenting of revenues seems matching their products with the customers needs and
to be a major attraction for banks to sell insurance offering them at a price acceptable to the customer.
products in view of the sharp decline in margins in their
core lending business. Some banks taking equity stakes 2.2 Models of Bancassurance
in insurance companies in perhaps a precursor to 1) Distribution alliance between the insurance company
assuming a bigger role by them in the future. Regulatory and the bank.
issues, relevant business models, learning from the 2) Joint venture between the two companies.
experiences of other countries as a crucial factor for
3) Merger between a bank and an insurer.
long-term success are some of the important points dealt
with in the article. The author says that initial successes 4) Bank builds or buys own insurance products
achieved augur well for bancassurance in India. Most of the bancassurance operations fall in the first
model.
1.3 Scope Of The Study:
This study makes one to have an insight about the 2.3 Growth of Bancassurance:
overview performance of the bancassurance companies 2.3.1 Banking + Insurance:
(ICICI Prudential life insurance company, SBI Life Perhaps a decade ago, majority of the financial
insurance Company and HDFC Life insurance company). institutions would not have dreamt about integrating the
This study is totally to the present day’s problems two big forces to create bancassurance. Both the
pertaining to bancassurance companies. An attempt has evolutions of new markets and marketing strategies have
been made to use the various analysis and interpretation prompted the big force to look at each other more closely
for the above problems. and come out with a strategy that would be beneficial
for both of them. It can be said as a package of financial
1.4 Objectives Of The Study:
services, which offers both the banking and insurances
The following are the objectives of the study: products under one roof. It is a combination, where both
1. To trace the origin, growth and the development of the services co-exist and add value to institution.
bancassurance.
2.4 The RBI Guidelines For Banks Entering Into
2. To analyze the performance of bancassurance.
Insurance Sector.
3. To offer the summary of findings and suggestions
a) Joint ventures will be allowed for financially strong
based on the findings of the study.
banks wishing to undertake insurance business with
1.5 Research Methodology: risk participation.
The present study is mainly based on secondary data. b) For banks, which are not eligible for this joint-venture
The required data were collected from books, journals, option, an investment option of up to 10% of the
magazines, articles various websites and the like. network of the bank or Rs.50crores whichever is
lower, is available.
1
Geoff Mayne and Mathew Taylor © Fitch Insurance Ratings Agency, July 29, 2002.
www.fitchratings.com originally published as “Bancassuramce overview”
2
Bank Administration Institute. www.bai.org originally published as “Putting it Together: convergence strategies for
Bank, Insurance and Investments”.

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c) Finally, any commercial bank will be allowed to 2.7.1 Advantages To Banks


undertake insurance business as agent of insurance a) Production ability of the employees’ increases.
companies. This will be on a fee basis with no-risk b) By providing customers with both the services under
participation. than one roof, they can improve overall customer
2.5 IRDA Guidelines For The Bancassurance satisfaction resulting in higher customer retention
levels.
a) Each bank that sells insurance must have a chief
insurance executive to handle all the insurance c) Increase in return on assets by building fee income
activities. through the sales of insurance products.
b) All the people involved in selling should under-go d) Can have leverage on face-to-face contacts and
mandatory training at an institute accredited by the awareness about the financial conditions of
IRDA and pass the examination conducted by the customers to sell insurance products
authority. e) Banks can cross sell insurance products
c) Commercial banks, including co-operative banks and E.g.: Term insurance products with loans
regional rural banks, may become corporate agents
2.7.2 Advantages To Insurers
for one insurance company.
a) Insurers can exploit the banks’ wide network of
d) Banks cannot become insurance brokers.
branches for distribution of products. The penetration
2.7 Advantages Of Bancassurance of banks branches into the rural areas can be utilized
a) Every insurance company wants to grow quickly to to sell products in those areas
reduce painful start–up expense overruns. Banks b) Customer database like customers’ financial
with their huge networks and large customer bases standing, spending habits, investments and purchase
give insurers an opportunity to do this efficiently. capability can be used to customize products and
b) It gives the companies an opportunity to tap the sell accordingly
rural sectors. Selling insurance through traditional c) Since banks have already established relationship
methods in these sectors is very expensive. A tie up with customers, conversion ratio of leads to sales is
with an appropriate customer base can give an likely to be high. Further service aspect can also be
insurer a cheap access to these areas. tackled easily.
c) Bancassurance enables one to have part of skilled 2.7.3 ADVANTAGES TO CUSTOMERS
professionals.
a) Comprehensive Financial advisory services under
d) The margins of the banks in their core leading one roof. I.e., Insurance services along with other
business are declining sharply. Opportunities like financial services such as banking, mutual funds,
bancassurance augment their income personal loans and the like
e) Bancassurance enables to develop a sales culture b) Enhanced convenience on the part of the insured
within the bank. It helps to change the traditional
c) Easy access for claims, as banks are a regular go
mindset of banking companies.
d) Innovative and better product ranges
The distribution of insurance products through banks has
been beneficial to both insurance and banking companies
as well as customers.

3
Angus His Lop is leader of the Price Water House Coopers UK bamking practice © 2000 price water coopers. It refers
to the network of member firms of price water house coopers international Limited.
4
Dorlisa K Flur is a principal and Lisa Lowie is consultant in MC Kinsey’s Atlanta Office. Darren Huston is a consultant in
the pacific Northwest office.) The article was originally published in the Ackinsay quarterly 1997, as “Bancassurance”
5
Y Chandra Sekhar and KBS Kumar
Source: Charted Financial Analyst, Oct 2001. © ICFAI Press. Originally published as “Bancassurance: Big Forces
Together”.
6
Graham Morris
Source: © Watson Wyatt. www.watsonwyatt.com originally published in Asia Pacific Insurance Review, March 2002 as
“Bancassurance in India – The seeds area sown”.

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3.PERFORMANCE OF SELECTED BANCASSURANCE COMPANIES


The performance of the life insurance company mainly based on the total premium, schemes issued and business
force of the company. The following table No. 3.1 shows the total premium, table no. 3.2 shows schemes, total
premium and lives covered and table no. 3.3 shows the business force for three selected life insurance companies
from year of 2000 to 2013.

Table No.3.1: Total life insurance premium (Rs. Crore)

S.No Year ICICI Prudential HDFC Life SBI life insurance


life insurance insurance Company
company Company
1 2000 – 01 5.97 0.002 ---
2 2001 – 02 116.38 33.46 14.69
3 2002 – 03 417.62 148.83 72.39
4 2003 – 04 989.28 297.76 225.67
5 2004 – 05 2,36 3.82 686.63 601.18
6 2005 – 06 4,261.05 1569.91 1,075.32
7 2006 – 07 7,912.99 2855.57 2,928.49
8 2007 – 08 13,561.06 4858.56 5,622.14
9 2008 – 09 15,356.22 5564.69 7,212.10
10 2009 – 10 16.528.75 7005.10 10,104.03
11 2010 – 11 17.880.63 9,004.17 12,9 45.29
12 2011 – 12 14,021.58 10,202.40 13,133.74
13 2012 – 13 13,538.24 11,322.68 10,450.03
Source: compiled from irda annual report and (—) represents business not started

The above table no. 3.1 explains about the total life insurance premium of ICICI Prudential, HDFC Standard and SBI
life insurance companies from the year of 2000 to 2013. According to IRDA annual report all three companies got
improvement from year to year. But ICICI prudential life insurance company got the first place compare to HDFC and
SBI life insurance companies and HDFC Life insurance company got second position and SBI life insurance
company got third position.

Table No.3. 2: Group new Business Performance on the basis of schemes, premium and lives covered
(Premium in Rs. ‘000)(schemes and lives in nos.)

Life
Lives
insurance Schemes Percentage Premium Percentage Percentage
covered
companies
ICICI
220 100.00 1387 100.00 13,38,704 100.00
Prudential
HDFC
460 100.00 1141.81 100.00 18,72,088 100.00
Standard
SBI 217 100.00 2381.9 6 100.00 10,53,167 100.00
Source: compiled from IRDA Annual report

Note: new business premium includes first year premium and single premium
The above table No.2 explains about the group new business performance on the basis of schemes, premium and
lives covered. On the schemes point of view HDFC Standard life insurance company got first position and ICICI got
second position and SBI got third position and premium point of view SBI got first position, HDFC got Second
position and ICICI got third position. Finally lives covered comparison point of view that HDFC got position and ICICI
got Second position and SBI Got third position

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Table No. 3.3:Individual business (with in India) – business in force (number of policies) (policies in ‘000)

Life insurance companies Total business in force as at 31-3-2013


ICICI Prudential 5577.18
HDFC Standard 4039.59
SBI 4605.54

The above table no. 3.3 explains the business force of • Productivity of the employees increases in banks.
ICICI Prudential, HDFC Standard, and SBI life insurance • Banks can cross sell insurance products
companies. Among that three companies comparison
• Insurers can exploit the bank’s wide network of
ICICI got first position, HDFC got second position and
branches for distribution of products
finally SBI life insurance company.
• Comprehensive Financial advisory services can be
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS had less than one roof.
• Bancassurance is the distribution of Insurance • Commissions paid to agents range between 5 to
products through a bank’s distribution channels. 10 percent of annual premium throughout the length
• Insurable population of over 1 billion spread all over of the underlying policy.
the country. • Offering insurance products through a bank will cost
• Bancassurance operation has four different Models. around 20 per cent for one time.
• Most of the bancassurance operations fall under • Bancassurance is an ideal launch pad for both
distribution alliance between the Insurance Company insurance companies and banks to increase their
and the bank model. revenues
• There are several forms of partnership between banks • Bancassurance in India, the banking and Insurance
and life insurers. sectors are regulated by two different entitles
(banking by the RBI and Insurance by IRDA)
• Private Insurance companies are eager to board the
bandwagon on of bancassurance. 5.SUGGESTIONS
• The global (developing counties) benchmark of 4.5 After making a thorough analysis in the previous
per cent of GDP, India’s Life Insurance is only 2.9 chapters, the following suggestions are
per cent of GDP. recommended to improve the performance of the
• Bancassurance is a combination, where both the company.
services co-exist and add value to institution • More advertisements may be given to the concept
• Bancassurance will be helpful to the insurance of Bancassurance with the help of customers.
seekers reducing time and expense of searching for • Personal services may be provided.
good quality insurance products at a fair price.
• To instill confidence in the customers those
• Investor will be able to obtain high quality advice companies may introduce schemes in the context
from trained financial consultants at one place and of globalization.
round the clock.
• The HDFC standard & the SBI life insurance may
• Bancassurance is the most economical model for tie up with the reputed commercial banks for
selling insurance products. enhancing its operations.
• Banking in India is being done in the ‘brick and click’ • Asset management group of those three
model, which means that customers still walk into companies may be so designed to improve the
bank branches. financial conditions.
• Banks act as invest advisors to their customers, • More suitable schemes may be introduced for
especially in villages, smaller towns and cities. village areas as well as urban areas.
• Bancassurance offers a great opportunity to banks • More incentive schemes may be introduced in due
to improve their profitability by enhancing fee-based course to attract the prospective customers.
income.
• Bancassurance enables to develop a sales culture
with in the bank. It helps to change the traditional of
banking companies.

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CONCLUSION
The selected Bancassurance companies [the ICICI prudential, the HDFC standard, the SBI life Insurance] have been
working successfully. The overall financial position of these companies was increasing. These concerns have utilized
the funds effectively.The ICICI prudential is No.1 Company and the other places are secured by the HDFC standard
and the SBI life insurance. In this study, it has been identified certain areas where there is need of some minor
modulation for the effective working of Bancassurance in the long run. This study helps to know the Bancassurace
activities, models, and sound knowledge of financial position and performance appraisal of top 3 Life Insurance
companies under Bancassurance.

Bibliography
Pillai R.S.N. & Bagavathi, Statistics Theory and Practice, S. Chand & Company Ltd. Ram Nagar, New Delhi, 2002
Gupta .S.P and Gupta .M.P, Business Statistics, Sultan Chand & Sons Educational Publishers New Delhi 2003
Maheswari .S.N, Management Accounting, Himalya Publishing House New Delhi 2003

Reports:
Annual reports of the ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company
Annual reports of the HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company
Annual reports of the SBI Life Insurance Company
Annual reports of the IRDA

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A STUDY ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION TOWARDSAIRTEL MOBILE


SIM SERVICE IN TRICHIRAPPALLI DISTRICT
1
Vaidheeswaran. G

Abstract:
Customer satisfaction is widely recognized as a key pressure in the formation of consumers’ future purchase intentions.
Satisfied customers are also likely to tell others of their favorable experiences and thus engage in positive word of
mouth advertising. The present study aims to investigate customer satisfaction in the organized retail outlets of airtel in
trichirappalli district. The objectives are to identify the determinants of customer satisfaction in the airtel in trichirappalli,
to identify the attitude and behavior of the customers those who are recharging, and to study about the future prospects
of airtel in the trichy city. Customer satisfaction is a significant subject for most marketers. A total of 50 questionnaires
have been randomly distributed to retail customers. Using simple percentage method and data collected is analyzed.
The result of this analysis suggests the degree of customer satisfaction in terms of services provided by airtel in
trichirappalli

INTRODUCTION METHODOLOGY
During the past decade services have increasingly The validity of only research work depends upon the
assumed an important role in the Indian Economy. The reliability of the data. The data for this study were
trend was set and in the nineties services had gained collected with the help questionnaire. The primary data
dominance. On the other hand, the competition in were collected from the mobile users directly with the
service organizations is becoming intense and severe. help of a well –structure questionnaire and a survey
As a result the service organizations to be successful technique was employed from collecting data. The
should be more professional in their approach to secondary data collected from internet and journals.
manage their business. Hence, it is in this context the Hence, it helps the researcher to do a good project report
role of marketing is gaining importance in service in the study area.
organization.
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
DEFINITION: ¾ This study is done in order to get to know the
American Marketing Association, as early as 1960 customers satisfaction on AIRTEL.
defined service as, “activities, benefits, or satisfactions, ¾ It also gives detailed information about the
which are offered for sale, or provided in connection with consumer’s opinion about the product.
the sale of goods.” This definition took a very limited
¾ It studies the income of the consumer their behavior
view on services as it proposed that services are offered
for the prepaid and postpaid to get to know the cards
only in connection with the sale of goods.
has influenced the respondents.
Robert Judd defined service as “a market transaction
by an enterprise or entrepreneur where the object of the PROBLEMS OF THE STUDY:
market transaction is other than the transfer of ownership ¾ To Know The Customers Awareness Level About
of a tangible commodity.” The Plans And Schemes Of The Airtel
OBJECTIVES LIMITATION
¾ To evaluate the performance of sales with regard to ¾ The study is only suitable for the particular (Trichy
AIRTEL. district)
¾ To identify the effectiveness of advertisement in the ¾ The study details with consumer aspect only and it
promotion of AIRTEL. ignores the seller’s aspect.
¾ To study the customer satisfaction in the service ¾ The finding are drawn only on the basis of the
provided by the AIRTEL. information supplied by the respondents.
¾ To study the preference of customers with regard to ¾ The investigator has got limited time frame all the
prepaid and postpaid cards issued by AIRTEL. respondents.

1
PG Research Scholar, Department of Commerce CA, St. Joseph’s College, Tiruchirappalli

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DATA ANALYSIS
This chapter meant for analyzing the collected data by the investigator
Which is used to ascertain the results for the defined problem in the study area.
After analyzing the data, the investigator has tabulated all the information
Collected from the respondents and the growth rate could be found out through the tabulation, in accordance with
this investigator has used the simple percentage method (Bar diagram. Pie diagram, etc) wherever necessary.

TABLE: Satisfaction level towards service provided at airtel


NO OF
PARTICULAR CLASSIFICATION RESPONDENT PERCENTAGE
AGE GROUP Below 20 25 50
20-25 10 20
25-30 3 6
Above 30 12 24
EDUCATIONAL LEVEL Higher Secondary 20 40
Academic Degree 10 20
Professional Degree 5 10
Diploma 5 10
Others 10 20
OCCUPATIONAL LEVEL Govt 15 30
Private 15 30
Students 10 20
Others 10 20
REASONS FOR SELECTING
Brand Image 15 30
AIRTEL Quick And Good
Services 15 30
Widest Coverage 15 30
All Of The Above 5 10
SERVICES PROVIDE BY
OMPANY Excellent 25 50
Good 15 30
Poor 10 20
Excellent 18 36
PERFORMANCE OF AIRTEL
Good 22 44
Poor 10 20
WOULD U LIKE TO CHANGE
Yes 15 30
YOUR MOBILE CONNECTION
No 35 70
THE REASONS FOR USING
Business 17 34
MOBILE PHONE
Professional 13 26
Emergency 12 24
Fashion 8 16
AWARE OF SERVICE AND
OFFERED BY AIRTEL Yes 30 60
No 20 40
OPINION ON THE COST
STRUCTURE OF RECHARGE Very High 8 16
High 12 24
CARD Fair 10 20
Low 15 30
Neutral 5 10
CUSTOMER SERVICE YOU Manual 30 60
PREFER Computerized 20 40
SERVICES YOU PREFER ON Prepaid 40 80
AIRTEL Postpaid 10 20

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FINDINGS & SUGGESTIONS CONCLUSION:


FINDINGS: Nowadays it is very difficult to comprehend the
From a detailed study the investigator could arrive at psychology of customers. It is very essential to conduct
following Marketing research on customers, so that producers
1. From the study, consumer preference of a particular can easily identify their likes and dislikes and to
age group use the AIRTEL MOBILE other age group concentrate o whims and fancy.
people are not aware of hills. In order to retain the consumer faith on the product
2. From the sex wise classification, more male entrepreneurs are to concentrate more on modern
respondents use AIRTEL. But female respondents methods of production there by they can not only
are not shown their priority to this mobile. enhancing the profit for the firm but also enhancing the
satisfaction among the customer.
3. Customers are habituated to use a particular mobile
due to coverage and so on. BIBLIOGRAPHY:
4. More than half of the customers are using the AIRTEL Websites:
because of its Quick and Good services.
1. Jon R. Katzenbach and Jason A. Santamara,
5. About ¾ of the consumers of AIRTEL are preferring wikipedia.com
the prepaid card rather than the postpaid one.
2. “ACCC”, wikipedia.com
6. By comparing other mobiles, the customers get
3. “Market”, wikipedia.com
awareness with regard to schemes, coverage, call
cost and etc. it shows the competency of different 4. “Marketing”, wikipeida.com
mobiles. 5. “Consumer”, wikipedia.com
7. From the level of satisfaction, most of the customers 6. “Marketing”, ROY KATZ, 10/01/2002, wikipedia.com
were satisfied of the using the AIRTEL. 7. “Customer”, ROY KATZ, 10/10/2002, Wikipedia.com
8. The study shown that most of business people 8. “Customer”, Wikipedia.com
choose this mobile.
9. “Customer Satisfaction”, your dictionary
9. Mobile phones are used in order to show the fashion
10. www.airtel.com
and passion.
11. www.tricy.com
SUGGESTIONS:
1. The incentive must be provided to sales executive in
order to enhance sales volume.
2. The lucid pamphlets and browsers are to be given to
the customers with regard t new schemes. So that
the rural people can also prefer the AIRTEL service.
3. The company should concentrate more on increasing
the towers in and around area for the purpose of
better coverage and services.
4. The company should have to reduce initial deposit
and call cost to encourage the customers to prefer
post paid cards.
5. They should create more employment opportunities
in the production unit and manufacture unit.

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A Study on Customer’s Satisfaction Towards Retail Services in Trichy.


1
Joe Johny Britto.J
Abstract:
Customer satisfaction and customer’s behavior is widely an important key pressure in the formation of consumers’
future purchase intentions. This satisfaction level only able to customers to purchase more in the retail shop. Satisfied
customers are also likely to tell others of their favorable experiences and thus engage in positive word of mouth
advertising. The present study aims to investigate customer’s satisfaction and customer’s behavior in the organized
retail services in Trichy city of Tamil Nadu state in India. The objectives are to identify the determinants of customer
satisfaction in the retail services in Trichy city, To identify the attitude and behavior of the customers those who are
purchasing in retail shop, and to study about the future prospects of organized retail services in the city. Customer
satisfaction is a significant subject for most marketers. A total of 50 questionnaires have been randomly distributed to
retail customers. Using simple percentage method and correlation method the data collected is analyzed. The result
of this analysis suggests the degree of customer satisfaction in terms of services provided by retail services in Trichy.

involves window shopping (just looking, not buying) and


INTRODUCTION TO RETAIL MARKETING
browsing and does not always result in a purchase.
Retailing is one of the oldest businesses that human
Definition of retail marketing:
civilization has known. It acts as an interface between
the producer and consumer, improves the flow of goods Retail marketing is the range of activities
and services and raises the efficiency of distribution in undertaken by a retailer to promote awareness and sales
an economy. For a strong, stable and consistently of the company’s products. This is different from other
growing economy, a well-organized and efficient retail types of marketing because of the components of the
sector is a must. Most of the developed and even retail trade, such as selling finished goods in small
emerging economies had adopted the organized retail quantities to the consumer or end user, usually from a
long ago and percentage share of organized retail in total fixed location. Retail marketing makes use of the
retailing has increased over the years. However, India, a common principles of the marketing mix, such as
land of self-sufficient villages, has continued to rely product, price, place and promotion. A study of retail
primarily on small, close to home shops. marketing at university level includes effective
merchandising strategies, shopping and consumer
Retail is the sale of goods and services from individuals behavior, branding and advertising. Retail marketing is
or businesses to the end-user. Retailers are part of an especially important to small retailers trying to compete
integrated system called the supply chain. A retailer against large chain stores.
purchases goods or productsin large quantities
from manufacturers directly or through a wholesale, and CHALLENGES:
then sells smaller quantities to the consumer for a profit. To achieve and maintain a foothold in an existing market,
Retailing can be done in either fixed locations like stores a prospective retail establishment must overcome the
or markets, door-to-door or by delivery. Retailing following hurdles:
includes subordinated services, such as delivery. The
™ Regulatory barriers including
term “retailer” is also applied where a service provider
services the needs of a large number of individuals, such • Restrictions on real estate purchases,
as for the public. Shops may be on residential streets, especially as imposed by local governments and
streets with few or no houses or in a shopping mall. against “big-box” chain retailers;
Shopping streets may be for pedestrians only. • Restrictions on foreign investment in retailers,
Sometimes a shopping street has a partial or full roof to in terms of both absolute amount of financing
protect customers from precipitation. Online retailing, a provided and percentage share of voting stock
type of electronic commerce used for business-to- (e.g., common stock) purchased;
consumer (B2C) transactions and mail order, are forms ™ Unfavorable taxation structures, especially those
of non-shop retailing. designed to penalize or keep out “big box”
Shopping generally refers to the act of buying products. retailers (see “Regulatory” above);
Sometimes this is done to obtain necessities such as ™ Absence of developed supply chain and integrated
food and clothing; sometimes it is done as IT management;
a recreational activity. Recreational shopping often

1
PG Research scholar, Department of Commerce CA, St. Joseph’s College, Tiruchirappalli

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™ High competitiveness among existing market participants and resulting low profit margins, caused in part
by Constant advances in product design resulting in constant threat of product obsolescence and price declines
for existing inventory; and

OBJECTIVE:
1. To study the consumer behavior towards retails shop in Trichy Chathram..
2. To study the satisfaction level of consumer towards retails shop in Trichy Chathram.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY:


The scope of the study is very short but valuable. The study deals with the customers satisfaction and customers
behavior towards retailers in Trichy.

Research Methodology
Research design
The main aim of this survey is to know the customer satisfaction and customer behavior towards organized retail
outlets and find out the key factors for customer satisfaction. Therefore descriptive research is being adopted to find
out the customer satisfaction and behavior of consumers.

Area of the study


The survey is conducted among all class of customers who are the regular purchasers and occasional buyers in the
organized retail outlets in Chathram Bus stand Trichy.

Research approach
Survey method and questionnaires method
Primary data is collected through survey method. All the respondents are asked to fill in the questionnaire by
themselves. The questionnaire contains open ended and closed ended questions and it is in a structured format
which is clear and simple to the respondents.
Sample Size
Sample size taken in this study is 20.
Period of Study
The study was conducted during the period January 2014 to February 2014.
Sampling Technique
As all the possible items are considered for research, the sampling method adopted is convenience sampling.
Data Usage:
For analysis and interpretation, only primary data is used. However for conclusion and recommendations both
primary and the secondary data along with the verbal knowledge and information although obtained from respondents,
though they are outside the parameters of questionnaire were also included.
The data collected from these sources were analyzed using various tools like simple percentage method.

Research Instrument:
A standard questionnaire is prepared for the collection of data from various respondents. The questionnaire is
designed in such a way that the aim of collecting essential information for the study would meet the set of objectives.
Tools:
Microsoft Excel is used to tabulate and analyze the valid responses. Initially, a comprehensive data file was created.
Then, variables and their Tabels were defined. Only statistical tools such as simple percentage method were used
for the analysis.

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NO OF TAGE PERCENTAGE
PARTICULAR CLASSIFICATION RESPONDENT
AGE Age below 25 20 40
Age from 26-30 15 30
Age from 31-35 5 10
Age above 36 10 20
Gender Male 30 60
Female 20 40
Educati onal
Qulaification School Level 8 16
Graduate 12 24
ITI/ Diploma 20 40
Post Graduate 10 20
Monthly Income below 5000 5 10
Rs. 5001- Rs.
10000 15 30
Rs. 10001- Rs.
15000 5 10
Rs. 15001 - Rs.
20000 15 30
above 20001 20 40
total members in
Family Two 15 30
Three 5 10
Four 25 50
above five 5 10

Interpretation:
From the above table, it is clear that 60% of the respondents are male and 40% of the respondents are female. After
dividing the respondents on the basis of gender, they are further divided according to their age. In this, it is found that
out of total respondents 40% are 25 years old and below, 30% age between 26-35, 10% belongs to the age group
of 36-45 and 20% are above 45 years. 24% and 20% of respondents are graduates and post graduates respectively.
10% of respondents are in the income level of Rs 10,001-Rs 15, 000, 30% of respondents are in the income level of
Rs 15,001-Rs20, 000 and 40% of respondents are above the income level of Rs 20,001.

SATISFACTION LEVEL OF THE CUSTOMER:

PARAMETER HS S N DS HDS
Product Price Range 10 5 5 20 10
Self Service 18 5 12 7 8
Quality Of Service 20 10 5 5 10
Time saving 12 15 3 10 10
Home Delivery facilities 15 12 13 5 5
Store Entrance & walkways 8 2 10 20 10
Variety of Mode of Pa yment 10 5 15 10 10
Parking facilities 8 10 10 7 15
Fast Checkout 8 15 10 10 7

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INTERPRETATION: References
It is very clear that Customers are very highly satisfied 1. Harper, Douglas. ”retail”. Online Etymology
with the self service and Quality of service and Home Dictionary. Retrieved 2008-03-16.
delivery. The customers are satisfied with the time saving 2. ”2011 Top 250 Global Retailers”. Retrieved in January
and fast chek outs. The parking facilities remain a major 2012.
concern as many are dissatisfied with this facility. The
3. Steven Greenhouse (October 27, 2012). ”A Part-Time
retail price suffers from one shop to another. Thus it leads
Life, as Hours Shrink and Shift”. The New York
to dissatisfaction. The another factors of dissatisfaction
Times. Retrieved October 28, 2012.
is the entrance & walkways. The mode of payment is
the factor of dissatisfaction is expressed by the 4. Philip H. Mitchell 2008, Discovery-Based Retail,
respondents. Bascom Hill Publishing Group ISBN 978-0-9798467-
9-3
FINDING AND SUGGESTION 5. How to provide excellent customer service in
FINDINGS: retailCustomer Service: Facts, Quotes and Statistics
1. It is clearly shows that customers are highly satisfied 6. Deloitte, Switching Channels: Global Powers of
in the Quality of Service and Home Delivery facilities. Retailing 2012, STORES, January 2012, G20.
2. Most of the people are satisfied with the Time Saving 7. US Census Bureau Retail sales Retail SalesRetail
and Fast Checkout. Sales Definition
3. Some of the people says no to the Variety of mode 8. IOSR Journal of Business and Management
of Payment. (IOSRJBM) ISSN: 2278-487X Volume 3, Issue 4
4. Most of the people are dissatisfied with the product (Sep,-Oct. 2012), PP 34-40 www.iosrjournals.org
price range and store entrance & walkways. 9. http://smallbusiness.chron.com/definition-retail-
5. Only people highly dissatisfied with the parking marketing-40196.html.
facilities.

SUGGESTIONS
1. Most of the stores do not accept debit or credit card.
Since most of the customers are youngster and
employed, so they expected to make this facility
available to the customer.
2. Here nowadays coming in a car is a famous one so
customers are liking it a lot, so they all expecting
for a parking facilities if there is no parking facilities
then they dissatisfied a lot

Conclusion:
Here the root of the study says that the customers are
highly satisfied in the retail shop rather than to purchase
directly from the company. If they go to the company
they can only buy one certain product only but if they go
to retail shop they can be able to purchase all type of
goods within one roof. So that the customers says that
they highly satisfied in the self service, quality of service
and mainly in home deliveries also. So they also give
some tips to retail shop in a very effective manner which
we have already seen in the finding and suggestion also.

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CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY


1 2
G. Praveena A.vellimalarRuby
Abstract
The term “corporate social responsibility” became popular in the 1960s and has remained a term used indiscriminately
by many to cover legal and moral responsibility more narrowly construed. CSR is titled to aid an organization’s mission
as well as a guide to what the company stands for and will uphold to its consumers. Development business ethics is one
of the forms of applied ethics that examines ethical principles and moral or ethical problems that can arise in a
business environment. ISO 26000 is the recognized international standard for CSR. Public sector organizations (the
United Nations for example) adhere to the triple bottom line (TBL). It is widely accepted that CSR adheres to similar
principles but with no formal act of legislation.

Introduction Another approach to CSR is to incorporate the CSR


Corporate social responsibility is a form of corporate strategy directly into the business strategy of an
self-regulation integrated into a business model. CSR organization. For instance, procurement of Fair Trade
policy functions as a built-in, self-regulating mechanism tea and coffee has been adopted by various businesses
whereby a business monitors and ensures its active including KPMG. Its CSR manager commented, “Fair
compliance with the spirit of the law, ethical standards, trade fits very strongly into our commitment to our
and international norms. In some models, a firm’s communities.”
implementation of CSR goes beyond compliance and Another approach is garnering increasing corporate
engages in “actions that appear to further some social responsibility interest. This is called Creating Shared
good, beyond the interests of the firm and that which is Value, or CSV. The shared value model is based on the
required by law.”CSR is a process with the aim to idea that corporate success and social welfare are
embrace responsibility for the company’s actions and interdependent. A business needs a healthy, educated
encourage a positive impact through its activities on the workforce, sustainable resources and adept government
environment, consumers, employees, communities, to compete effectively. For society to thrive, profitable
stakeholders and all other members of the public sphere and competitive businesses must be developed and
who may also be considered as stakeholders. supported to create income, wealth, tax revenues, and
opportunities for philanthropy. Many companies use the
CSR Approaches
strategy of benchmarking to compete within their
Some commentators have identified a difference between respective industries in CSR policy, implementation, and
the Canadian (Montreal school of CSR), the Continental effectiveness. Benchmarking involves reviewing
European and the Anglo-Saxon approaches to CSR. It competitor CSR initiatives, as well as measuring and
is said that for Chinese consumers, a socially evaluating the impact that those policies have on society
responsible company makes safe, high-quality products; and the environment, and how customers perceive
for Germans it provides secure employment; in South competitor CSR strategy. After a comprehensive study
Africa it makes a positive contribution to social needs of competitor strategy and an internal policy review
such as health care and education. And even within performed, a comparison can be drawn and a strategy
Europe the discussion about CSR is very heterogeneous. developed for competition with CSR initiatives.
A more common approach to CSR is corporate
philanthropy. This includes monetary donations and aid Social accounting, auditing, and reporting
given to local and non-local nonprofit organizations and For a business to take responsibility for its actions, that
communities, including donations in areas such as the business must be fully accountable. Social accounting,
arts, education, housing, health, social welfare, and the a concept describing the communication of social and
environment, among others, but excluding political environmental effects of a company’s economic actions
contributions and commercial sponsorship of events. to particular interest groups within society and to society
Some organizations do not like a philanthropy-based at large, is thus an important element of CSR.
approach as it might not help build on the skills of local Social accounting emphasizes the notion of corporate
populations, whereas community-based development accountability. D. Crowther defines social accounting in
generally leads to more sustainable development.

1
Research Scholar, Dept. of Commerce, JJ College of Arts and Science, Pudukkottai
2
Research Scholar, Dept. of Commerce, JJ College of Arts and Science, Pudukkottai

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this sense as “an approach to reporting a firm’s activities sustainability report. If a company does not publish
which stresses the need for the identification of socially formal reports, a COP can be created as a stand-
relevant behavior, the determination of those to whom alone document.
the company is accountable for its social performance • The United Nations Intergovernmental Working Group
and the development of appropriate measures and of Experts on International Standards of Accounting
reporting techniques.”An example of social accounting, and Reporting (ISAR) provides voluntary technical
to a limited extent, is found in an annual Director’s guidance on eco-efficiency indicators, corporate
Report, under the requirements of UK company law responsibility reporting, and corporate governance
A number of reporting guidelines or standards have been disclosure.
developed to serve as frameworks for social accounting,
The FTSE Group publishes the FTSE4Good Index, an
auditing and reporting including:
evaluation of CSR performance of companies.
• AccountAbility’s AA1000 standard, based on John
In some nations, legal requirements for social
Elkington’s triple bottom line (3BL) reporting
accounting, auditing and reporting exist (e.g. in the
• The Prince’s Accounting for Sustainability Project’s French bilan social (fr)), though international or national
Connected Reporting Framework agreement on meaningful measurements of social and
• The Fair Labor Association conducts audits based environmental performance is difficult. Many companies
on its Workplace Code of Conduct and posts audit now produce externally audited annual reports that cover
results on the FLA website. Sustainable Development and CSR issues (“Triple
• The Fair Wear Foundation takes a unique approach Bottom Line Reports”), but the reports vary widely in
to verifying labour conditions in companies’ supply format, style, and evaluation methodology (even within
chains, using interdisciplinary auditing teams. the same industry). Critics dismiss these reports as lip
service, citing examples such as Enron’s yearly
• Global Reporting Initiative’s Sustainability Reporting
“Corporate Responsibility Annual Report” and tobacco
Guidelines
corporations’ social reports.
• Economy for the Common Good’s Common Good
In South Africa, as of June 2010, all companies listed
Balance Sheet
on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) were
• GoodCorporation’s standard developed in required to produce an integrated report in place of an
association with the Institute of Business Ethics annual financial report and sustainability report. An
• Synergy Codethic 26000 Social Responsibility and integrated report includes environmental, social and
Sustainability Commitment Management System economic performance alongside financial performance
(SRSCMS) Requirements — Ethical Business Best information and is expected to provide users with a more
Practices of Organizations - the necessary holistic overview of a company. However, this requirement
management system elements to obtain a certifiable was implemented in the absence of any formal or legal
ethical commitment management system. The standards for an integrated report. An Integrated
standard scheme has been build around ISO 26000 Reporting Committee (IRC) was established to issue
and UNCTAD Guidance on Good Practices in guidelines for good practice in this field.
Corporate Governance.The standard is applicable
by any type of organization.; Social license
• Earthcheck Certification / Standard “Social license” generally refers to a local community’s
acceptance or approval of a company’s project or
• Social Accountability International’s SA8000
ongoing presence in an area. It is increasingly
standard
recognized by various stakeholders and communities
• Standard Ethics Aei guidelines as a prerequisite to development. The development of
• The ISO 14000 environmental management standard social license occurs outside of formal permitting or
• The United Nations Global Compact requires regulatory processes, and requires sustained investment
companies to communicate on their progress (or to by proponents to acquire and maintain social capital
produce a Communication on Progress, COP), and within the context of trust-based relationships. Often
to describe the company’s implementation of the intangible and informal, social license can nevertheless
Compact’s ten universal principles. This information be realized through a robust suite of actions centered
should be fully integrated in the participant’s main on timely and effective communication, meaningful
medium of stakeholder communications, for dialogue, and ethical and responsible behavior.
example a corporate responsibility or sustainability Local conditions, needs, and customs vary considerably
report and/or an integrated financial and and are often opaque, but have a significant impact on

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the likely success of various approaches to building Brand differentiation


social capital and trust. These regional and cultural In crowded marketplaces, companies strive for a unique
differences demand a flexible and responsive approach selling proposition that can separate them from the
and must be understood early in order to enable the competition in the minds of consumers. CSR can play a
development and implementation of an effective strategy
role in building customer loyalty based on distinctive
to earn and maintain social license. Governments could
ethical values. Several major brands, such as The Co-
facilitate the necessary stakeholder mapping in regions
operative Group, The Body Shop and American Apparel
for which they are responsible and provide a regulatory
are built on ethical values. Business service
framework that sets companies on the right path for
organizations can benefit too from building a reputation
engagement with communities and stakeholders.
for integrity and best practice.
Potential business benefits
Engagement plan
The scale and nature of the benefits of CSR for an
An engagement plan will assist in reaching a desired
organization can vary depending on the nature of the
audience. A corporate social responsibility team, or
enterprise, and are difficult to quantify, though there is a
individual is needed to effectively plan the goals and
large body of literature exhorting business to adopt
measures beyond financial ones (e.g., Deming’s objectives of the organization. Determining a budget
Fourteen Points, balanced scorecards). Orlitzky, should be of high priority. The function of corporate social
Schmidt, and Rynes found a correlation between social/ responsibility planning: 1. To add discussion and
environmental performance and financial performance. analysis of a new set of risks into corporate decision-
However, businesses may not be looking at short-run making. 2. To represent issues within the corporation
financial returns when developing their CSR strategy. that watchdogs, NGOs and advocates represent within
Intel employs a 5-year CSR planning cycle society. 3. To assess the future. An organizations long
term and short term future needs to be thought of. 4. To
The definition of CSR used within an organization can help prioritize consideration of socially and
vary from the strict “stakeholder impacts” definition used environmentally friendly projects that might otherwise
by many CSR advocates and will often include charitable lack a corporate advocate. 5. To keep corporations aware
efforts and volunteering. CSR may be based within the of potential major societal impacts even when a negative
human resources, business development or public impact may not be immediate, and thus lessen liability.
relations departments of an organisation, or may be given 6. To positively influence decision making where societal
a separate unit reporting to the CEO or in some cases impacts are maximized, whilst ensuring efforts are within
directly to the board. Some companies may implement a given budget.
CSR-type values without a clearly defined team or
programme. Developing an engagement plan
Human resources Commit to coming up with and improving on your
companies goals. CSR commitments communicate the
A CSR program can be an aid to recruitment and
nature and direction of the firm’s social and environmental
retention particularly within the competitive graduate
activities and, will help others understand how the
student market. Potential recruits often ask about a
organization is likely to behave in a particular situation
firm’s CSR policy during an interview, and having a
comprehensive policy can give an advantage. CSR can 1. Do a scan of CSR commitments
also help improve the perception of a company among 2. Hold discussions with major stakeholders
its staff, particularly when staff can become involved 3. Create a working group to develop the commitments
through payroll giving, fundraising activities or community
4. Prepare a preliminary draft
volunteering. CSR has been found to encourage
customer orientation among frontline employees. 5. Consult with affected stakeholders
6. Revise and publish the commitments
Risk management
7. Consider what is feasible within the budget
Managing risk is a central part of many corporate
strategies. Reputations that take decades to build up Common Types of Corporate Social Responsibility
can be ruined in hours through incidents such as Actions
corruption scandals or environmental accidents. These There are many aspects of corporate social
can also draw unwanted attention from regulators, courts, responsibility; whether a company decides to develop
governments and media. Building a genuine culture of one area of CSR, or multiple, the end result is a more
‘doing the right thing’ within a corporation can offset these profitable company experiencing a higher level of
risks. employee engagement. The following is a list of common

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ways corporate social responsibility is implemented by the environmental and social implications of their day-
organizations. to-day consumer decisions and are therefore beginning
1. Environmental Sustainability: Areas include to make purchasing decisions related to their
recycling, waste management, water management, environmental and ethical concerns. However, this
using renewable energy sources, utilizing reusable practice is far from consistent or universal.
resources, creating ‘greener’ supply chains, using
digital technology instead of hard copies, developing Globalization and market forces
buildings according to Leadership in Energy and As corporations pursue growth through globalization,
Environmental Design (LEED)® standards, etc. There they have encountered new challenges that impose limits
is a business sector dedicated to specifically to to their growth and potential profits. Government
environmental sustainability consulting for regulations, tariffs, environmental restrictions and varying
businesses of any size to utilize. The highest ranked standards of what constitutes “labor exploitation” are
sustainability consulting firm is Ernst & Young problems that can cost organizations millions of dollars.
Some view ethical issues as simply a costly hindrance,
2. Community Involvement: This can include raising while some companies use CSR methodologies as a
money for local charities, supporting community strategic tactic to gain public support for their presence
volunteerism, sponsoring local events, employing in global markets, helping them sustain a competitive
people from a community, supporting a community’s advantage by using their social contributions to provide
economic growth, engaging in fair trade practices, a subconscious level of advertising. (Fry, Keim, Meiners
etc. Starbucks is an example of a company that 1986, 105) Global competition places a particular
focuses on community involvement and pressure on multinational corporations to examine not
engagement; since these programs began the only their own labor practices, but those of their entire
company has seen higher profits and greater supply chain, from a CSR perspective. that all
employee engagement. government is controlling.
3. Ethical Marketing Practices: Companies that
ethically market to consumers are placing a higher Social awareness and education
value on their customers and respecting them as The role among corporate stakeholders is to work
people who are ends in themselves. They do not try collectively to pressure corporations that are changing.
to manipulate or falsely advertise to potential Shareholders and investors themselves, through socially
consumers. This is important for companies that responsible investing are exerting pressure on
want to be viewed as ethical. corporations to behave responsibly. The extension of SRI
bodies driving corporations to include an element of
Principles ‘ethical investment’ into their corporate agenda’s
The main principles involving corporate social generates socially embedded issues. The main issue
responsibility involve economic, legal, ethical and correlates to the development and overall idea of ‘ethical
discretionary aspects. A corporation needs to generate investing’ or SRI, a concept that is constructed as a
profits, while operating within the laws of the state. The general social perspective. The problem becomes
corporation also needs to be ethical, but has the right to defining what is classified as ‘ethical investing’. The ethics
be discretional about the decisions it makes. Levels of or values of one SRI body will likely different from the
corporate social responsiveness to an issue include next since ethical opinions are inherently paradoxical.
being reactive, defensive, responsive and interactive. All For example, some religious investors in the US have
terms are useful in issues management. Selecting when withdrawn investment from companies that fail to fulfill
and how to act can make a difference in the outcome of their ethical expectations. The Non-governmental
the action taken. organizations are also taking an increasing role,
leveraging the power of the media and the Internet to
Ethical consumerism increase their scrutiny and collective activism around
The rise in popularity of ethical consumerism over the corporate behavior. Through education and dialogue, the
last two decades can be linked to the rise of CSR. As development of community awareness in holding
global population increases, so does the pressure on businesses responsible for their actions is growing. In
limited natural resources required to meet rising recent years, the traditional conception of CSR is being
consumer demand (Grace and Cohen 2005, 147). challenged by the more community-conscious Creating
Industrialization, in many developing countries, is Shared Value concept (CSV), and several companies
booming as a result of both technology and are refining their collaboration with stakeholders
globalization. Consumers are becoming more aware of accordingly.

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Geography Conclusion
In a geographical context, CSR is fundamentally an Increasingly, corporations are motivated to become more
intangible populist idea without a conclusive definition. socially responsible because their most important
Corporations who employ CSR behaviors are empirically stakeholders expect them to understand and address
dissimilar in various parts of the world. The issue of CSR the social and community issues that are relevant to
diversity is produced through the perpetual differences them. Understanding what causes are important to
embedded in the social, political, cultural, and economic employees is usually the first priority because of the
structures within individual countries. The immense many interrelated business benefits that can be derived
geographical separations feasibly contribute to the from increased employee engagement (i.e. more loyalty,
loosely defined concept of CSR and difficulty for corporate improved recruitment, increased retention, higher
regulation. productivity, and so on). Key external stakeholders
include customers, consumers, investors (particularly
Crises and their consequences institutional investors), and communities in the areas
Often it takes a crisis to precipitate attention to CSR. where the corporation operates its facilities, regulators,
One of the most active stands against environmental academics, and the media.
mismanagement is the CERES Principles that resulted
after the Exxon Valdez incident in Alaska in 1989 (Grace
and Cohen 2006). Other examples include the lead
poisoning paint used by toy giant Mattel, which required
a recall of millions of toys globally and caused the
company to initiate new risk management and quality
control processes. In another example, Magellan Metals
in the West Australian town of Esperance was
responsible for lead contamination killing thousands of
birds in the area. The company had to cease business
immediately and work with independent regulatory bodies
to execute a cleanup. The company ordered a recall of
all apple or carrot juice products and introduced a new
process called “flash pasteurization” as well as
maintaining lines of communication constantly open with
customers.

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“A STUDY ON SATISFACTION LEVEL OF E-MARKETING USER.”


1 2
B. Nalini F.Ramesh Kumar
Abstract
Consumer is a king of the market. Every human being is a consumer of different producers. If there is no consumer,
there is no business. Without satisfaction of a product consumers can’t ready to purchase the product. Therefore,
consumer satisfaction is very important to every business person. Consumer satisfaction refers to how satisfied customers
are with the products or services they receive from a particular agency. The level of satisfaction is determined not only
by the quality and type of consumer experience but also by the consumer’s expectations.

Introduction ownership of goods or services from the producer to the


Today world people are busy with their work .They can’t ultimate consumers through the electronic mode. Online
spend more time for shopping. E-marketing helps their marketing refers to a set of powerful tools and
busy people to purchase their product in easily manner methodologies used for promoting products and services
with the finger trips of their people. It provides 24*7 hours through the Internet.
service to the public with less cost and easily It includes a wider range of marketing elements than
transaction. traditional business marketing due to the extra channels
and marketing mechanisms available on the Internet.
But some of the people are afraid to purchase the product
through the online because it requires personal Online marketing is also known as Internet marketing,
information for their money transaction. There are many Web marketing, digital marketing and search engine
advantage for it in the same manner we also face many marketing (SEM). Online marketing connects
problem regarding this. People are ready to purchase organizations with qualified potential customers and
through the E-marketing when it gives more satisfaction takes business development to a much higher level than
to the consumer traditional marketing. online marketing has the
advantage of selling to customers 24 hours a day, 7
Meaning and concepts days a week, and from all over the country.
A consumer is an individual who purchase or has the Online marketing can deliver several benefits such
capacity to purchase goods and services offered for sale as:
by marketing institutions in order to satisfy personal or • Growth in potential
household needs, wants or desires.
• Reduced expenses
According to a statement made by Mahatma Gandhi, • Elegant communications
‘consumer refers to the following, “A consumer is the
• Better control
most important visitor on our premises. He is not
dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not • Improved customer service
an outsider to our business. He is part of it. We are not • Competitive advantage
doing him a favour by serving him. He is doing us a • Low costs
favour by giving us an opportunity to do so”.
• Flexibility and convenience
Definition of Consumer Satisfaction • Multiple options
According to Philip Kotler consumer satisfaction is • purchase at any time (24hour *7 days)
defined on, “personal feeling of pleasure resulting from
comparing a product’s pursued performance in relation Limitation
to his /her expectations”. ƒ Building personnel relationship is impossible
Peter Drucker the renowned management Guru, has said ƒ Unable to try out the product
“to satisfy the customers is the mission and purpose of ƒ Illiteracy people cannot purchase the good
every business”.
ƒ Consumer may be rejected the product at any time
E-marketing
Scope of the study
E-Marketing includes all the impacts involved in the
The satisfaction of consumers is different from one to
exchange process of transferring the possession and
another. Each consumer has the different behavior in
1
Assistant Professor, Department of Commerce, St. Joseph’s College (Autonomous), Trichy

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their life. Consumer satisfaction is essential for every marketer to retention of consumer and for continuous sales of
the product in the company. So, the marketer satisfies the consumer, when he must very well know the behavior
and expectations of consumer.

Objectives of the study


9 To know the factor influence in the purchase of E-marketing.
9 To study the satisfaction level of E-Marketing user.

METHODOLOGY
Primary Data:
The researchers collect the primary data from the 35 respondents through the questionnaire method.
Secondary Data:
The researchers collect the secondary data from the websites for their reviews.

DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION


Table: 4.1: Gender of the Respondent

S.no Particulars No of Percentage of


Respondents Respondents (%)
1. Male 21 60
2. Female 14 40
Total 35 100
Source: Primary data

It is inferred that 60 percentages of the respondents are male and 40 percentages of the respondents are female
category because when comparing to the female most of the male respondents are purchasing a product through
the internet.
Table: 4.2: Age of the Respondent
Particulars No of Percentage of
S.no
Respondents Respondents (%)
1. 17 - 20years 7 20
2. 20 - 23years 18 51
3. Above 23 years 10 29
Total 35 100
Source: Primary data

From the above table it shows that 20 percentage of the respondents are belong to the age of 17-20 years.51
percentage of the respondents are belong to the age of 20-23 years because most of the respondents are belong to
this age is using more internet when compare to others.
Table: 4.3: Education qualification
S.no Education No of Percentage of
Qualification Respondents Respondents (%)
1. Under graduate 18 51
2. Post graduate 10 29
3. others 7 20
Total 35 100
Source: Primary data

2
Ph.D., Research scholar, Department of Commerce, Government Arts College, Karur

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From the above table it reveals that 51 percentage of the respondents are belong to the under graduate and 20
percentage respondents are other categories (i.e.) Diploma, IT I and so on.

Table: 4.4: Websites used as a place for E-marketing


S.no Particulars No of Percentage of
Respondents Respondents (%)

1. Snap deal 6 17
2. Flip kart 8 23
3. eBay 10 29
4. Amaz on 7 20
5. Naptol 4 11
Total 35 100
Source:Primary data

From the above table reveals 34 percentages of the respondents are strongly agreed that their go for the E-marketing
because of more convenience and easy transaction.6 percentage of the respondents are strongly disagreed that it
is not easy transaction for purchasing the product because it requires personal information for purchasing a product.

Table: 4.6: Product price is less


No of Percentage of
Particulars Respondents Respondents (%)
S.no

1 Strongly agreed
15 43

2 Agreed 6 17

9 26
3 Neutral

4 Disagreed 4 11

5 Strongly Disagreed 1 3

Total 35 100
Source: Primary data

It is inferred that 43 percentages of the respondents are strongly agreed the price of the product is less when
compare to the direct marketing .3 percentage of the respondents are strongly disagreed that a price of the product
is less.

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Table: 4.7: Product quality is good

No of Percentage of
S.no Particulars Respondents Respondents (%)
1 9 26
Strongly agreed

Agreed 14 40
2

3 Neutral 6 17

4 Disagreed 3 8.5

5 Strongly Disagreed 3 8.5

Total 35 100
Source:Primary data

Above table reveals that 40 percentage of the respondents are agreed the product quality is good and 8.5 percentages
of the respondents are disagreed and strongly disagreed. Because in sometime the product may received in
damages and it is difficult to exchange the product.

Table: 4.8: Minimum time duration for purchasing

No of Percentage of
S.no Particulars Respondents Respondents (%)
34
1 Strongly agreed 12

8 23
2 Agreed

8 23
3 Neutral

3 9
4 Disagreed

4 11
5 Strongly Disagreed

Total 35 100
Source:Primary data

It is inferred that 34 percentages of the respondents are strongly agreed .It consumes only less time for purchasing
the product. But 9 percentages of the respondents are disagreed because it takes more time to carefully fill up the
necessary detail.

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Table: 4.9: Types of the Product


S.no Particulars No of Percentage of
Respondents Respondents (%)
1. Books 8 23
2. Electronic Goods 9 26
3. Dress material 5 14
4. Cosmetic items 7 20
5. Other items 6 17
Total 35 100
Source:Primary data

From the above table shows that 26 percentages of the respondents are buying the electronic goods through E-
marketing such as calculator, watch, mobiles and so on.14 percentage of the respondents are purchasing the dress
material.

Table: 4.10: Satisfaction level of E-Marketing


S.no Particulars No of Percentage of
Respondents Respondents (%)
1. Strongly agreed 6 17
2. Agreed 9 25.5
3. Neutral 15 43
4. Disagreed 3 8.5
5. Strongly Disagreed 2 6
Total 35 100
Source:Primary data
It is inferred that 43 percentages of the respondents are ¾ 8.5 % of the respondents are disagreed and strongly
neutral in the satisfaction level of E-marketing and 6 disagreed about the quality of the good. Because
percentage of the respondents are not satisfied with the in sometime the product may received in damages
E-marketing.so the E-marketer try to improve the
and it is difficult to exchange the product.
satisfaction level of their consumer.
¾ 34 % of the respondents are strongly agreed .It
FINDING, SUGGESTION & CONCLUSION consumes only less time for purchasing the product.
FINDING:
¾ 26 % of the respondents are buying the electronic
¾ 60 % of the respondents are male respondents goods through E-marketing such as calculator,
because there are spend more time in internet. watch, mobiles and so on.
¾ 51 % of the respondents are belonging to the age of ¾ 43 % of the respondents are neutral in the
20-23 years. satisfaction level of E-marketing.
¾ 51% of the respondents are belong to the under Suggestion:
graduate who purchasing the product through E-
• Provide the awareness about the E-marketing usage
marketing.
to the illiteracy people. It will help to increase the
¾ 29 % of the respondents are choose e bay as the sale volume of the marketer.
place for the purchasing the product.
• E-marketer must maintain the secrecy of the
¾ 34 % of the respondents are strongly agreed that consumer account number.
their go for the E-marketing because of more • Most of the people are afraid the quality of their
convenience and easy transaction. product so the marketer must take care about the
¾ 43 % of the respondents are strongly agreed the product how it distribute to the consumer.
price of the product is less when compare to the
direct marketing.

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Conclusion Reference:
Consumer is like the blood of our business and also a • http://www.techopedia.com/definition/26363/online-
satisfying a consumer is also a difficult task. Creating a marketing
new consumer and retention an existing consumer is • http://smallbusiness.chron.com/six-benefits-
difficult jobs in the world because more competitors are internet-marketing-31382.html
entering in the market daily. So, the consumer
• www.google.com / AdWords
satisfaction is getting more importance in the E-marketing
functions. The E-marketer tries to improve the satisfaction • http://www.agims.com/blog/2013/05/10-reasons-
level of the consumer. internet-marketing-is-important-to-your-business-agi-
marketing-solutions-el-paso-tx/
• https://exploreb2b.com/articles/different-
components-of-internet-marketing

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A STUDY ON IMPLEMENTATION OF 5‘S’IN HOTEL RAMYAS


PVT LTD. TIRUCHIRAPPALLI
1
Venkatesan.S

“A place for everything and everything in its place” is the mantra of the 5‘S’ method.
- BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
ABSTRACT
5‘S’ is a systematic technique used by organizations to improve quality environment, health, and safety at the workplace.
The concept comes from five Japanese words; Seiri (sort), Seiton (set in order), Seiso (shine), Seiketsu (standardize),
and Shitsuke (sustain). The main focus in 5‘S’ is to organize work places and spaces and also to standardize the
working methods to such an order, that they increase profitability. This system helps to organize a workplace for
efficiency and decrease wasting and optimize quality and productivity via monitoring an organized environment. It
also provides useful visual evidences to obtain more firm results. The 5‘S’ Implementation are reduce inventory,
efficient in work place usage, reduce time for searching spare parts, utensils, reduce work accident, increase
discipline, follow procedure and better relationship among employee. 5‘S’ plays an importance role of continuous
improvement in today’s organizations, and lack of sufficient evidence to show the positive impact of 5‘S’ on organizational
performance, this paper aims to determine performance factors and characteristics in hotel’s and identifying the
effectiveness of 5‘S’ implementation on organizational performance as well. The targeted organization was chosen
from hotel industry. The results of this research obtained from hotel organization performance after 5‘S’ implementation.
The results show that 5‘S’ is an effective tool for improvement of organizational performance, regardless of organization
type, size, its production or its service. Consequently, 5‘S’ techniques would strongly support the objectives of
organization to achieve continuous improvement and higher performance.

INTRODUCTION rescue loss of resources and reduce cost effectiveness


In recent years, the practice of 5‘S’ is commonly used that this study is going to investigate and prove.
among the Japanese firms in order to enhance human
5‘S’ - CONCEPT
capability and productivity. Since it was introduced by
Takashi Osada in the early 1980s, it is believed that 5‘S’ is the principles of work environment improvement
applying the 5‘S’ techniques could considerably raise derived from the Japanese words seiri, seiton, seiso,
the environmental performance in production line Seiketsu, and Shitsuke. In English the five Ss are
including housekeeping, health, safety and more. The respectively described Sort, Set Shine, Standardize, and
5‘S’ is the acronym of five Japanese words which stands Sustain. 5‘S’ is literally 5 abbreviations of Japanese words
for seiri (sort), seiton (Set in order), seiso (cleanliness), with 5 initials of S, these are:
Seiketsu (standardization) and Shitsuke (discipline). 1. Sort-- - Remove unused items from your venue of
work. (Removal / organization)
Nowadays in this dynamic and technological world, the
secret of surviving for any kind of organization is to be 2. Set in Order-Organize everything needed in proper
competitive and pioneer in its products or services. One order for easy operation. (Orderliness)
of the main parts of this way to succeed is continuous 3. Shine - Maintain high standard of cleanness.
improvement and increasing the quality of product or (Cleanness)
service. Usually, this improvement has been achieved 4. Standardize - Set up the above three Ss as norms
through implementation of best practices which are in every section of your place. (Standardize)
chosen to meet a particular objective. 5‘S’ is a way to
5. Sustain - Train and maintain discipline of the
improve the performance and organize the whole system
personnel engaged. (Self-Discipline)
which has been used first time by Japanese. It comes
from five Japanese words start with S which is translated A ‘5‘S’’ driven workplace enhances productivity and
into English words to give the best explanation for them. competitiveness and fosters a productivity culture
As it will be discussed later, using 5‘S’ as a total quality through a continual process of identifying, reducing and
management method is very effective and efficient for eliminating MUDA (Japanese word for Waste). ‘5‘S’’ helps
improvement of whole organization. It has dramatic to:
implementation on safety and environmental issues, (a) Identify, Reduce and Eliminate MUDA

1
PG Research Scholar, Department of Commerce CA, St. Joseph’s College, Tiruchirapalli

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(b) Organized & World Class Gemba (Workplace) OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
(c) Enhancement in Productivity & Competitiveness There are many practices in the world to improve the
(d) Better Living and improved work life quality of products/services and performance of
organizations, but generally companies looking for the
Principle of 5‘S’ best practice to implement and utilize for achieving their
The 5‘s’ are prerequisites for any improvement program. organizational goals and objectives easier, sooner and
with less expenses. This study aims to investigate the
As waste is potential gain, so eliminating waste is a
implementation of 5‘S’ practices on performance of hotel
gain. 5‘s’ Philosophy focuses on effective work place
organizations. Accordingly, the main objective of the
organization, simplifies work environment, reduces
research is to measure the organization’s performance
waste while improving quality and safety.
after implementing 5‘S’ practice.
There is no hope for efficiency or quality improvement
with dirty work place, waste of time and scrap. The following are the important objectives of the study:
• To study the conceptual frame work of 5‘S’.
Advantages of 5‘S’ • To identify the effective and efficient implementation
1. Operations can be performed without error, of 5‘S’ in the Hotel industry.
proceeding in a well-regulated fashion, • To study the implementation process of 5‘S’.
resulting in fewer defective items thereby increasing • To identify the employee commitment towards the
the overall quality of product. organization after implementation of 5‘S’.
2. Operations can be performed safely and • To study the waste elimination helps to reduce cost
comfortably, reducing the chances of accidents. effectiveness after implementation of 5‘S’.
3. Machinery and equipment can be carefully • To study overall support of the employee towards
maintained, reducing the number of breakdowns. the implementation of 5‘S’.
4. Operations can be performed efficiently, eliminating
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
waste thereby increasing the efficiency and
productivity. The scope of this work is limited to determine
performance factors and dimensions of hotel
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM organizations and also characteristics of those
dimensions, which will be proposed as questions, and
In recent years, researchers and practitioners are
finally find out whether 5‘S’ is an effective method to
paying increasing attention to the phenomenon of new
improve the whole performance of a hotel organization.
management systems and their impact on company’s
It realized that the scope is ambitious in that, but it
performance.
examines a new outlook at organization and total quality
The most important problem and the primary reason approach, however it is limited enough to be a realistic
for this research are to study about the concept of 5‘S’ base for a research. The output of this research will help
and its implementation and impact on organizational us to locate 5‘S’ practices in the most suitable
performance. The main problem is many of the framework for total quality management and performance
organizations not aware of the technique of 5 S, even improvement in hotel organizations. This condition will
they know it, and they failed to implement this concept. create win-win situation between employer and
In the industries like hotel there is in need of improving employees.
their quality continuously to compete the competitor METHODOLOGY
as well as to attract the customer and to increase the
In order to carry out the study, a methodological and
profitability of the organization. Nowadays many of the
structured design has been used. Ramyas Hotel Pvt.
hotels are not introducing the concepts available to
Ltd, Tiruchirapalli has been purposely chosen for the
maintain the quality and to survive in the market. . Here, study as it is one of the main Hotel in Tiruchirapalli.
the concept of 5‘S’ is very much helpful to maintain the
quality in services, HR, and overall organizational Period of the study
efficiency, but still, there is a problem in implementation, The study was conducted during the month of February
training and understanding the concept. This paper 2014. The total of 45 respondents were selected at a
mainly focuses on explaining the concept to understand random and questionnaire was obtained from the
and help to realize the importance of implementation secondary data has been used in designing the
of 5‘S’ in the hotel industry especially in hotel Ramyas, questionnaire.
Trichy.

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Research design & Sample Size Pre-Test:


The researcher has chosen the descriptive design for Before going for any complete survey there is a need for
research for conducting this research. Descriptive the Pre-Test. The researcher selected only 10
research studies are concerned with describing the respondents out of 45, for the Pre-Test. After getting the
characteristics of particular individual or groups. feedback and suggestion from those employee’s the
researcher strengthened the questionnaire and obtained
Sample Size
the relevant information from the respondents for
The number of employees on the staff roll of the hotel is implementation of 5‘S’ technique.
100 per shift i.e. (Total number of employees are 300)
which constituted the universe of the present study. From Data Collection & Tools used
this universe, 45 selected employees are chosen as Primary data:
study respondent who constituted 15% of the population. The primary data are collected with the help of
These 45 selected employees are chose for the study Questionnaire.
on a random sampling basis. Each department in the
hotel is given adequate representation in the sample. Secondary data:
Data Collection The secondary data are taken from published records
and information in E-libraries,
The study is an exploratory study in nature and therefore
the researcher decided to use both primary and Documents, Books, Journals, Theses, Internet
secondary data for strengthening the objectives. resources and related sources are used.

ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION


TABLE-1 : Showing age wise distribution of respondents

Frequency No. of respondent Percentage


21-30 17 38 %
31-50 22 49 %
Above 50 06 13%
Total 45 100%
Source: Primary data

Interpretation:
A glance at the above table reveals that the largest number of respondents (49%) belongs to the age group of 31-50,
while 38% of them are in the category of 21-30. Only 13% of the respondents are at the level of above 50 age
category. According to the ages of the respondents, experienced respondents are very high when compared to the
young respondents ranging from 21-30.

TABLE-2 : Showing work experience under 5'S’ implementation

Frequency No. of respondent Percentage


0-5 yrs 13 29 %
5-10 yrs 25 55 %
10 above 07 16%
Total 45 100%
Source: Primary data

Interpretation:
From the above drawn table the majority of respondents are at 05-10 years (55%) whereas 0-5 years (29%). Just
16% of the respondents are at above 10 years of experience in the hotel. According to the experience of respondents,
the maximum experienced respondents i.e. 10 and above are very less namely 16 percent, whereas less experienced
respondents are more i.e. 55 percent. Here less experienced respondents can be given additional care for them to
concentrate 5‘S’ Japanese Technique.

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TABLE-3 : Showing frequent practice of the seiri (sort) concept

Category Frequency Percentage


Very often 30 67%
Often 15 33%
Occasionally - -
Rarely - -
Total 45 100%
Source: Primary data

Interpretation:
The above mentioned table respondents are very often throw out the unnecessary waste form the hotel i.e. 67%
whereas 37% of the respondents are say often the waste throws out form the hotel. None of them says the waste
throw out occasionally and rarely from the Hotel.

TABLE-4: Showing the way of following method in the seiton (set in order) concept

Category Frequency Percentage


Labeling - -
Allotting rack - -
Segregating the place - -
All the above 45 100%
Total 45 100%
Source: Primary data

Interpretation:
The above mentioned table shows that the entire respondents accepted all the process of set in order must be
properly followed by the organization.

TABLE-5 : Showing frequent process of seiso (clean) in the environment

Category Frequency Percentage


Strongly agree 32 71%
Agree 05 11%
Disagree 08 18%
Strongly disagree - -
Total 45 100%
Source: Primary data

Interpretation:
The data given above shows that 32 respondents were strongly agree about the cleanliness of their organization.
Whereas 5 respondents were agree about the cleanliness the remaining 8 respondents were disagree about the
frequent cleanliness of the hotel.

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TABLE-6 : Showing the maintenance of seiketsu (standardize) in work place

Category Frequency Percentage


Strongly agree 23 71%
Agree 08 18%
Disagree 05 11%
Strongly disagree - -
Total 45 100%
Source: Primary data

Interpretation:
The above mentioned table shows that 71% of the respondents strongly agree that the standardization of work
place followed and maintained properly, whereas 18% of the respondents agree their opinion towards the
standardization. Remaining 11% of them disagrees the maintenance of standardization.

TABLE-7 : Showing maintenance of shitsuke (sustain – self discipline) in the organization

Category Frequency Percentage


Strongly agree 17 38%
Agree 09 20%
Disagree 09 20%
Strongly disagree 10 22%
Total 45 100%
Source: Primary data

Interpretation:
From the view of the above table it is clear that majority of the respondents i.e. 38% of them have strongly agree
that the employees maintain self-Discipline. Some respondents 20% agree that the self-Discipline. The remaining
employees disagree and strongly disagrees the self-Discipline among the employees.

TABLE-8 : Showing employees commitment towards after implementation of 5'S’

Category Frequency Percentage


Strongly agree 32 71%
Agree 11 24%
Disagree 02 5%
Strongly disagree - -
Total 45 100%
Source: Primary data

Interpretation:
From the above drawn table it is clear that majority of the respondents i.e. 71% of them strongly agree their
commitment towards the organization after implementation of 5‘S’, whereas 24% of them are also agree their
commitment towards the implementation process. Remaining 5% of the respondents not show their commitment
for the implementation of 5‘S’.

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TABLE-9 : Showing waste elimination helps to reduce the cost effectiveness

Category Frequency Percentage


Strongly agree 32 71%
Agree 11 24%
Disagree 02 5%
Strongly disagree - -
Total 45 100%
Source: Primary data

Interpretation:
The above mentioned table shows that the majority of the respondents i.e. 71% of them strongly agree the waste
elimination helps to reduce the cost effectiveness. Some respondents i.e. 24% agree that the cost effectiveness
useful to the organization. A very few respondents says that elimination will not be a result of cost effectiveness.

TABLE-10 : Showing overall support of respondents towards the implementation of 5‘S’

Category Frequency Percentage


Strongly agree 35 78%
Agree 08 18%
Disagree 02 04%
Strongly disagree - -%
Total 45 100%
Source: Primary data

Interpretation:
The above mentioned table clearly shows that the majority of the respondents i.e. 78% of strongly agree implementation
of 5‘S’ in hotel industry, whereas 18% of them agree about the implementation. Remaining 04% of them oppose the
implementation of 5‘S’.

TABLE-11 : Showing 5‘S’ implementation will be the reason for the business development

Category Frequency Percentage


Strongly agree 20 45%
Agree 15 33%
Disagree 10 22%
Strongly disagree - -%
Total 45 100%
Source: Primary data

Interpretation:
The above mentioned table shows that the maximum of 45% of the respondents accepted 5‘S’ implementation is
the reason for the business development, whereas 33% of them agree. The remaining respondents i.e. 22% disagree
the business development is only the reason for implementation of 5‘S’.

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FINDINGS on HR Management, Production Management,


In the last section, after studying of 5‘S’ implementation, Marketing Management, and Financial Management and
5‘S’ practice as one of the most appropriate practices so on. These areas can be managed in the effective way
for hotel organizations, with focus on total quality through 5‘S’concept of Continuous Improvement. Here
management approach was proposed. this study makes us to understand the concept of 5‘S’,
its implementation and the performance level of the Hotel
• It is found that 5‘S’ is one of the important principle Ramyas after implementation of 5‘S’.
to maintain the quality in the Organization.
REFERENCES
• It is found that majority of the respondents i.e. 78%
Model projects:
of them support towards the implementation of 5‘S’.
1. Introduction and implementation of the 5‘S’ operation
• It is observed that 45% of the respondents says that model for ST-Koneistus LTD. By veli-pekka pirtiijoki
the business development is occurred in the
2. Quality improvement using 5‘S’ concept in
organization for the implementation of 5‘S’.
manufacturing industry- sarvin silvarao
• It is observed that using 5‘S’ principle management
3. 5‘S’ implementation and people involvementat
should reduce the cost effectiveness by way of
muehlbauer technologies sdn bhd.
eliminating waste.
4. Becker JE (2001). Implementing 5‘S’: To promote
• It is observed that the 5‘S’ implementation helps to
safety and housekeeping. Professional Saf.
reduce the un-necessary searching in the
46(8):29-31.
Organization.
5. The impact of 5‘S’ implementation on industrial
• It is found that 5‘S’ implementation is the effective
organisation performance by arash ghodrati,norzima
and efficient ways to achieve profitability.
zulkifli.
RECOMMENDATIONS 6. A conceptual evaluation of 5‘S’ model in hotels Dilek
• According to the result the researcher recommended Acar Gürel.
that the future development of 5‘S’ practice will be
7. The impact of 5‘S’ on the safety climate of
the key factor for the success of the organization.
manufacturing workers by siddarth sriniwasan
• It is suggested that the 5‘S’ concept is not only
8. J.M. Juran and Frank M.Gryna- Quality planning and
applied in hotel industry but also it is
analysis – TATA Mc Graw Hill, New Delhi.
applicable to any form of manufacturing and quality
maintenance industries. Websites:
• It is advised that the employee need to maintain 1. www.google.com
more concentration and discipline towards the work. 2. Www.yahoo.com
CONCLUSION 3. www.studymode.com
A man who is performing well based on his/her abilities, 4. www.theseus.fi/bitstream/handle.../pirtijoki_veli-
knowledge, skills, and technicalities what he/she knows pekka.pdf
the organization which is performing well, that is based

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THE STUDY ON CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN


EMERGING MARKETS-ITC e-CHOUPAL
1
R.Ethelbert Preethi.

ABSTRACT
CSR has become an integral part of corporate strategy. Companies have CSR teams that devise specific policies,
strategies and goals for their CSR programs and set aside budgets to support them.
CSR has come a long way in India. From responsive activities to sustainable initiatives, corporate have clearly
exhibited their ability to make a significant difference in the society and improve the overall quality of life. Everyone
sees CSR as part of a continuing process of building long-term value. Everything a company do, helps improve the
reputation of company and encourage customers and other stakeholders to stay involved with it.
This paper tries to identify the after effects of e-Choupal in ITC and how this initiative has helped the company in its
progress. CSR initiatives of some companies have also been discussed. There may be some scope for improvement
but serious efforts have been put into to get the best results.

INTRODUCTION: improvement but serious efforts have been put into to


The 21st century is characterized by unprecedented get the best results.
challenges and opportunities, arising from globalization,
OBJECTIVES:
the desire for inclusive development and the imperatives
of climate change. It is recognized the world over that 1) To study the efforts of Indian companies in this field
integrating social, environmental and ethical and their impacts on the company
responsibilities into the governance of businesses 2) To find out how corporate social responsibility is
ensures their long term success, competitiveness and serving as a determinant of corporate success.
sustainability. The last thirty years have borne witness 3) To find the success of ITC after the implementation
to a radical change in the private sectors relationship of e-Choupal.
with both the state and civil society. Firms have been
increasingly called upon to adopt strategies beyond the RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:
financial aspects of their operations and consider the RESEARCH DESIGN:
social and environmental impact of their business The design used for this study is analytical in nature.
activities. In this context, many companies have modified This design is chosen to describe the success of
their policies and activities and engaged into Corporate companies after the implementation of CSR. The views
Social Responsibility (CSR). and opinions of companies about the CSR are highlighted
CSR has become an integral part of corporate strategy. the facts to strengthen the success of CSR.
Companies have CSR teams that devise specific policies, SOURCE OF DATA:
strategies and goals for their CSR programs and set aside
Secondary data have been used for this study. It has
budgets to support them.
been obtained from the official websites as well from
CSR has come a long way in India. From responsive journals, newspapers and articles related to the
activities to sustainable initiatives, corporate have clearly companies, which are under the scope of this study.
exhibited their ability to make a significant difference in
the society and improve the overall quality of life. Everyone SCOPE OF THE STUDY
sees CSR as part of a continuing process of building This study will help the organization to implement and
long-term value. Everything a company do, helps improve better development of CSR activities. The study explains
the reputation of company and encourage customers and how CSR directly impacts in the profit and success of
other stakeholders to stay involved with it. the organization.
This paper tries to identify the after effects of e-Choupal LIMITATIONS:
in ITC and how this initiative has helped the company in 1. CSR initiatives practiced by companies were easily
its progress. CSR initiatives of some companies have available but the results of these initiatives are hard
also been discussed. There may be some scope for to find out.

1
Asst. professor, Dept. of Business Administration, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy

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2. It was difficult to find out the contribution of the CSR practices to the profit of the company after they were
initiated.

ITC s PERFORMANCE SINCE INCEPTION OF e-CHOUPAL:


GROSS INCOME OF ITC : 2000-09 (Rs in crores)

Year 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
gross
income 8069.37 8827.11 9982.46 11194.47 12039.92 13585.39 16510.51 19636.53 21966.84 23678.46

Gross income
25000

20000

15000

10000
gross income
5000

0
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

The above graph clearly depicts that the gross income has risen from 2000( e-CHOPAL). The gross
income has grown 193% from 2000. SALES OF ITC: 2000-09 (Rs in crores)

Year 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Sales 2475.45 2516.44 31.55.90 3712.00 4109.85 4846.89 6463.15 8207.88 9543.59 10529.60

SALES
12000

10000

8000

6000

4000
SALES
2000

0
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

The above sales graph shows that there is huge growth in sales for ITC after the
implementation of e- CHOUPAL.

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LITERATURE REVIEW: CONCLUSION:


Frederick, 2006: His research falls short of providing As it was demonstrated at the beginning of the chapter,
satisfactory guidance to the practice of CSR. the importance of CSR has grown considerably over the
last twenty years or so. The expansion of global markets,
King & Lenox, 2000; Muller & Kolk, 2010. This study the shrinking role of the state, the transformation of the
reveals that CSR practices are often evaluated in a world in to a global village and the recent corporate
simplified and superficial manner with actual CSR scandals have greatly contributed to the prominence of
activities. CSR and the characteristics it bears. After the
completion of study named CORPORATE SOCIAL
Bondy 2008: His study results that our knowledge of
RESPONSIBILITY IN EMERGING MARKETS‘I would
the degree to which CSR practices have penetrated the
like to conclude that in today‘s competitive era CSR
fabric of business behavior is still embryonic. Paul
has an important role to play. CSR initiatives practiced
Hohnen in their paper on “CORPORATE SOCIAL
by the companies contribute to the profit and success
RESPONSIBILITY: An implementation guide for business”
of the company. As an example in the success of ITC,
have said that there is no ¯one –size-fits –all ¯method
CSR initiative e- Choupal has an important role to play
for pursuing a corporate social responsibility (CSR)
as it is one of the success factors of ITC. This has been
approach. Each firm has unique characteristics that will
showed with the help of graphs that depict the company‘s
affect how it views its operational context and its defining
performance since the e-Choupal has been initiated
social responsibilities. Each will vary in its awareness
(2000). With time many other companies have started
of CSR issues and how much it has already done towards
taking interest in this kind cause.
implementing a CSR approach.
REFERENCE:
R. Edward Freeman, S. Ramakrishna Velamuri, Brian
Moriarty in their study on “COMPANY STAKEHOLDER 1. India, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Corporate Social
RESPONSIBILITY-A new approach to CSR” have pointed Responsibility Voluntary Guidelines 2009
out the fact that if a company is enriching the lives of its 2. The Challenges of Social Corporate Social
stakeholders. Pointed out the fact that if a company is Responsibility: Facts for You, May 2013, pp. 38-39
enriching the lives of its stakeholders, then asking the
additional question of whether or not it is ¯socially 3. Kuttayan Annamalai, Sachin Rao, what works ITC’s
responsible simply makes no sense-it is meaningless e-Choupal and profitable rural Transformation
question. If the company is doing everything to keep 4. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Corporate-
stakeholders happy, then it deserves to be applauded Social-Responsibility
and offered as an example for other firms to emulate. If
it is not doing it satisfactorily as particular stakeholders 5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
think it ought, the n these stakeholders could perhaps Corporate_social_responsibility
offer to help it do them better, rather than appeal to 6. www.e-choupal.com
actions and responsibilities that lie outside its day to
day activities.

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A STUDY ON THE REDUCING STRESS IN THE WORKPLACE


OF SELECT PRIVATE SECTOR SUGAR MILL IN TAMILNADU
1 2
F. Ramesh kumar B.Nalini

ABSTRACT
Many employees agree one of the most common problems in the workplace today is stress. Stress causes loss of
productivity, loss of efficiency, increased employee absenteeism, and many other problems. Stress comes from
several aspects of an employee’s life the workplace, social factors, and personal factors.Many aspects of the workplace
can lead to employee stress. One of the main causes of employee stress is change. Change can come in many forms
changes in the industry, changes in the organizations strategies, organizational restructuring, policy changes, changes
in responsibilities, and the addition of new equipment or technology. The work environment itself may also be a source
of stress. Working conditions, lighting, inadequate equipment, an uncomfortable work station, physically demanding
work, and shiftwork are all sources of workplace stress. concepts and measures, an overview of the evidence linking
job stress to ill health, estimates of the size of the problem, the benefits of reducing job stress, a summary of the
intervention research on ways to prevent and control job stress, an outline of international best practice in job stress
intervention and resources for workplace stakeholders to support efforts to implement best practice.

Introduction mechanisms and indirectly – through health behavioural


Stress in the workplace pathways.
The term ‘job stress’ refers to distress resulting from When job and workplace stress threatens to overwhelm
a situation where the demands of a job are not matched you, there are simple steps you can take to regain control
by the resources provided to get the job done. Either or over yourself and the situation. Your newfound ability to
both sides of this equation can be modified to prevent or maintain a sense of self-control in stressful situations
reduce job stress – modifying demands or stressors and will often be well-received by coworkers, managers, and
improving job resources. Resources might include a subordinates alike, which can lead to better relationships
worker’s occupational skills, job experience or education, at work. Here are some suggestions for reducing job
or organisational resources such as machinery, raw stress by prioritizing and organizing your responsibilities.
materials, or staffing levels available to produce goods
or provide services. Job stressors are working conditions Review of literature
that increase the risk of job stress and consequent Buddeberg-Fischer, in their book titled “Work stress and
impacts on health. reduced health in young physicians: prospective
evidence from Swiss residents” (2008) they investigated
There are numerous job stress terms, concepts, models
the perceived job stress, its association with the amount
and theories, all of which can be understood in the
of working hours, and its impact on young physicians’
context of the job stress process. The process initiates
self-reported health and their satisfaction with life during
with exposure to stressors. Stressors arising from the
residency. Stress at work in young physicians, especially
work environment are classified as psychosocial or
when being experienced over a longer period in
physical. Psychosocial stressors, include job demands,
postgraduate training, has to be a matter of concern
job control, job insecurity, bullying, harassment and more.
because of its negative impact on health and life
Physical stressors include noise and ergonomic
satisfaction and the risk of developing symptoms of
exposures.
burnout in the long run.
Exposure to stressors can lead to perceived distress
Katherine Pollak. In their book titled “Stress management
strictly speaking; job stress is short for job-related
in the workplace” (2009) it suggested that work stress
distress. Perceived distress can in turn lead to adverse
significantly contribute to corporate health costs.
short-term responses, which can be physiological or
Comparison through randomised controlled design of
behavioural.Distress, as well as short-term responses,
stress management and intervention provided by an
increase the risk of enduring health outcomes of a
instructor-led group and computer presented format, has
physiological,or behavioural. Importantly, job stress can
resulted in significantly higher attrition in computer based
affect health both directly – through neuroendocrine
presentation format.
1
Ph.D, Research scholar, Department of Commerce, Government Arts College, Karur.
2
AssistantProfessor, Department of Commerce, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy

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Wated, research titled “The Role of Accent as a Work Task Management tips for reducing job stress
Stressor on Attitudinal and Health-Related Work • Prioritize tasks. Make a list of tasks you have to
Outcomes”, (2006) has stated that, data collected from do, and tackle them in order of importance. Do the
the employees who spoke English with a supported high-priority items first. If you have something
accent and prediction, by examining in their role in group, particularly unpleasant to do, get it over with early.
self-efficiency and perceived control in the process where The rest of your day will be more pleasant as a result.
none of the proposed coping mechanism had an impact
of perceived discrimination on employees accent. • Break projects into small steps. If a large project
seems overwhelming, make a step-by-step plan.
Yates, and Iva in their research work titled “Reducing Focus on one manageable step at a time, rather
Occupational Stress”, (2005) the survey explains in detail than taking on everything at once.
that 40% of worker in a manufacturing company reported
• Delegate responsibility. You don’t have to do it all
that their job was very stressful and another 25%
yourself. If other people can take care of the task,
expressed that this job was extremely increasing the
why not let them? Let go of the desire to control or
stress towards their family life, this survey has identified
oversee every little step. You’ll be letting go of
various job conditions that can be adopted to maintain a
unnecessary stress in the process.
stress less work life which leads to a stress less family
life. • Be willing to compromise. When you ask
someone to contribute differently to a task, revise a
Ryan, P.In their book titled, “occupational stress deadline, or change their behavior at work, be willing
reduction” (2005) they have attempted to address the to do the same. Sometimes, if you can both bend a
issue of work-related stress through whole team training little, you’ll be able to find a happy middle ground
programmes, on a background of largely ineffective that reduces the stress levels for everyone.
stress reduction training programmes offered to
individuals within the workplace. The findings show Reduce job stress by improving emotional
significant implications to the conceptual, methodological intelligence
and everyday organizational practice levels of tackling Even if you’re in a job where the environment has grown
this central issue to the health of the workplace. increasingly stressful, you can retain a large measure
of self-control and self-confidence by understanding and
Time Management tips for reducing job stress
practicing emotional intelligence.Emotional intelligence
• Create a balanced schedule. Analyze your is the ability to manage and use your emotions in positive
schedule, responsibilities, and daily tasks. All work and constructive ways. When it comes to satisfaction
and no play is a recipe for burnout. Try to find a and success at work, emotional intelligence matters just
balance between work and family life, social as much as intellectual ability. Emotional intelligence is
activities and solitary pursuits, daily responsibilities about communicating with others in ways that draw
and downtime. people to you, overcome differences, repair wounded
• Don t over-commits you. Avoid scheduling things feelings, and defuse tension and stress.
back-to-back or trying to fit too much into one day.
Emotional intelligence in the workplace has four
All too often, we underestimate how long things will
major components
take. If you’ve got too much on your plate, distinguish
between the “shoulds” and the “musts.” Drop tasks • Self-awareness – The ability to recognize your
that aren’t truly necessary to the bottom of the list emotions and their impact while using gut feelings
or eliminate them entirely. to guide your decisions.

• Try to leave earlier in the morning. Even 10-15 • Self-management – The ability to control your
minutes can make the difference between frantically emotions and behavior and adapt to changing
rushing to your desk and having time to ease into circumstances.
your day. Don’t add to your stress levels by running • Social awareness – The ability to sense,
late. understands, and reacts to other’s emotions and
• Plan regular breaks. Make sure to take short feels comfortable socially.
breaks throughout the day to take a walk or sit back • Relationship management – The ability to inspire,
and clear your mind. Also try to get away from your influences, and connects to others and manages
desk or work station for lunch. Stepping away from conflict.
work to briefly relax and recharge will help you be
more, not less, productive.

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Learn how managers or employers can reduce job • Establish a zero-tolerance policy for harassment.
stress • Make management actions consistent with
It’s in a manager’s best interest to keep stress levels in organizational values.
the workplace to a minimum. Managers can act as
positive role models, especially in times of high stress, OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
by following the tips outlined in this article. If a respected 1. To study the factors of employee stress in private
manager can remain calm in stressful work situations,
sector sugar mill of Tamilnadu.
it is much easier for his or her employees to also remain
calm. 2. To know the handling mechanism of stress in mills.
Additionally, there are a number of organizational 3. To study the socio economic profile of the workers
changes that managers and employers can make to in the selected private sugar mills.
reduce workplace stress. These include:
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Improve Communication
There are 46 sugar mills in Tamil Nadu, of which 16 are
• Share information with employees to reduce
in Cooperative sector and 27 are in Private Sector. Apart
uncertainty about their jobs and futures.
from these, the Tamil Nadu Sugar Corporation Limited,
• Clearly define employees roles and responsibilities.
a Public Sector Company set up in 1974 under the
• Make communication friendly and efficient, not Companies Act is running three public sector sugar mills.
mean-spirited or petty.
Only private sector sugar mills in Tamil Nadu will be
Consult your employees selected for this study. An interview schedule will be
• Give workers opportunities to participate in decisions administered to study the job stress of the selected mills.
that affect their jobs. Data will be collected through interview schedule
• Consult employees about scheduling and work rules. consigning wide work experience, pressure on the job,
• Be sure the workload is suitable to employees communication by the respondent mills.
abilities and resources; avoid unrealistic deadlines. Primary sources of data were derived from the
• Show that individual workers are valued. questionnaire and in-depth interview from employees of
• Offer rewards and incentives. selected sugar mills. The questionnaire was in two
• Praise good work performance, both verbally and sections - the first contained questions on respondent’s
officially, through schemes such as Employee of the personal data, the second on the level work stress.
Month. Secondary source from company records, bulletins and
• Provide opportunities for career development. other official documents also helped to conduct the
• Promote an entrepreneurial work climate that gives present study. The adoption of these tools helped to
employees more control over their work. collect both quantitative and qualitative data.

Cultivate a friendly social climate A simple random sampling method is adopted for this
study. There are 200 employees out of 27 private sector
• Provide opportunities for social interaction among
employees. sugar a mill of Tamilnadu has been chosen for the study.

DATA ANALYSIS
TABLE NO: 1 GENDER

Particular Respondents Percentage


Male 174 87
Female 26 13
Total 200 100
Source: Primary data

Among the 200 respondents, 87 per cent respondents are male, and 13 percent are female. It is felt that majority of
the respondents are male.

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TABLE NO: 2 WORK EXPERIENCE OF THE REPONDENTS

Experience Respondents Percentage


5 and below 12 6
6 to 10 Years 154 77
Above 10Years 34 17
Total 200 100
Source: Primary data

Among the 200 respondents, 6 per cent of the respondents belong to five years and below experience group, 77 per
cent of the respondents belong to six to 10 years experience group, 17per cent of the respondents belong to above
10 years experience group. Hence the majority of 77percent of the respondents belong to six to 10 years in work
experience.

TABLE NO: 3 PRESSURE ON THE JOB

Statement Never Raerly Occasionally Usually Constantly Total

Overloaded at
23
work, unable to complete 43 56 30 48 200
(11.5%)
tasks during an average (21.5%) (28%) (15%) (24%) (100%)
day
12 28 11 67 82 200
Too much supervision
(6%) (14%) (5.5%) (33.5%) (41%) (100%)
Job requirments are
45 92 32 12 19 200
taking their toll on your
(22.5%) (46%) (16%) (6%) (9.5%) (100%)
private life

Rushed to complete 35 15 52 78 20 200


work or short on time (17.5%) (7.5%) (26%) (39%) (10%) (100%)

Source: Primary data

Among the 200 respondents, 24 per cent of the respondent opinions Overloaded at work,unable to complete tasks
during an average day to constantly,41 per cent of the respondent too much supervision to constantly,46 per cent of
the respondent Job requirments are taking their toll on your private life to raerly,39 per cent of the respondent rushed
to complete work or short on time to usually.

TABLE NO: 4 JOB DESCRIPTION CONFLICT


Occasional
Statement Never Raerly Usually Constantly Total
ly
Uncertainty about yoour 34 50 64 19 33 200
exact job responsibilities (17%) (25%) (32%) (9.5%) (16.5%) (100%)

76 11 32 10 71 200
Too much teamwork
(38%) (5.5%) (16%) (5%) (35.5%) (100%)

Poor flow of information to


23 54 43 10 70 200
you in order to carry out
(11.5%) (27%) (21.5%) (5%) (35%) (100%)
your job

Discomfort in handling 54 20 93 11 22 200


unethical assignments (27%) (10%) (46.5%) (5.5%) (11%) (100%)
Source: Primary data

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Among the 200 respondents, 32 per cent of the respondent Uncertainty about yoour exact job responsibilities to
occasionally, 38 per cent of the respondent too much teamwork to never, 35 per cent of the respondent poor flow of
information to you in order to carry out your job to constantly, 46.5 per cent of the respondent to discomfort in
handling unethical assignments to occasionally.

TABLE NO: 5 COMMUNICATION & COMFORT WITH SUPERVISOR

Statement Never Raerly Occasionally Usually Constantly Total


Ideas differ from
those of your 54 60 23 12 51 200
supervisor
(27%) (30%) (11.5) (6) (25.5) (100)
Trouble talking to
boss 20 16 35 76 53 200
(10%) (8%) (17.5%) (38%) (26.5%) (100%)

Unable to predict 45
supervisor's 34 50 22 49 200
reactions (22.5%)
(17%) (25%) (11%) (24.5%) (100%)

Boss gives little 69 23 57 9 42 200


feedback about
your work (34.5%) (11.5%) (28.5%) (4.5%) (21%) (100%)
Boss is overly 33 45 88 25 9 200
critical of your work (16.5%) (22.5%) (44%) (12.5%) (4.5%) (100%)
Source: Primary data

Among the 200 respondents,30 per cent of the respondent Ideas differ from those of your supervisor to raerly,38 per
cent of the respondent Trouble talking to boss to usually, 25 per cent of the respondent Unable to predict supervisor’s
reactions to Occasionally,34.5 per cent of the respondent boss gives little feedback about your work to never,44 per
cent of the respondent boss is overly critical of your work Occasionally.

TABLE NO: 6 JOB RELATED HEALTH CONCERNS

Statement Never Raerly Occasionally Usually Constantly Total

Work conditions 34 77 19 27 43 200


are unhealthy (17%) (38.5%) (9.5%) (13.5%) (21.5%) (100%)

Physical dangers 76 34 73 7 10 200


exist at work place (38%) (17%) (36.5%) (3.5% ) (5%) (100%)

Heavy physical 55 20 67 12 46 200


tasks to complete (27.5%) (10%) (33.5%) (6%) (23%) (100%)

Hostile threats from 22 15 45 44 74 200


co -workers (11%) (7.5%) (22.5%) (22%) (37%) (100%)

Sick days are 12 56 78 31 23 200


discouraged (6 %) (28%) (39%) (15.5%) (11.5%) (100%)
Source: Primary data

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Among the 200 respondents, 21.5 per cent of the respondent Work conditions are unhealthy to Constantly, 38 per
cent of the respondent Physical dangers exist at work place to never, 27.5 per cent of the respondent to heavy
physical tasks to complete to never, 37 per cent of the respondent hostile threats from co-workers to Constantly, 39
per cent of the respondent Sick days are discouraged to Occasionally.

TABLE NO: 7 WORK OVERLOAD STRESS

Statement Never Raerly Occasionally Usually Constantly Total

Can't consult with 11 68 65 33 23 200


others on projects (5.5%) (34%) (32.5%) (16.5%) (11.5%) (100%)
Co -workers are 18 34 25 72 51
200
inefficient (9%) (17%) (12.5%) (36%) (25.5%)
(100%)
Often take work 20 75 32 67 6
200
home to complete (10%) (37.5%) (16%) (33.5%) (3%) (100%)
Responsibile for 98 33 6 45 18
200
too many (49%) (16.5%) (3%) (22.5%) (9%)
people/project (100%)

Shortage of help at 23 32 35 76 34
200
work (11.5%) (16%) (17.5%) (38%) (17%)
(100%)
Source: Primary data

Among the 200 respondents, 34 per cent of the respondent Can’t consult with others on projects raerly, 36 per cent
of the respondent Co-workers are inefficient to usually,37.5 per cent of the respondent Often take work home to
complete to raerly,49 per cent of the respondent responsibile for too many people/project to never,38 per cent of the
respondent Shortage of help at work usually.

TABLE NO: 8 Nature of thte job

Statement True to True to True to True to a True to a Total


almost no small some great very great
extent extent extent extent extent
Poor working conditions 45 57 84 10 4 200
(22.5%) (28.5%) (42%) (5%) (2%) (100%)
Work overload or 17 28 4 91 60 200
underload (8.5%) (14% ) (2%) (45.5%) (30%) (100%)
Inconvenient hours 89 20 67 14 10 200
(44.5%) (10%) (33.5%) (7%) (5%) (100%)
excessive physical effort 60 77 13 45 5 200
(30%) (38.5%) (6.5%) (22.5%) (2.5%) (100%)
Source: Primary data

Among the 200 respondents, 42per cent of the respondent Poor working conditions true to some extent,45.5 per
cent of the respondent work overload or underload to true to a great extent,44.5 per cent of the respondent inconvenient
hours to true to almost no extent,38.5 per cent of the respondent excessive physical effort to true to small extent.

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TABLE NO: 9 Work Relationship

Statement True to True to True to some True to a True to a Total


almost no small extent great very great
extent extent extent extent
Poor relationship with co- 24 12 58 67 39 200
workers, supervisor, or (12%) (6%) (29%) (33.5%) (19.5%) (100%)
staff
Problems in giving 11 28 45 88 28 200
assignments to others (5.5%) (14%) (22.5%) (44%) (14%) (100%)
Competition among 47 50 67 6 30 200
employees (23.5%) (25%) (33.5%) (3%) (15%) (100%)
Source: Primary data

Among the 200 respondents,33.5 per cent of the respondent Poor relationship with co-workers,supervisor,or staff to
true to a great extent,44 per cent of the respondent Problems in giving assignments to others to true to a great
extent,33.5 per cent of the respondent competition among employees to true to some extent.

TABLE NO: 10 Career Development

Statement True to True to True to some True to a True to a Total


almost no small extent great very great
extent extent extent extent
Lack of job security 45 58 15 47 35 200
(22.5%) (29%) (7.5%) (23.5%) (17.5%) (100%)
Overqualified for job 24 38 42 70 26 200
(12%) (19%) (21%) (35%) (13%) (100%)
Underqualified for job 16 24 57 41 62 200
(8%) (12%) (28.5%) (20.5%) (31%) (100%)
Source: Primary data

Among the 200 respondents, 29 per cent of the true to a great extent,35 per cent of the respondent
respondent Lack of job security to true to small extent, overqualified for job to true to a great extent.
35 per cent of the respondent overqualified for job to true
to a great extent, 31 per cent of the respondent Conclusion
underqualified for job to true to a very great extent. As per this study which was under taken regarding the
job stress in private sector sugar mill of Tamil nadu.Work
SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS place stress is costly and becoming more so,From the
The overall findings that,majority are the respondents above review it can be concluded that employee carrer
are male have been working in the mills,77 per cent of development i.e.,salary and other benefit is very important
the respondents belong to six to 10 years experience for the sugar mills.The private sector sugar mills have to
group, 46 per cent of the respondent Job requirments retify their overload,work relationship and understand their
are taking their toll on your private life to raerly,46.5 per feeling and emotional,then only they are achieving
cent of the respondent to discomfort in handling increase the productivity of the mills.It means the
unethical assignments to occasionally.44 per cent of employees are not satisfied with their salary and other
the respondent boss is overly critical of your work monetary benefits which are provided by the mills to
Occasionally,39 per cent of the respondent Sick days them.It is very important for mill to make an suggest
are discouraged to Occasionally,49 per cent of the that policies benefits worker health also low rates of
respondent responsibile for too many people/project to illness,injury,and disability in its workforce and also the
never,45.5 per cent of the respondent work overload or mills have to take the counselling who are affect the
underload to true to a great extent,44 per cent of the stress in mill,then only they are achieving their goals
respondent Problems in giving assignments to others to and activities.

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Reference
1. Buddeberg-Fischer, (2008), “ Work stress and reduced health in young physicians: prospective evidence from
Swiss residents”. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, Vol. 82 No.(1): pp.31-38
2. Katherine Pollak,”Stress management in the workplace: A comparison of a computer-based and an in-person
stress- management intervention”, Vol.24, Issue 2, pp. 486-496, 2008.
3. Wated, “The Role of Accent as a Work Stressor on Attitudinal and Health-Related Work Outcomes”, International
Journal of Stress Management, Aug2006, Vol. 13 Issue 3, p329-350, 22p.

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A STUDY ON PROBLEMS FACED BY SHGs IN LALGUDI TALUK, TRICHY


1 2 3
S. Anitha M.Revathi Dr. N. Maheshwari

ABSTRACT
Micro-finance provides credit to poor with no collateral obligations it encourages savings and promotes income
generating activities. Loans are provided at the market rate of interest and pressure is used in repayment. Micro
finance is carried out through self help groups where pat the market rate of interest and pressure is used in repayment.
Micro finance is carried out through seoor come together in the range of 10-20 by weekly and monthly meetings
through their interventions hither uncovered groups are covered with credit and in the process get empowered. Economic
and social transformation is ultimately specific objectives of any third world country. Government policy, planning and
its implementation are undoubtedly the instruments and the means for such social and economic transformation. In
India right from independence apart from five year planning, now and then so many social economic development
programme has been launched. During 20. programme, IRDP (Indian Rural Development Programme) some of the
programme for economic and social development. In 1990’s Government launched a new programme called economic
and social development through SHGs. In order to understand the feasibility of the programme. It is always good to
evaluate application and functioning of any such programme, which will also help us to understand the progressiveness
and productivity. Therefore an attend is made to more the operations of micro-credit programme through SHGs
functioning in Lalgudi taluk in Trichy district.

Introduction The success of the Grameen Bank’s experiment is often


The award of the Nobel peace prize to Bangladesh’s cited to support the currently fashionable but broader
Muhammad Yunus and the Grameen Bank set up by goal of financial inclusion. There is, of course, much
him bring into focus the status of Micro-credit in India. more to inclusion than micro credit but the success in
The practice of “dispensing tiny” loans through a Bangladesh shows that even the more difficult inclusive
commercial bank is not alien to India and many other practices – such as viable lending to the poorer section
countries. However, it was because of Prof. Yunus and – can be implemented with a high degree of success. In
the Grameen Bank that micro finance, as an institutional any case, over the past few years at best the idea has
arrangement, came to be conceptualized and caught on many banks, including the bigger foreign
implemented with a high degree of success and banks, are into micro credit in a big way. Quite
replicated in many parts of the world including India. significantly all these banks are viewing micro lending
The difference then lies in the way the Grammen Bank as a commercial proposition, one in which they can
pioneered the idea of lending to poor Bangladeshi women earn money. There have been some very successful
on a sustainable basis. Until recently, in most developing attempts in different parts of the country to dispense
countries, lending to the weaker sections, if at all small loans to groups of people including women
especially to a target group of women, had been a borrower. But impressive as these attempts were, they
peripheral activity for banks. have not been translated into national level programmes
worthy of emulation by other banks or, more importantly,
The Nobel citation says: “Lasting peace cannot be adopted by policy makers.
achieved unless large population groups find ways to
break out of poverty. Micro credit is one such means” IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY
Indeed, the Grameen Bank’s success lies in its Micro-finance provides credit to poor with no collateral
business model: the recovery rate is said to be over 96 obligations it encourages savings and promotes income
per cent, these short-period loans are dispersed without generating activities. Loans are provided at the market
any king of collateral (but backed by group guarantee) rate of interest and pressure is used in repayment.
and borrowers are required to serve some amounts. Micro finance is carried out through self help groups
Hence over time may borrowers are able to escape where pat the market rate of interest and pressure is
poverty. As many as 100 countries are reported to have used in repayment. Micro finance is carried out through
adopted the concept. Even advanced countries such seoor come together in the range of 10-20 by weekly
as the U.K. and the U.S. are turning to micro credit to and monthly meetings through their interventions hither
address issues of poverty and deprivation.
1
PG Research Scholar, Dept. of Commerce CA, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy – 2.
2
PG Research Scholar, Dept. of Commerce CA, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy – 2.
3
Asst. Professor, Dept. of Commerce CA, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy – 2.

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uncovered groups are covered with credit and in the 3. To understand the effect of micro-credit programme
process get empowered. A review of the genesis and through SHGs developing rural women.
development of SHGs in India reveals that the existing 4. To study the socio, economical problems faced by
formal financial institutions have failed to provide finances the SHGs in the study period.
to landless, marginalized and disadvantaged groups.
This savings scheme acts as useful tool to help poor in METHODOLOGY
accessing financial resources and save them from the The study was taken up among SHG members in Lalgudi
clutches of money lenders. The study helps to assess Taluk. Lalgudi Taluk consists of two panchayat union
to what extent the effect of micro-credit programme namely Pullampadi and Lalgudi from both union 75
through SHGs reckoned with. The study is focused on members were selected. The total of 150 members were
operation of micro-credit programme in SHGs and how selected as sample through random sample method. The
it is useful for the members of SHGs whether they are universe of the study consists of members of SHG in
improved of in all aspects of life namely economically, Lalgudi Taluk. The researcher collected data from both
socially and politically or their level of status is remaining primary and secondary sources. The primary data were
as it was and also study the various socio and economic collected through questionnaire from the respondents.
problems faced by the respondents. . The secondary data were collected from the books,
journals, magazines, NGOS and Government
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:
publications. This study has been done in a systematic
Economic and social transformation is ultimately specific manner to arrive at logical conclusion. The data were
objectives of any third world country. Government policy, collected through questionnaire and by personal interview.
planning and its implementation are undoubtedly the The respondents were identified and approached mostly
instruments and the means for such social and economic during the evening time because the members go to the
transformation. In India right from independence apart work in the morning and return in evening.
from five year planning, now and then so many social
economic development programme has been launched. SCOPE OF THE STUDY
During 20. programme, IRDP (Indian Rural Development The study covers the member of SHGs unit operating in
Programme) some of the programme for economic and Lalgudi Taluk. The main scope of the study is to explore
social development. In 1990’s Government launched a the problem faced by the SHGs. It is necessary to study
new programme called economic and social development the activities of SHGs, because the emerging changes
through SHGs. In order to understand the feasibility of in the values and attitudes of the members of the SHGs
the programme. It is always good to evaluate application are clear manifestation of socio-empowerment
and functioning of any such programme, which will also interventions yielding relatively quicker results. The socio-
help us to understand the progressiveness and economic programmes reinforce each other and promote
productivity. Therefore an attend is made to more the all round development of the children, the women, the
operations of micro-credit programme through SHGs households and the communities. It is a process which
functioning in Lalgudi taluk in Trichy district. ultimately leads to self-fulfillment of each member of the
society. It is in this direction that SHGs are moving
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY:
towards fulfilling their objectives with a meaningful
The following are the objectives of the study: strategic direction. The study deals with members how
1. To understand operation of micro-credit programme to mobilize and manage thrift activities, types of loans
in SHGs of Lalgudi taluk. offered by banks, how to utilize their amount which is
2. To evaluate the programme and performance of SHGs helpful in economic development of the members.
in Lalgudi Taluk.
ANALYSIS
Nature of the problem faced by the respondents
No. of Respondents
Nature of problem
Yes % No % Total %
Delay 7 5 80 53 87 58
Lot of Enquires 15 10 30 20 45 30
Red-tapism 8 5 10 7 18 12
Total 30 20 120 80 150 100
Source: Primary Data

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Relationship between the education of the respondents and the reason for joining in SHGs

Education Illiterate Upto upto College 4 total percentage


Primary secondary level
Reasons level level

Status 0 3 17 5 25 17

Suitability of 3 12 10 0 25 17
organisation
structure
Need for 10 35 12 0 57 38
development
Inducement of 4 10 6 10 20 13
the Neighbours
New area of 2 5 9 1 17 11
learning
Source for 0 1 2 3 6 4
General
awareness
Total 19 66 56 9 150 100

Source: Primary Data

Relationship between range of Income earned by the respondents and contributions of SHGs

S.No Values Rank I Rank Rank Rank Rank Rank Total


II III IV V VI
1. Sense of harmony 10 0 20 80 21 19 150
2. Self confidence 30 93 0 10 10 7 150
3. Improvement in 15 0 10 10 77 48 150
entrepreneurial skills
4. Knowledge about self 10 10 87 3 40 0 150
5. Knowledge about 95 45 3 7 0 0 150
world
6. Social respect 0 2 30 40 2 76 150
Total 150 150 150 150 150 150

Source: Primary Data

Weighted average: 3. Improvement in entrepreneurial skill


1. Sense of harmony: 15x6+10x4+10x3++77x2+48x1/150 = 2.413
10x6+20x4+80x3+21x2+19x1/150=2.94 4. Knowledge about self
2. Self confidence: 10x6+10x5+87x4+3x3+40x2/150=3.646
30x6+93x5+10x3+10x2+7x1/150 = 4.68

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5. Knowledge about world participate actively in order to realize their group


95x6+45x5+3x4+7x3/150 = 5.52. goals.
6. Social respect 3. Non-governmental organization (NGOs) should play
a significance role in empowering women
2x5+30x4+40x3+2x2+76x1/150=2.2
entrepreneur by providing base education to illiterate
The main findings of the study: member, motivation training and financial help etc.,
¾ There are 41% of the respondents belong to the age 4. Frequent awareness campus can be organized by
group of between 35 and 45 which is the higher of NGO to SHG members in order to familiarize them
all. towards government schemes availed by time to time.
¾ There are 94% of the respondents have not studied 5. Government should encourage successful groups and
beyond school level. Definitely the SHG movement, they should be rewarded.
which is an effective tools to empower in all aspects 6. NGOs and bank should encourage and re-promote
of the life of the members. the dissolution of groups.
¾ There are 43% of the respondents are daily wage 7. Bank should arrange prompt delivery of loan to the
earners or collie. 25% of the respondents engaged SHGs members with minimum interest.
in agricultural activities and remaining respondents
engaged in other activities. It is observed that daily CONCLUSION
wage earners or coolie are very much interested in The programme of micro financing through SHGs with
joining SHGs. the intervention of NGOs and support from the government
¾ There are 55% of the respondents are having the has shown many positive impacts on rural poor women.
number of dependents of 1-3 members which is It has become a powerful instrument in providing access
highest of all. of banking services to poor and also in mobilizing their
small savings. This system not only provide credit, most
¾ 47% of the respondents earning below Rs. 1000.
important input for development to the poorer sections
Only 3% of the respondents are earning above Rs.
of the society. SHG is a media for the development of
5000. It is analysed that the people who are low
savings habit among the women folk. It mobilizes a
income are encouraged to join SHGs due to poverty.
large quantam of resources. It is window for better
¾ There are 55% of the respondents come under BC technology and skill upgradation. It is helps to group
community and 30% of the respondents come under activity and increase income level of the family which is
SC community are most economically oppressed strengthen personal qualities and self confidence.
people. SHGs aim at improving their living status.
¾ 39% of the SHG groups started in the year 2005. REFERENCES
10% of the group commenced in the 2006. It is 1. Thomas Fisher, Sriram M.S., beyond Micro-credit
analysed that the growth of SHG is increased year (New Delhi: Vistaar Publications, 2002).
by year. It is significant to note that surely SHG 2. Sharma B.B., Enclopaedic Dictionary of Sociology
promotes rural development. (New Delhi: Anmol Publications, 1992).
¾ 70% of the respondents reported that they have come 3. NABARD: Reports on SHGs – Bank linkage
to know about SHGs through NGOs. It is analysed programme cumulative progress (2002-03).
that NGOs play an effective role to form and promote
4. Meenambigai. S, “Self Help Groups in Rural
SHGs programme
Economy”, Kisan World, Vol. 31, April, 2004, pp.
¾ Regarding the total members in SHGs, 53% of the 17-18.
respondents expressed that there are 16 to 20
5. Dr. Manimekalai. K, “Economic Empowerment of
members constitute their SHGs group.
Women through Self – Help Groups”, Third Concept,
Suggestion Vol.17, February 2004, pp. 47-50.
The following are suggestions made, based on finding 6. Grumoorthy. T.K., “Self Help Groups Empower Rural
and individuals interviews that the researcher Women”, Vol.48, February 2000, pp. 36-39.
contacted 150 samples in Lalgudi Taluk. 7. Kumaaran K.P., “Role of Self- Help Groups in
1. Group should utilize what is locally available promoting micro enterprises”, Vol. 21, June 2002,
resources with the effective manner and should be pp. 232-250.
focused in the group activities. 8. www.wikipedia.com/Grameen Bank/ html.
2. There should not be any discrimination among the 9. “SHGs help remove property among rural women”,
members. Everyone should co-operate and The Hindu/India’s National News Paper, Friday, Mar
07, 2003.
Vol.2, Special Issue March 2014 Page 226
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10. Keya Sarkar, “India : A hotspot for Micro Finance”,


April 28, 2006 (www. Index/Business/Column, 28,
guest, html.
11. www.grameen.info.org/mcredit.html.
12. w w w. t i m e s o f i n d i a . i n d i a t i m e s . c o m / m s i d -
333350.prtpage-1.htm
13. www.grameen.com/mcredit/unreport.html.

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A STUDY ON CONSUMER PREFERENCE FOR COMPACT


FLUORESCENT LAMP (CFL) IN TIRUCHIRAPPALLI CITY

1 2
M. Thiru Murugan Dr. N. Maheshwari
ABSTRACT
A recent development in the house hold electrical products is Compact Fluorescent Lamps which reached each and
every house, in one way or other and knowingly or unknowingly we are using it, as it is a very good electricity power
saver. It is the most need of the hour along with the minimizing the use of petroleum related products. As per our
Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) (Ministry of Power, Government of India, “Energy conservation ranks top most
priority in our country. Hence an attempt is made to study about the consumer preference, taste opinion about CFL in
Tiruchirappalli Town covering its history usage models, environmental concerns.
This study relates to the consumer preference on Compact Fluorescent Lamp, their satisfaction, on the marketing point
of view in Tiruhirappalli city. The information required for the study has been collected from various books, articles and
from web sites. This study is based on both primary and secondary data, primary data are collected from the sample
respondents by means of the questionnaire and the personal observation of the researcher and also personal
interview with the electrical dealers. Researcher collected data from 25 dealers and 100 respondents. The secondary
data source includes books, short notes, websites, manual and pamphlets. The study is based on simple random
sample method.

Introduction car expects trouble free journey, quick travel, comfortable


In olden days, goods were exchanged for goods. seating etc.,
Production was restricted to domestic consumption. As Anything that possesses utility is described as goods.
human wants are unlimited, mass production is carried A product is both what a seller has to sell and what a
out. Due to the growth of civilization and standard of buyer has to buy. Thus, any enterprise that has
living of the people , business activities were developed. something to sell, as tangible goods or not, is selling a
As a result of this, money as a medium of exchange. It product. People purchase products, because they are
has come into existence. All business related activities capable of realizing some benefits to the purchase. A
have shown tremendous growth. Business activities product is one which satisfies the needs of consumers.
are classified into industry and commerce. Here “A product is anything that can be offered to a market
commerce includes trade and aids to trade such as for attention, acquisition, use or consumption that might
transport, banking, insurance, warehousing, advertising, satisfy a want or need. It includes physical objects,
etc., services, persons, place, organization and ideas”.
PRODUCTS CONSUMER GOODS
Good products are key to market success. The product Goods are those tangible things which are described
represents a bundle of expectations of the consumers. human beings and for which they are willing to pay a
The product satisfies the needs of society. A successful price. That is, goods may be defined as any commodity,
product ensures its own promotion if satisfies the needs product or services which are useful for people and have
of consumers, that is the product is right to the market. monetary value. Again goods may be tangible or
A good product should be able to generate extra amount intangible. Tangible goods should have the
of enthusiasm which is important to market characteristics of tangibility; i.e., the goods must be
organizations. It gives the marketer independence in touched, seen, felt etc., for example, car scooter, soap,
decision making. For the marketer, the meaning of the fan, cloth etc. Intangible goods may be in the form of
product is determined by the services, such as repairing, services of banks and
needs and desires of the consumers. For instance, when insurances etc.
one buys toothpaste, he buys in the hope of getting “Goods are also known as commodities or products”
whiter teeth, avoiding bad odour etc. That is, a consumer They may mean any property or wares which are
buys the promise (product) of solving problems or transferable.
avoiding one or enjoying one. For instance, one buys a
1
PG Research Scholar, Dept. of Commerce CA, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy
2
Asst. Professor, Dept. of Commerce CA, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy.

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CLASSIFICATION OF CONSUMER GOODS • Longer average life upto 6000-8000 burning hours
Consumer goods are meant for final consumption. On keeps the maintenance cost low.
the basis of buying habits, manufactured consumer • Light weight
goods are classified into three classes ie., Convenience • Flicker – free instant start
goods, shopping goods and speciality goods.
• Very good colour rendition (Pure white)
CONVENIENCE GOODS • Glows even at low voltage.
Goods that the customer usually purchases frequently, • Very compact in size.
immediately and with the minimum effort are known as
convenience goods. Low unit cost, available at IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY
convenient places, at frequent intervals, with minimum A recent development in the house hold electrical
effort, etc., are important characteristics of convenience products is Compact Fluorescent Lamps which reached
goods. Convenience goods are daily necessaries for each and every house, in one way or other and knowingly
human being; for instance, cigarettes, newspapers, or unknowingly we are using it, as it is a very good
soap, bread, sugar, coffee, tea, toothpaste etc. electricity power saver. It is the most need of the hour
along with the minimizing the use of petroleum related
SHOPPING GOODS products. As per our Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE)
Shopping are consumers’ products. Consumers make (Ministry of Power, Government of India, “Energy
comparison in the selection of products as to quality, conservation ranks top most priority in our country.
price, style, suitability, etc. in several stores. Examples Hence an attempt is made to study about the consumer
are cloth, furniture, television, radio, jewellery, washing preference, taste opinion about CFL in Tiruchirappalli
machines, fan etc. consumers compare the relative Town covering its history usage models, environmental
suitability of alternative products before purchase. concerns.

SPECIALITY GOODS OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY


Specialty goods are those ‘goods with unique 1. To know factor influencing the consumer behaviour
characteristics and or brand identification for which a of the consumers of compact florescent lamp in
significant group of buyers are habitually willing to make Tiruchirappalli city.
a special purchasing effort. 2. To evaluate the satisfactory level of consumers of
In the words of Copeland, specialty goods are “those CFL in Tiruchirappalli city.
which have some particular attraction for the consumer, 3. To understand the most effective sources appealing
other than price, that induce him to put in special effort the consumer’s of CFL.
to visit the store in which they are sold and to make a
4. To study the gender profile of consumer of CFL, in
purchase without shopping”; for example, watches,
Trichy City.
radios, etc. There are also known as luxurious goods.
“Goods sold to consumers for direct consumption are METHODOLOGY
consumer goods”. This study relates to the consumer preference on
Compact Fluorescent Lamp, their satisfaction, on the
COMPACT FLUORESCENT LAMP
marketing point of view in Tiruhirappalli city. The
A Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) also known as a information required for the study has been collected
Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb or an energy savings from various books, articles and from web sites. This
light bulb, is a type of Fluorescent lamp that fits into a study is based on both primary and secondary data,
regulars light bulb holder or plugs into a small lights primary data are collected from the sample respondents
fixture. In comparison to incandescent light bulb, by means of the questionnaire and the personal
Compact Fluorescent Lamp have a larger rated life and observation of the researcher and also personal interview
use less electricity. In fact, CFL save enough money in with the electrical dealers. Researcher collected data
electricity cost to make up for their higher initial price from 25 dealers and 100 respondents. The secondary
within about 500 hours of use. data source includes books, short notes, websites,
manual and pamphlets. The study is based on simple
FEATURES
random sample method.
• High luminous efficacy – saves upto 80% on
electricity cost compared to an ordinary bulb (GLS) STATISTICAL TOOLS
• Plug in replacement to GLS The researcher has employed simple percentage method
• Less heat dissipation as well as percentage tables and diagram for the purpose

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of easy understanding of the result of the research. Chi-square test and correlation analysis are used for analyzing
the relationship between the variables.

ANALYSIS
A comparison table gender group of respondents and selection of CFL Basis
Hypothesis:-
Null hypothesis: There is no significant relationship between gender group and selection of CFLs.

G.group/Selection Male Female Total

Qualities 30 15 45

Price 33 12 45

Brand name 3 3 6

Others 2 2 4

Total 68 32 100

Contingency table 4 x 2 =8
Calculation of expected frequency

G.group/Selection Male 1 Female 2 Total

Quality A 30.60 14.40 45

Price B 30.60 14.40 45

Brand name C 4.08 1.92 6

Others D 2.72 1.28 4

Total 68 32 100

68x45 45x32
A1 = = 30.60 A2 = = 14.40
100 100

68x45 45x32
B1 = = 30.60 B2 = = 14.40
100 100

68x6 6x32
C1 = = 4.08 C2 = = 1.92
100 100

68x4 4x32
D1 = = 2.72 D2 = = 1.28
100 100

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(O-E)2
Combination O E (O-E) (O-E)
E
A1 30 30-60 -0.6 0.36 .01
B1 33 30.60 2.4 57.60 1.88
C1 3 4.08 -1.08 1.17 .29
D1 2 2.72 -.72 .52 .19
A2 15 14.40 .60 .36 .03
B2 12 14.40 -2.40 5.76 .40
C2 3 1.92 1.08 1.17 .61
D2 2 1.28 .72 .52 .41
Total 3.82

Degree of Freedom
(R-1) x (C-1)
(4-1) x (2-1)
3x1=3
At 3 degree of freedom 5% significance level, the table value is7.81
x2 = 3.82

Conclusion:
The calculated value is much less than the table value, so the null hypothesis is accepted.
A comparison table of income level of respondents and their awareness about CFL:
Null hypothesis: there is no significant relationship between income level and awareness about CFl

Awareness\Income level Known fully Knows a little bit Does not know Total

Below 4000 2 2 2 6

4001-6000 5 16 2 23

6001-10000 40 20 2 62

Above 10000 7 2 0 9
Total 54 40 6 100

Contingency table 4 x3 =12


Calculation of expected frequency

Awareness\Income level Known fully Knows a little bit Does not know Total

Below 4000 3.24 2.4 .36 6

4001-6000 12.42 9.20 1.38 23


6001-10000 33.48 24.80 3.72 62
Above 10000 4.6 3.60 .54 9

Total 54 40 6 100

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54 x 6 23 x 54 62 x 54 9 x 54
A1 = = 3 . 24 B1 = = 12 . 42 C1 = = 33 . 48 D1 = = 4 . 86
100 100 100 100
6 x 40 23 x 40 62 x 40 9 x 40
A2 = = 2 .4 B2 = = 9 . 20 C2 = = 24 . 80 D2 = = 3 . 60
100 100 100 100
6x6 23 x 6 62 x 6 9x6
A31 = = . 36 B3 = = 1 . 38 C3 = = 3 . 72 D3 = = . 54
100 100 100 100

Degree of freedom
(R-1) (C-1)
(3-1) (4-1)
2 x 3 = 6 degree freedom

Combination O E (O -E) (O -E) (O−E)2


E

A1 2 3.24 -1.24 1.54 .47


B1 5 12.42 -7.42 55.06 4.44
C1 40 33.48 6.52 42.51 1.27
D1 7 4.86 2.14 4.58 .94
A2 2 2.4 -0.4 0.16 .07
B2 16 9.2 6.8 46.24 5.14
C2 20 24.80 -4.8 23.04 .93
D2 2 3.6 -1.6 2.56 .71
A3 2 .36 1.64 2.69 7.47
B3 2 1.38 .60 .38 .27
C3 2 3.72 1.72 2.96 .80
D3 0 .54 -.54 .29 .54

= Σ(O−E)2 23.05
E

Calculated value of x2 = 23.05


The table value at 5% level of significance (at 6 degree = freedom) 12.59

Conclusion:
The calculated value of x2 is greater than the table value (23.05 >12.59). Hence, it is significant that there is
relationship between income level and awareness about CFL and the null hypothesis is rejected.
A comparison table of classification according brand and judging the quality of the CFL
Hypothesis
There is no significant relationship between brand preference and judging the quality of CFL.

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Bran d preference X Judging the quality of CFL Y

Philips 27 56 by using them

Orpat 28 25 from others experience

Havells 10 11 though advertisement

Standard 3

Un branded 26 8 some other reason

Crompton 3

Others 3

X x X2 Y y Y2 x y

27 12.72 161.80 56 31 961 394.32


28 13.72 188.23 25 0 0 0
10 -4.28 18.32 11 -14 196 59.92
3 -11.28 127.27 8 -17 289 191.76
26 11.72 137.36
3 -11.28 127.24
3 -11.28 127.24

100 887.43 100 1446 646

x = 100 = 14 . 28 y = 100 = 25
7 4

Σxy 646 646


Σxy = 646 = = = . 57
Σx2xΣy2 887.43x1446 1133

Conclusion
The result of the correlation is positive. Hence the hypothesis is accepted.
A comparison table of realizing the effect of energy saving and place of purchase.
Hypothesis
There is no significant relationship between place of purchase and realizing effect of energy saving.

X Y
In a particular shop 35 Yes 55

Any convenient shop 45 Some extent 35

Credit facilities 5 No 6

Other reason 15 No idea 4

100 100

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X x X2 Y y Y2 Σx y

35 10 100 55 30 900 300


45 20 400 35 10 100 200
5 -20 400 6 -19 361 380
15 -10 100 4 -21 441 210

100 1000 100 1802 1090

100 100 11. Most of the respondents appreciate the life of the
x = = 25 y = = 25 CFLs of the leading companies.
4 4
12. In selection of a particular brand consumer are very
Σxy 1090 1090 well aware and they also accepts dealers
= = = . 81
Σx2 x Σy2 1000 x1802 1342 suggestions.
13. Most of the consumers are selecting an electrical
shop which is very near to them for the purchase of
Conclusion
CFLs.
The result of the correlation is positive. Hence the
14. It is accepted by almost all consumers that CFLs
hypothesis is accepted.
are really energy saving.
FINDINGS
SUGGESTONS
1. The majority of the respondents are in the age group
¾ CFL market will be very bright in future and further if
of 40 years and above.
the price is reduced, the consumers will buy more
2. Among the whole respondents 90% are educated. and more because of its advantages.
3. The demand for CFL has been steadily increasing. ¾ Sales representatives are used widely in this
Since it is considered as an essential item. competitive world and also to survive. So they also
4. There are so many brands are available in the market. play a vital role in the marketing.
We can divide them into two one is branded items ¾ Advertising in the local news papers is very essential
like Philips, Orpat etc. other one being imported for selling CFL products, but advertising are not
unbranded non-guaranteed items. utilized properly.
5. Both are selling equally in the market and the non ¾ Blackening at the initial part of the tube is seen in
guaranteed item is selling fast because of its cheap many brands. This is the major complaint by
price. consumer about CFL. So manufacturers have to
6. As far as Trichy market is concerned stiff competition rectify this complaint to improve quality.
is prevailing between Philips and Orpat. Orpat stands ¾ The government should give more advertisement
first getting 28% of respondents and Philips with 27% regarding the energy saving concept. They have given
of respondents. very big advertisement on 15th August 2006 in all
7. Many dealers are selling more than three brands leading news papers to aware the general public to
along with non-guaranteed CFLs save energy. Such kind of advertisement should be
8. Though GE and Oshram are internationally reputed, given regularly to create awareness among the public.
do not find major share because of its higher price, ¾ CFLs are essential and attractive products,
nil advertisement no proper distribution. Demonstration and window display should be used
9. There is no quality complaint in all the leading CFLs properly.
and in particular there is nil complaint about Orpat ¾ The CFL such as suriya, bajaj, Osram, GE are not
CFLs. so popular among Trichy consumers. So the
10. Crompton which has a reputed name in Trichy market manufacturers , distributors have to take necessary
finds difficult to sell its CFLs where as Crompton is steps to make them popular among the consumers.
very strong in other segments like Tube lights, ¾ Consumer buying a bulb will surely accept the CFL,
chokes, bulbs etc. if the shop keepers show a simple calculation of how
CLFs are saving energy and money.

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CONCLUSION 3. Kathiresan & Radha –Marketing Management


The Indian Electrical Market today has been heavily Bhavani Publications, 1994
loaded with many producers. Every second day there 4. Michael R. Soloman Consumer Behaviour Buying,
is a new company by name of elite, bright etc. In such having being, 5th Edition Delhi, Prentice Hall of India
a situation there is a caution to consumer, that they pvt. Limited
should be very careful in selecting their brand. Apart 5. N. Rajan Nair and Sanjith R.Nair – Marketing, New
from leading lighting manufacturers there are many Delhi, Sultan Chand & sons, 1993
electrical goods manufacturers like Anchor, Lisha, Vinay, 6. Principles of marketing –Philip Kotler-Prentice Hall
GM, Kundan, Cona, etc who do not show keen interest. of India Private Limited, 1997
When they also show interest along with finolex. The
market will be very competitive, the price will be reduced, 7. R.S.N Pillai & Bagavathi – Modern Marketing New
the quality will be improved and thereby the ultimate Delhi, S.Chand & Co, Limited.
beneficiary will be the consumers – the real kings. 8. SUJA R.Nair, Consuemr Behaviour in Indian
Perspective, Himalaya Publishing House.
REFERENCE 9. www.yahoosearch.com
1. Henry Assel, Consumer Behaviour Marketing Action
6th Edition Asian Books Private Limited, New Delhi.
2. K.M. Matthew, Mamman Matthew – Malayala
Manorama Year book Manorama press, 2004.

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BUSINESS CASE FOR CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY


1 2
P. Reeta P. Kalaivani
ABSTRACT
Businesses can use CSR and corporate sustainability to produce direct benefits for the bottom line. For example,
operational efficiencies can be achieved through reducing energy and materials as input factors for production. Wastes
can also be reduced and materials can be recycled. These sorts of actions from eco-efficiency can produce concurrent
environmental and economic benefits for the company and thereby contribute to stronger financial performance and
more positive profitability. Operational efficiencies can be achieved in other facets of CSR such as streamlining the way
that information is provided to the investment community as well as to other stakeholders that demand increased
transparency. Managing potential risks and liabilities more effectively through CSR tools and perspectives can also
reduce costs. Using corporate responsibility and sustainability approaches within business decision-making can result
not only in reduced costs but can also lead to recognizing new market opportunities such as when new manufacturing
processes are developed that can be expanded to other plants, regions or markets. There are various studies that have
examined the relationship between CSR and corporate financial performance and most of the evidence suggests that
the links are positive.sample method.

Introduction Stronger Financial Performance and Profitability


Corporate social responsibility is about the integration Businesses can use CSR and corporate sustainability
of social, environmental, and economic considerations to produce direct benefits for the bottom line. For
into the decision-making structures and processes of example, operational efficiencies can be achieved
business. It is about using innovation to find creative through reducing energy and materials as input factors
and value-added solutions to societal and environmental for production. Wastes can also be reduced and
challenges. It is about engaging shareholders and other materials can be recycled. These sorts of actions from
stakeholders and collaborating with them to more eco-efficiency can produce concurrent environmental and
effectively manage potential risks and build credibility economic benefits for the company and thereby
and trust in society. It is about not only complying with contribute to stronger financial performance and more
the law in a due diligent way but also about taking positive profitability. Operational efficiencies can be
account of society’s needs and finding more effective achieved in other facets of CSR such as streamlining
ways to satisfy existing and anticipated demands in order the way that information is provided to the investment
to build more sustainable businesses. Ultimately, it is community as well as to other stakeholders that demand
about delivering improved shareholder and debt holder increased transparency. Managing potential risks and
value, providing enhanced goods and services for liabilities more effectively through CSR tools and
customers, building trust and credibility in the society perspectives can also reduce costs. Using corporate
in which the business operates, and becoming more responsibility and sustainability approaches within
sustainable over the longer term. Is there a business business decision-making can result not only in reduced
case for CSR, and if so, what is it? There are different costs but can also lead to recognizing new market
ways to frame the opportunities such as when new manufacturing
While improved benefits because they are interrelated, processes are developed that can be expanded to other
they generally include the following: stronger financial plants, regions or markets. There are various studies
performance and profitability through operational that have examined the relationship between CSR and
efficiency gains relations with the investment community corporate financial performance and most of the evidence
and better access to capital suggests that the links are positive.
• enhanced employee relations that yield better results Improved Relations With the Investment Community
respecting recruitment, motivation, retention, learning and Better Access to Capital
and innovation, and productivity
The investment community has been exploring the links
• stronger relationships with communities and between corporate social responsibility and financial
enhanced licence to operate performance of businesses. There is growing evidence
• improved reputation and branding

1
Research Scholar, Dept. of Commerce, JJ College of Arts and Science, Pudukkottai.
2
Research Scholar, Dept. of Commerce, JJ College of Arts and Science, Pudukkottai

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(through indices such as the Dow Jones Group benefit for companies because it increases their “licence
Sustainability Index (DJGSI), the FTSE4 Good indices, to operate”, enhances their prospects to be supported
and the Jantzi Social Index) that companies that embrace over the longer term by the community, and improves
the essential qualities of CSR generally outperform their their capacity to be more sustainable. Companies can
counterparts that do not use features of CSR . This use stakeholder engagement to internalize society’s
information is being translated into action within the needs, hopes, circumstances into their corporate views
investment community (e.g. with creation of funds such and decision-making. While there are many questions
as Socially Responsible Investment, Domini Social about how far a company’s responsibilities extend into
Equity Fund, EcoValue 21). An increasing number of communities relative to the roles of governments and
mutual funds are now integrating CSR criteria into their individual citizens, there is a strong argument that CSR
selection processes to screen in sounder companies can effectively improve a company’s relations with
and/or screen out businesses that do not meet certain communities and thereby produce some key features
environmental or social standards. Thus, a CSR approach that will improve business prospects for its future.
by a company can improve the stature of the company
in the perspective of the investment community, a Improved Reputation and Branding
company’s stock market valuation, and its capacity to A potential benefit of CSR is that it can improve a
access capital from that community. company’s reputation and branding and this in turn
improves the prospects for the company to be more
Enhanced Employee Relations, Productivity and effective in the way that it manages communications
Innovation and marketing in efforts to attract new customers and
A key potential benefit from CSR initiatives involves increase market share. CSR as a concept with various
establishing the conditions that can contribute to tools can help a company to position itself in the
increasing the commitment and motivation of employees marketplace as a company that is more responsible
to become more innovative and productive. Companies and more sustainable than its competitors.
that employ CSR related perspectives and tools tend to
be businesses that provide the pre-conditions for Conclusion
increased loyalty and commitment from employees. CSR can be viewed by businesses as a form of
These conditions can serve to help to recruit employees, investment that helps to differentiate a company and its
retain employees, motivate employees to develop skills, goods and services. What then is the right way to look
and encourage employees to pursue learning to find at CSR as an investment - particularly given that it
innovative ways to not only reduce costs but to also frequently involves intangible and less quantifiable
spot and take advantage of new opportunities for domains. The bottom line is that a prudent business
maximizing benefits, reduce absenteeism, and may also may tend to regard CSR in the same way it treats most
translate into marginally less demands for higher wages. investment decisions. It would be inclined to use the
same systematic approach to assess the anticipated
Stronger Relations With in Communities Through benefits and related revenues relative to the costs that
Stakeholder Engagement it employs for investment proposals. A rigorous and
A key feature of CSR involves the way that a company systematic approach to CSR investment is likely to yield
engages, involves, and collaborates with its stakeholders the most positive results for both the business and
including shareholders, employees, debt holders, society as it is likely to demonstrate the most efficient
suppliers, customers, communities, non-governmental allocation of resources from the perspective of both the
organizations, and governments. To the extent that firm and society.
stakeholder engagement and collaboration involve There are many different areas where a firm can invest
maintaining an open dialogue, being prepared to form to develop CSR attributes (e.g. human resource
effective partnerships, and demonstrating transparency management, environmental protection, health and
(through measuring, accounting, and reporting practices), safety, community involvement, etc.). Investment
the relationship between the business and the decisions on CSR need to take account of various
community in which it operates is likely to be more factors and parameters as well as the anticipated cost
credible and trustworthy. This is a potentially important and benefit stream to be produced by the investment.

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A STUDY ON THE ORGANIZATIONAL CLIMATE IN ORDNANCE


FACTORY, TIRUCHIRAPPALLI
1
Dr. F.X. VIRGIN FRAGA
ABSTRACT
Organizational climate is the manifestation of the attitudes of organizational members towards the organization itself.
They may exist in different climates within different departments, in the organization and these sub-climates will be
integrated in the similar fashion of integrating attitudes of employees, so as to form the organizational climate.
To measure organizational climate is an attempt to capture the essence, environment, order and pattern of an organization
or sub units
This study is analyzed undertaken to obtain the objectives, standard of recognition and appreciation, to analyze the
performance of the respondents, to rectify the grievance handling etc. Through this the organization level of functioning,
satisfaction of the respondents can be known and proper formation can be done.

INTRODUCTION climate prevailing in an organization as a whole and


Organizational climate is a very important factor to be in different parts thereof can help in better harnessing
considered in studying and analyzing organizations of human resources, enabling their effective
because it has a profound influence on the outlook, development and utilization.
well-being and attributes of organizational members. Organizational climate is created from the perception
It provides a useful platform for understanding such of organizational members about organizational
characteristics of organization as stability, creativity dimensions. Perception, being a cognitive process,
and innovation, communication and effectiveness etc. is influenced by the personality, motivation, learning
Organizational climate is the manifestation of the and experience of the individual. It is, thereof expected
attitudes of organizational members towards the that organizational climate is influenced by the factors
organization itself. They may exist in different climates that influence perception.
within different departments, in the organization and OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
these sub-climates will be integrated in the similar
fashion of integrating attitudes of employees, so as The objectives of the study have been divided into
to form the organizational climate. general and specific objectives.
• General objectives
To measure organizational climate is an attempt to
capture the essence, environment, order and pattern • Specific objectives
of an organization or sub units.
General Objectives
NEED OF THE STUDY To inquire into the factors constituting the
This study is analyzed undertaken to obtain the organizational climate of Ordnance factory,
objectives, standard of recognition and appreciation, Tiruchirappalli with an accent on the identification
to analyze the performance of the respondents, to of the critical constituents of the organizational
rectify the grievance handling etc. Through this the climate.
organization level of functioning, satisfaction of the
Specific Objectives
respondents can be known and proper formation can
be done. 1. To understand the employees’ perception of their
existing organizational climate.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 2. To identify the factors that constitute the
Organizational climate is a perception that members organizational climate of the study unit.
have about the structural characteristics of the firm. 3. To study the relative importance of each one of
Understanding organizational climate, its nature and these factors in contributing to the climate
complexity is important, not only for enhancing formatting.
organizational performance, but also for enhancing
4. To rank these factors in the order of importance in
human well being in organizations. The knowledge of
determining the existing organizational climate.

1
Assistant Professor, Department of Commerce CA, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy.

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5. To understand the extent of influence of research for conducting this research. Descriptive
organizational climate in determining the employee research studies, are concerned with describing the
job satisfaction. characteristics of particular individual or groups.
6. To make suggestions based on the findings to
Sample size
improve the existing climate.
The number of employees on the staff roll of the
SCOPE OF THE STUDY company is 1800 which constituted the universe of
This study aims at providing an in-depth analysis of the present study. From this universe, 281 employees
the factors constituting the organizational climate in are chosen as study respondents who constituted 16
Ordnance Factory, Tiruchirappalli. per cent of the population. These 281 employees are
chosen for the study on a stratified random sampling
The present study aims at identifying the factors that
basis. Each department in the company is given
constitute the organizational climate, how the factors
adequate representation in the sample.
contribute to the formulation of climate, their existing
position, job satisfaction in the organizational climate OBJECTIVITY & RATIONALITY
and the ways of improving the climate with regard to
In this chapter, organizational climate is on the basis of
the findings and the suggestions.
employer – employee relation. The date collected through
The study was also framed to know the pros and cons interview-schedule, were analyzed with reference to the
of the respondents during their working hours. This objectives. The results are presented and discussed in
was mainly done to make their superiors know how relation to objectivity and rationality is the frequency
far their employees are able to co-operate and distribution of tables in terms of their employer-employee
functional in this organization. relations is shown from table 4.1 to 4.11.
RESEARCH DESIGN & SAMPLE SIZE The following table narrates the distribution of respondents
The researcher has chosen the descriptive design for according to objectivity and rationality:- (Table-1)

Table-1 : OBJECTIVITY & RATIONALITY


Table showing the recruitment policy of the organization based on merit

Category Frequency Percentage

Strongly agree 94 33.5

Agree 90 32

No opinion 47 16.7

Disagree 44 15.7
Strong Disagree 06 2.1

Total 281 100

Source: Primary data

In the above mentioned table, 94 respondents agree that the recruitment policy has been based on merit, 90
respondents broadly agree with the statement that recruitment is broad in merit. 47 respondents have not given any
opinion about this statement. 44 respondents disapproved of the statement, whereas 6 respondents have expressed
no opinion about this statement.
In the above mentioned table, majority of the respondents (i.e.94) are satisfied when the recruitment policy of the
organization is based on merit where the respondents can be properly trained for the development of the organization.

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MONETARY BENEFITS
Table showing that the organization gives reasonable incentives for outstanding performance:-

Category Frequency Percentage

Strongly agree 19 6.8


Agree 127 45.2
No opinion 68 24.2
Disagree 32 11.4
Strong Disagree 35 12.5
Total 281 100
Source: Primary data

A close look at the above table will reveal that 19 respondents strongly agree that the organization is providing
reasonable incentives for outstanding performance. To the maximum 127 of them, the organization is motivating and
inspiriting them through respondents’ Incentives programmers. 68 of the respondents expressed no opinion. 32 of
the respondents are against this incentive. 35 of respondents above the statement are insignificant & they agree
with the statement.
In the organization, majority of the respondents had expressed that sufficient incentives are provided according to
the work load and their ability.

SAFETY & SECURITY


Table showing that the employees’ health is given by the organization

Category Frequency Percentage


Strongly agree 67 23.8
Agree 171 60.8
No opinion 32 11.4
Disagree 7 2.5
Strong Disagree 4 1.4
Total 281 100
Source: Primary data

The above table points out that 94 of the respondents feel happy and contented that the organization provides
housing eacilities.160 of the respondents are also grateful to the organization for their concern.5% of the respondents
have nothing to say.12 of them are not contented. Only one respondent disagreed which is insignificant.

RECOGNITION & APPRECIATION


Table showing that there is cordial relationship between the organization and employees.

Category Frequency Percentage


Strongly agree 53 18.9
Agree 176 62.6
No opinion 48 17.1
Disagree 3 1.1
Strong Disagree 1 0.4
Total 281 100
Source: Primary data

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From the above table, 53 of the respondents are having 3. The employees should be recognized and motivated
good understanding.62.6% of the respondents also based on their talent which creates maximum
consider that there is flexible understanding.48 have efficiency.
expressed no opinion and one respondent not able to 4. The respondents should always consider all are equal
adjust which is insignificant. and no one should boss over others and in such a
case there will not be lack of relationship in the
Findings:
organization.
1. In the organizational climate recruitment policy is
5. Very few respondents had agreed that there are free
based on merit.94 of them had agreed that the
and frank exchange of ideas and so the organization
organization is favorable. And only 2.1% of them had
should take steps to get ideas from everyone
not agreed with the statement.
2. In the recognition fair wages are given to the Conclusion:
respondents.120 of the respondents had expressed The overall conclusion from this study among the factors
that their skill and efforts are recognized. On the other is the inadequate monetary reward of an employee.
only 6 respondents had opposed the statement. Welfare facilities and grievance handling are important
3. Even though the organization extracts work from issues. Therefore there is always a need for continuous
employees their health is given preference. Among research and full study to identify the factors responsible
281 respondents 171 of the respondents accept the for the success or failure of organizational climate.
statement and only 4 of the respondents felt that the
References:
organization is having less concern about the
employees. 1. Anderson N.R.,and West M.A.,(1998) measuring
climate for group innovation :Development of the team
4. Apart from wages to employees organization provides
climate inventory, Journal organizational behavior,19.
housing facilities. In the above 160 of the respondents
ageed that the organization is more concerned about 2. Brown S.P.and Williams,D.G.S.,(2000),Organizational
welfare facility but only one respondent had not climate and its relationship to job involvement,effort
accepted this statement. and performance,journal of applied psychology, 81(4)
5. With regard to relationship between organization and 3. Gray R., (2007) A climate of success, creating the
employees 176 have cordial relationship and good right organizational climate for high
understanding with the rules and regulations but one performance,journal of applied psychology, 81(4)
respondent does not accept this statement. 4. Asish Pandey, Rajan k. Gupta and A.P. Arora, journal
of business ethics,vol88, no.2 (Aug 2009)
Suggestions:
5. Mulki J.P. et.al.,J.F.Jeramillo and W.B.Locander,
1. As there is no partiality the employees should feel
Critical role of leadership on ethical climate and
that they are made according to their skill and talent
salesperson behaviours, journal oe business ethics
and to develop this proper training can be given.
8,(2009).
2. The workers found that their works are more tedious
and repetitive and so to avoid this work can be given
based on their skill and ability.

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STRESS MANAGEMENT MODELS AND TECHNIQUES


1 2
A.Chinnakaruppan Dr. L. Leo Franklin
ABSTRACT
Stress produces numerous symptoms which vary according to persons, situations, and severity. These can include
physical health decline as well as depression. The process of stress management is named as one of the keys to a
happy and successful life in modern society. Although life provides numerous demands that can prove difficult to
handle, stress management provides a number of ways to manage anxiety and maintain overall well-being.
Intervention is broken down into three steps: Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary. Primary deals with eliminating the
stressors all together. Secondary deals with detecting stress and figuring out ways to cope with it and improving stress
management skills. Finally, tertiary deals with recovery and rehabbing the stress all together. These three steps are
usually the most effective way to deal with stress not just in the workplace, but overall.

Introduction them are considered alternative therapies. Many


Stress management refers to the wide spectrum of professional organisations exist to promote and provide
techniques and psychotherapies aimed at controlling a training in conventional or alternative therapies.
person’s levels of stress, especially chronic stress, There are several models of stress management, each
usually for the purpose of improving everyday functioning. with distinctive explanations of mechanisms for
In this context, the term ‘stress’ refers only to a stress controlling stress. Much more research is necessary to
with significant negative consequences, or distress in provide a better understanding of which mechanisms
the terminology advocated by Hans Selye, rather than actually operate and are effective in practice.
what he calls eustress, a stress whose consequences
Historical foundations
are helpful or otherwise positive.
Walter Cannon and Hans Selye used animal studies to
Stress produces numerous symptoms which vary establish the earliest scientific basis for the study of
according to persons, situations, and severity. These stress. They measured the physiological responses of
can include physical health decline as well as animals to external pressures, such as heat and cold,
depression. The process of stress management is prolonged restraint, and surgical procedures, then
named as one of the keys to a happy and successful extrapolated from these studies to human beings.
life in modern society. Although life provides numerous
demands that can prove difficult to handle, stress Subsequent studies of stress in humans by Richard Rahe
management provides a number of ways to manage and others established the view that stress is caused
anxiety and maintain overall well-being. Despite stress by distinct, measureable life stressors, and further, that
often being thought of as a subjective experience, levels these life stressors can be ranked by the median degree
of stress are readily measureable using various of stress they produce (leading to the Holmes and Rahe
physiological tests, similar to those used in polygraphs. Stress Scale). Thus, stress was traditionally
conceptualized to be a result of external insults beyond
Many practical stress management techniques are the control of those experiencing the stress. More
available, some for use by health practitioners and others recently, however, it has been argued that external
for self-help, which may help an individual to reduce circumstances do not have any intrinsic capacity to
stress, provide positive feelings of being in control of produce stress, but instead their effect is mediated by
one’s life and promote general well-being. the individual’s perceptions, capacities, and
The effectiveness of the different stress management understanding.
techniques can be difficult to assess, as few of them
Models
have received significant attention from researchers.
Consequently, the amount and quality of evidence for Transactional model
the various techniques varies widely. Some are Richard Lazarus and Susan Folkman suggested in 1984
accepted as effective treatments for use in that stress can be thought of as resulting from an
psychotherapy, whilst others with less evidence favouring “imbalance between demands and resources” or as

1
Research Scholar, Dept. of Commerce, JJ College of Arts and Science Pudukkottai.
2
Asst. Professor and, Dept. of Commerce, JJ College of Arts and Science Pudukkottai.S

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occurring when “pressure exceeds one’s perceived ability Instead of focusing on the individual’s appraisal of so-
to cope”. Stress management was developed and called stressors in relation to his or her own coping skills
premised on the idea that stress is not a direct response (as the transactional model does), the health realization
to a stressor but rather one’s resources and ability to model focuses on the nature of thought, stating that it is
cope mediate the stress response and are amenable to ultimately a person’s thought processes that determine
change, thus allowing stress to be controllable. the response to potentially stressful external
Among the many stressors mentioned by employees, circumstances. In this model, stress results from
these are the most common: appraising oneself and one’s circumstances through a
mental filter of insecurity and negativity, whereas a feeling
• The way employees are treated by their bosses/
of well-being results from approaching the world with a
supervisors or company
“quiet mind”.
• Lack of job security
This model proposes that helping stressed individuals
• Company policies understand the nature of thought—especially providing
• Coworkers who don’t do their fair share them with the ability to recognize when they are in the
• Unclear expectations grip of insecure thinking, disengage from it, and access
• Poor communication natural positive feelings—will reduce their stress.
• Not enough control over assignments Techniques
• Inadequate pay or benefits High demand levels load the person with extra effort and
• Urgent deadlines work. A new time schedule is worked up, and until the
• Too much work period of abnormally high, personal demand has passed,
the normal frequency and duration of former schedules
• Long hours
is limited.
• Uncomfortable physical conditions
Many techniques cope with the stresses life brings.
• Relationship conflicts Some of the following ways induce a lower than usual
• Coworkers making careless mistakes stress level, temporarily, to compensate the biological
• Dealing with rude customers tissues involved; others face the stressor at a higher
• Lack of cooperation level of abstraction:
• How the company treats coworkers • Autogenic training
In order to develop an effective stress management • Social activity
programme it is first necessary to identify the factors • Cognitive therapy
that are central to a person controlling his/her stress, • Conflict resolution
and to identify the intervention methods which effectively • Cranial release technique
target these factors. Lazarus and Folkman’s
• Getting a hobby
interpretation of stress focuses on the transaction
between people and their external environment (known • Meditation
as the Transactional Model). The model contends that • Mindfulness (psychology)
stress may not be a stressor if the person does not • Deep breathing
perceive the stressor as a threat but rather as positive
• Yoga Nidra
or even challenging. Also, if the person possesses or
can use adequate coping skills, then stress may not • Nootropics
actually be a result or develop because of the stressor. • Reading novels
The model proposes that people can be taught to manage • Prayer
their stress and cope with their stressors. They may
• Relaxation techniques
learn to change their perspective of the stressor and
provide them with the ability and confidence to improve • Artistic expression
their lives and handle all of types of stressors. • Fractional relaxation
• Physical exercise
Health realization/innate health model]
• Progressive relaxation
The health realization/innate health model of stress is
also founded on the idea that stress does not • Spas
necessarily follow the presence of a potential stressor. • Somatics training

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• Spending time in nature Types of stress


• Stress balls Acute stress
• Natural medicine Acute stress is the most common form of stress among
• Clinically validated alternative treatments humans worldwide. Acute stress deals with the
• Time management pressures of the near future or dealing with the very recent
past. This type of stress is often misinterpreted for being
• Planning and decision making a negative connotation. While this is the case in some
• Listening to certain types of relaxing music circumstances, it is also a good thing to have some
• Spending quality time with pets acute stress in life. Running or any other form of
Techniques of stress management will vary according exercise is considered an acute stressor. Some exciting
to the philosophical paradigm. or exhilarating experiences such as riding a roller
coaster is an acute stress but is usually very fun. Acute
Stress prevention & resilience stress is a short term stress and in result, does not
Although many techniques have traditionally been have enough time to do the damage that long term stress
developed to deal with the consequences of stress causes.
considerable research has also been conducted on the
Chronic stress
prevention of stress, a subject closely related to
psychological resilience-building. A number of self-help Chronic stress is the exact opposite of acute stress. It
approaches to stress-prevention and resilience-building has a wearing effect on people that can become a very
have been developed, drawing mainly on the theory and serious health risk if it continues over a long period of
practice of cognitive-behavioural therapy. time. Chronic stress can lead to memory loss, damage
spacial recognition and produce a decreased drive of
Measuring stress eating. The severity varies from person to person and
Levels of stress can be measured. One way is through also sex difference can be an underlying factor. Women
the use of psychological testing: the Holmes and Rahe are able to take longer durations of stress than men
Stress Scale is used to rate stressful life events, while without showing the same maladaptive changes. Men
the DASS contains a scale for stress based on self- can deal with shorter stress duration better than women
report items. Changes in blood pressure and galvanic can but once males hit a certain threshold, the chances
skin response can also be measured to test stress of them developing mental issues increases drastically.
levels, and changes in stress levels. A digital
Stress in the workplace
thermometer can be used to evaluate changes in skin
temperature, which can indicate activation of the fight- Stress in the workplace is a commonality throughout
or-flight response drawing blood away from the the world in every business. Managing that stress
extremities. Cortisol is the main hormone released during becomes vital in order to keep up job performance as
a stress response and measuring cortisol from hair will well as relationship with co-workers and employers. For
give a 60-90 baseline stress level of an individual. This some workers, changing the work environment relieves
method of measuring stress is currently the most popular work stress. Making the environment less competitive
method in the clinic. between employees decreases some amounts of
stress. However, each person is different and some
Effectiveness people like the pressure to perform better.
Stress management has physiological and immune Salary can be an important concern of employees.
benefits. Salary can affect the way people work because they
Positive outcomes are observed using a combination of can aim for promotion and in result, a higher salary.
non-drug interventions: This can lead to chronic stress.]
• treatment of anger or hostility, Cultural differences have also shown to have some major
• autogenic training effects on stress coping problems. Eastern Asian
• talking therapy (around relationship or existential employees may deal with certain work situations
issues) differently from how a Western North American employee
would. In order to manage stress in the workplace,
• biofeedback
employers can provide stress managing programs such
• cognitive therapy for anxiety or clinical depression as therapy, communication programs, and a more
flexible work schedule.

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Medical Environment Stress Employee Assistance Programs can include in-house


A study was done on the stress levels in general counseling programs on managing stress. Evaluative
practitioners and hospital consultants in 1994. Over 500 research has been conducted on EAPs that teach
medical employees participated in this study done by individual stress control and inoculation techniques such
Dr. R.P Caplan. These results showed that 47% of the as relaxation, biofeedback, and cognitive restructuring.
workers scored high on their questionnaire for high levels Studies show that these programs can reduce the level
of stress. 27% of the general practitioners even scored of physiological arousal associated with high stress.
to be very depressed. These numbers came to a surprise Participants who master behavioral and cognitive stress-
to Dr. Caplan and it showed how alarming the large relief techniques report less tension, fewer sleep
number of medical workers become stressed out disturbances, and an improved ability to cope with
because of their jobs. Managers stress levels were not workplace stressors.
as high as the actual practitioners themselves. An eye Another way of reducing stress at work is by simply
opening statistic showed that nearly 54% of workers changing the workload for an employee. Some may be
suffered from anxiety while being in the hospital. Although too overwhelmed that they have so much work to get
this was a small sample size for hospitals around the done, or some also may have such little work that they
world, Caplan feels this trend is probably fairly accurate are not sure what to do with themselves at work.
across the majority of hospitals. Improving communications between employees also
sounds like a simple approach, but it is very effective for
Stress Management Programs in Workplace helping reduce stress. Sometimes making the employee
Many businesses today have began to use Stress feel like they are a bigger part of the company, such as
Management Programs for employees who are having giving them a voice in bigger situations shows that you
trouble adapting to stress at the workplace or at home. trust them and value their opinion. Having all the
Many people have spill over stress from home into their employees mesh well together is a very underlying factor
working environment. There are a couple of ways which can take away much of workplace stress. If
businesses today try to alleviate stress on their employees fit well together and feed off of each other,
employees. One way is individual intervention. This starts the chances of lots of stress is very minimal. Lastly,
off by monitoring the stressors in the individual. After changing the physical qualities of the workplace may
monitoring what causes the stress, next is attacking that reduce stress. Changing simple things such as the
stressor and trying to figure out ways to alleviate them in lighting, air temperature, odor, and up to date technology.
any way. Developing social support is vital in individual
intervention, being with others to help you cope has proven Conclusion
to be a very effective way to avoid stress. Avoiding the Intervention is broken down into three steps: Primary,
stressors all together is the best possible way to get rid Secondary, Tertiary. Primary deals with eliminating the
of stress but that is very difficult to do in the workplace. stressors all together. Secondary deals with detecting
Changing behavioral patterns, may in turn, help reduce stress and figuring out ways to cope with it and improving
some of the stress that is put on at work as well. stress management skills. Finally, tertiary deals with
recovery and rehabbing the stress all together. These
three steps are usually the most effective way to deal
with stress not just in the workplace, but overall.

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A STUDY ON ASSESSMENT OF EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS


AMONG FINAL YEAR ARTS AND SCIENCE COLLEGE STUDENTS IN
TIRUCHIRAPPALLI TOWN.
1 2
Dr. S. Joseph Xavier J. Rajees

INTRODUCTION employment. It is the opt time to find out the courses for
The economic development of a country mainly depends un employability of the student.
on the sustained growth of the industrial and service
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
sector in a country. The contribution of effective and
efficient work force towards industry and service lead to This study is focusing on the assessment of employability
overall development of the country. Therefore human skills among the final year under graduate and post
resources are to be trained for the efficiency and graduate. Students of arts and science colleges in
effectiveness of future development of the country the Tiruchirappalli Town. The outcome of the study will be
government of India takes many steps in training the discount with the key player in education for adopting
student with the help of the education institution to make strategies for implementing of the recommendation
the student employable. The institution produces many assign out of the report. This study also would pave the
graduates every year the literacy also rapidly increases way to find different methods to develop the various skills
year after year. The Indian youth are wanted in every among the students as expected by the job providers as
field of the word, especially in the sectors like HR and IT. the industries in general.
Despite large number of educated there is shortage of OBJECTIVE OF STUDY
skilled man power. As the educational institution play an
important role in making the young graduate to be • To identify the various skills support the employability
employable. This study has been undertaken to find out of the respondents.
the level of employability skills among the students of • To assess the level of skills possessed by the
arts and science colleges in Tiruchirappalli town. respondents.
• To provide suggestion for improving the employability
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
skills among the respondent.
According to the press release on FICCI website it has
noted that the Indian industries confronted with a seven METHODOLOGY
crunch of ‘quality’ manpower graduate in the general This study has been adopted the descriptive and
stream of arts, Commerce and Science being turn out analytical method. The students of final year under
by countries educational institution are just got up to graduate and post graduate studying in Arts and Science
mark. Keeping this view this study has been undertaken subjects in various colleges in Tiruchirappalli town
asses the employability skills among the students of constitute the universe for the study. The researcher has
final year under graduate and post graduate in studying used simple random technique method selecting 310
various arts and science colleges in Tiruchirappalli town. samples from 12 colleges. Simple average method has
Most of the students are not accessible to the advance been used to analyze the data collected from the
system of learning the graduates after the students respondents with the help of questionnaire containing
choose the job which they did not under go any technical five point scale. Secondary data were collected from
council as result the face the problem of under the textbooks, journals and internet.

Table-1 : DETAILS OF SAMPLE SIZE:

Sl. No Name of the colleges Male Female Total


1 Jamal Mohamed college 13 12 25
2. Bishop Heber college 10 15 25
3. Cauvery college for women - 20 20
4 Holy cross college for women - 28 28

1
Associate Professor of Commerce, Head, Department of BBA, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy.
2
Assistant Professor, Department of Commerce CA, St. Joseph’s College, Trichy

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5 SRC college for women - 22 22


6 Shrimathi Indra college for women - 18 18
7 National college 22 10 32
8 EVR college 15 11 26
9 MIET college 10 12 22
10 Govt. Arts college 17 7 24
11 St. Joseph’s college 23 15 38
12 UD college 18 12 30
TOTAL 128 182 310

Assessment of employability skills:


It refers to assess the skills possessed by the students of arts and science studying final year UG and PG.

Employability skills:
Employability skills are those skills which are expected and required by the job provider for specific job. It is also
defined as the skills that required not only to gain employment but also to progress with an enterprise so as to
achieve one’s potential and contributes successfully to enterprise strategic direction”.

Skills adopted for this Research


Here in this study the following are the skills taken for the study to assess the level of employability skills among the
respondents.
Communication skills- writing skills, speaking skills, computing skills, leadership skills and adoptability skills

Opinion of the respondents on writing skills:

Statements SDA % D % N % A % SA % Total

I can write leave - - - 10 3.2 122 39.3 178 57.4 310


letter on my own
I can write 180 58 80 25.8 20 6.5 17 5.5 13 4.2 310
assignment in my
own
No grammar 180 58 100 32.2 10 3.2 8 2.6 12 3.9 310
mistakes
Writing essay 150 48 125 40 13 4.2 7 2.2 15 4.8 310
without grammar
mistakes
Can write business 220 71 60 19 - - 20 6.5 15 4.8 310
project report
without mistakes

The above table shows the opinion of the respondents regarding the writing skills possessed .it can be inferred that
57.4% percentage of the students have got the skill of writing the leave letter on their own. 58% of the respondents
have not the skills of writing assignment on their own without grammar mistakes.48% of the respondents have not
the skills of writing the essays without grammar mistakes. Majority of the respondents that is 58% of the respondents
have not the writing skills.

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Opinion of the respondents regarding speaking skills

Statements SDA % D % N % A % SA % Total


Can speak any topic 184 59 94 30 12 3.8 12 3.8 8 2.5 310
in the class
Speak without 260 83.8 30 9.6 5 1.6 10 3.2 5 1.6 310
grammar mistakes
Successfully present 25 8 60 19 10 3.2 161 51.9 54 17.4 310
the seminar
Speak without fear 182 58.7 72 23.2 10 3.2 35 11.3 11 3.5 310
and grammar
mistakes
Never hesitate to 131 42.2 100 32.2 25 8 38 12.2 16 5.16 310
speak in front of the
people

The above table shows the opinion of the respondents regarding the specking skills possessed. It can be inferred
from the above table that only 2.5% of the respondents strongly agreed that they can speak on any topic in the
class and 59% of the respondents expressed that strongly that they cannot speak in any topic. 83.8% of the
respondents strongly expressed that they cannot speak without grammar mistakes, 58.7% of the respondents
strongly expressed that they have a fear while speaking and 42.2.of the respondents have expressed strongly that
they hesitate to speak in front of the people. Only 1.6% of the respondents are able to speak without grammar
mistakes.

Opinion of the respondents regarding leadership skills

Statements SDA % D % N % A % SA % Total


I Take initiatives in 210 67.74 40 12.9 33 10.6 12 3.8 15 4.8 310
organize student
programme
In my school / College 285 91.9 15 4.8 - - 8 2.5 2 0.6 310
I have been selected
as leader
I have capacity to take 12 3.8 10 3.2 13 4.2 202 65 73 23.5 310
immediate and
effective decisions .
I have good self 52 16.7 20 6.4 2 0.6 150 48 86 27.7 310
esteem and mutual
respect.
I Never worried about 108 34.8 92 29.6 16 5.1 62 20 32 10.3 310
uncertainty or change
behavior of others.

The above table showing the opinion regarding leadership skill possessed by the respondents.4.8%of the respondents
expressed that they take initiative to organize the student programme and 67.74% of the respondents strongly said
that they do not take any initiatives.0.6%of the respondents strongly agreed that they have been selected as the
leader in the school and college level.91.9%of the respondents strongly expressed that they have not been selected
for any leadership.48% of the respondents agreed that they have good self esteem and 16.7% of the respondents
strongly said that they have no good self esteem.

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Opinion of the respondents regarding in computing skills

Statements SDA % D % N % A % SA % Total


I have good 62 20 48 15.4 9 2.9 112 36.1 79 25.4 310
arithmetical ability
I have good - - - - 31 10 230 74 49 15.8 310
computer operating
skill.
I well versed in 10 3.2 127 40.9 12 3.8 125 40.3 36 11.6 310
shortcut keys in
computer operations.
I have little bit 26 8.3 18 5.8 08 2.5 198 63.8 60 19.3 310
knowledge regarding
hardware and
networking.
I have good 11 3.5 10 3.2 09 2.9 182 58.7 98 31.6 310
reasoning and
logical thinking
ability.

The above table shows the opinion of the respondents regarding the computing skills of the respondents. It can be
inferred from the above table that 36.1% of the respondents agreed that they have got the arithmetic ability.74%of
the respondents have got good computer operating skills. 40.9% of the respondents expressed that they have not
possessed the computer hard ware skills and 58.7% of the respondents agreed that they have the reasoning and
logical thinking ability.

Opinion of the respondents regarding adaptability and self reliance skills

Statements SDA % D % N % A % SA % Total


I know my strength 50 16.1 40 12.9 8 2. 5 132 42.5 80 25.8 310
and weakness.
I never had fear of 203 65.4 92 29.6 6 1.9 5 1.6 4 1.2 310
problems.
I have interest to - - 5 1.6 5 1.6 220 70.9 80 25.8 310
learn new things.
My body having 13 4.19 10 3.2 25 8 162 52.2 100 32 .2 310
capacity to face any
weather change.
I can adjust any 57 18.3 43 13.8 22 7.09 138 44.5 50 16.1 310
working shift life
day shift and night
shift.

The above table shows the opinion of the respondents regarding the adaptability and self reliance skills. From the
above table it can be inferred that 42.5% of the respondents agreed that they have understood their strength and
weaknesses.65.4% of the respondents strongly expressed that they had a fear of problems.52.2% of the respondents
agreed that they have the capacity to face the weather changes and44.5% of the respondents agreed that they
adjust the work shift.

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Findings and suggestions • 42.5% of the respondents agreed that they have
• 57.4% percentage of the students have got the skill understood their strength and weaknesses.65.4% of
of writing the leave letter on their own. 58% of the the respondents strongly expressed that they had a
respondents have not the skills of writing assignment fear of problems.52.2% of the respondents agreed
on their own without grammar mistakes.48% of the that they have the capacity to face the weather
respondents have not the skills of writing the essays changes and44.5% of the respondents agreed that
without grammar mistakes. Majority of the they adjust the work shift.
respondents that is 58% of the respondents have Suggestions:
not the writing skills. • The students are to be motivated to improve the
• 2.5% of the respondents strongly agreed that they writing skills by giving more exercises writing on the
can speak on any topic in the class and 59% of the black board, conducting dictations and conducting
respondents expressed that strongly that they cannot small tests.
speak in any topic. 83.8% of the respondents strongly • To improve the speaking skills the seminar conducted
expressed that they cannot speak without grammar in the class rooms should effectively taken care of
mistakes, 58.7% of the respondents strongly and make the students to select the topic on their
expressed that they have a fear while speaking and own.
42.2.of the respondents have expressed strongly that
• To improve the leadership skills every student should
they hesitate to speak in front of the people. Only
be given some assignment and that should be
1.6% of the respondents are able to speak without
evaluated seriously.
grammar mistakes.
• As the most of the students have the computing skills
• 4.8%of the respondents expressed that they take
the students who are weak in such skills can be
initiative to organize the student programme and
trained by the skilled students.
67.74% of the respondents strongly said that they
• To improve the adaptability skills the students are to
do not take any initiatives.0.6%of the respondents
trained in such a way that they should show more
strongly agreed that they have been selected as the
care in taking care of their health.
leader in the school and college level.91.9%of the
respondents strongly expressed that they have not Conclusion:
been selected for any leadership.48% of the
Shifts in economies throughout the world, prompted by
respondents agreed that they have good self esteem
globalization, technological change, increased
and 16.7% of the respondents strongly said that they
competition, and the growing sophistication of customers
have no good self esteem.
and clients mean that employers are increasingly looking
• 36.1% of the respondents agreed that they have got for a set of generic skills to accompany technical skills.
the arithmetic ability.74%of the respondents have got The outcome of the study will be discount with the key
good computer operating skills. 40.9% of the player in education for adopting strategies for
respondents expressed that they have not possessed implementing of the recommendation assign out of the
the computer hard ware skills and 58.7% of the report. This study also would pave the way to find different
respondents agreed that they have the reasoning and methods to develop the various skills among the
logical thinking ability. students as expected by the job providers as the
industries in general.

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AN EMPIRICAL STUDY ON E-BANKING PRACTICES AND


CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
Dr. S.P. Dhandayuthapani1

INTRODUCTION all these areas, IT has been enormous help. The younger
Financial sector is the spinal cord of sovereign economy age group customers are much more amenable to using
of any country. India is no exception. Traditionally the electronic delivery channels rather than visiting physical
Indian banking system had two most important
REVIEW OF LITERATTURE
constituents namely, modern banks and indigenous
bankers. Information Technology has made the banking Kuykendall and Lavonne (2003), based on a survey
services faster, more efficient, and more economical. conducted by Gallup, of Princeton, N.J., concluded that
Its impact can be seen on the efficiency of banks’ the popularity of automated teller machines and online
productivity, profitability, employment and psychology banking has not dampened the enthusiasm for branches.
of customers. Eighty-three percent of the 1,011 adults contacted by
telephone told the polling firm that they visit a branch at
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND INDIAN BANKS least once a month, for business other than making an
With the development of information technology, the world ATM transaction. They have quoted Dennis Jacobe, the
has become a global village and it has brought a revolution chief economist for Gallup, which conducted survey,
in the banking industry. The banks appear to be on fast “Despite the changes in banking technologies, the bank
track for IT based products and services. EDI is another branch continues to play a key role in determining
development that has made its impact felt in the banking customers’ relationships with their banks. It is a common
industry. In fact in banking industry, IT is finding its use misconception that people are not going to the branch.
in five key areas Banking executives should not overestimate technology
or underestimate the importance of going to a bank and
• convenience in product delivery access doing normal kinds of things as a routine matter. The
• managing productivity access relationship with the customer is built through the
• product design, branch.” Indeed, the poll seems to show that people
use more bank services overall when they have more
• adapting to market and customer needs and,
channels to choose from. Use of online services, phone
• access to customer market. banking, and ATMs all rose compared with Gallup’s
The four major objectives of computerization in banking previous branch-use survey, in March 2000. Internet
are: banking had the biggest jump: 29% said they bank online
at least once a month, against 7% in the previous poll
• improvement in customer service,
• better house-keeping, E-banking/Internet banking/Online banking
• faster decision making, and The most recent technological advancement with the
• increase in productivity & profitability. potential to revolutionize the financial services industry
world wide is Internet banking. The development of online
With the coming into the effort of the IT Act on Oct.8, banking has come about as the part of the development
2000, India had reached another significant mile stone in information and communication technologies. It took
on the information super highway .The Act provide legal 46 years for mass adoption of electricity, 35 years for
sanctity. To electronic commerce and lays down radio,16 years for PC but world wide web has taken only
penalties for hacking and other crime. India will become 6 years for mass adoption (Chong et al, 2002). Online
the 12th country in the world to have an IT bill in place for banking is the form of electronic banking offered via the
recognizing digital signature and facilitating e-commerce. internet whereby consumers can perform and transact
financial services in a virtual environment. In essence
IT is also helping in cutting costs by providing cheaper
online banking is an electronic customer interface and
ways of delivering products to customers. Banks are
an alternative channel of distribution. While internet
moving into the primary services of helping their
affords banks the opportunity to increase their market
customers buy things like automobiles, real estates, in
coverage and to better track and target customers, it
1
Assistant Professor, Anna University Chennai, Tiruchirappalli Regional Centre, Bharathidasan Institution of
Technology (BIT Campus), Trichy

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gives customers the possibility of information and price In India, there is less number of studies being conducted
transparency as well as ‘24/7’ accessibility. Online to identify how effectively the online channels are used
banking is potentially the most radical innovation, by banking industry to increase customer satisfaction.
especially in the context of bank dominated by the branch Hence, this study throws light on the e-banking services
as the means to provide service to customers. (Bradley provided by the banks in the study area and this research
and Stewart 2003). study makes an attempt to analyze how banks are
attracting the various customers and how the customers
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM are satisfied with the e-banking services provided by the
Internet Banking is attractive because the consumer are banks. This study will be helpful to draw up further policy
more satisfied with their banks, are less price sensitive for improving customer satisfaction with e-banking
have the highest intention to repurchase, and provide practices and act as a secondary data for further
more positive word of mouth information then other bank research.
customers. In spite of these facilities, e-banking system
has been subjected to the following criticism. RESEARCH MODEL
* Lack of banking services through the web due to a The following research model is adopted for the study to
limited number of banks using the internet.. analyze customer satisfaction with e-banking practices
of the banks in the study area
* Data and Network security, in addition privacy
problems. The Research Framework
* Lack and limitation of Govt. policies, regulations and
e-commerce laws as well as legislation to protect Accessibility
workers and to make the Internet secure.
Convenience
* Customers are fear to use of internet banking.
* Non-cooperation among the old age staff in the Privacy
Banks.
Security Customer
METHODOLOGY: Satisfaction
This study is based on both primary and secondary data. Design
Primary data will be collected from the respondents by
preparing Questionnaire and interview schedule. Content
Secondary data will be collected from published journals
and official website. Speed

Statistical tools like percentage, Correlation, Fees and


Regression, t-test, f-test and chi-square test will apply Charges
to know the level of satisfaction with e-banking.

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY; Hypotheses Development


The following are the limitations of the present study. The hypothesis designed for this study is based on the
following assumptions:
1. This study analyze the customers of Tanjore District
only. H1: Accessibility, Convenience, Privacy, Security,
Design, Content, Speed and Fees and Charges
2. It doesn’t study about co-operative Land
have positive relationship with customer satisfaction.
development Banks’ customers.
H 2: The public and private sector banks customers have
3. It concentrate only on private and commercial banks
similar satisfaction with e-banking practices.
who have core banking services and providing 3-
banking facility. H3: The demographic variables (sex, age, occupation,
income, educational qualifications and types of
Scope of the study account) have not influenced the customer
Undoubtedly e-banking is the technological wonders and satisfaction with e-banking practices in public
is gaining popularity in banking transactions and it is sector and private sector banks.
important for banks to encourage customers to use e-
Population:
banking. Banks-trusted business service providers, have
the opportunity to leverage their existing relationships The population defined for this study was limited to
to provide full range of high quality trusted internet customer using e-banking services of public and private
business services to their customers. sector banks in Thanjavur district of Tamilnadu. The

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present study covers bank branches for those bank The survey questionnaire measured eight dimensions of
groups working in the Thanjavur district only. e-banking service quality and its effect on customer
satisfaction. A five point likert scale ranging from strongly
Sample size agree to strongly disagree was adopted as the scale for
In Thanjavur district almost, all the major banks have the statements in the questionnaire and method of data
branches in this district. One public and one private collection was through personal mode. The survey
sector bank having the largest network of branches in questionnaire has been designed using 29 statements
the district were identified. In the district, among the related to service quality dimensions i.e. Accessibility,
public sector banks State Bank of India (SBI) has large Convenience, Privacy, Security, Design, Content, Speed
number branches (15 branches) as compared to other and Fees and Charges. Each statement in the
banks. Similarly, among private sector banks located questionnaire has positively worded. Reliability of the
in the district, ICICI bank has large number of Branches questionnaire was tested using Cronbach’s alpha
(5) as compared to other private sector banks. Two reliability test.
branches from each bank viz., Kumbakonam and
Thanjavur selected as sample. Pilot Testing of Instrument
Researchers strongly recommend pilot testing of the
In Thanjavur and Kumbakonam branches of State Bank
instrument. A sample of 50 customers was used, in the
of India, there are 3943 and 2297 customers using e-
pilot testing, to validate the instrument. To validate the
banking services, particularly ATM. In the same
results empirically, appropriate reliability and validity
branches of ICICI bank there are 1628 and 1229
tests of the measurement were taken. Indeed, reliability
customers. The sample size was calculated to guarantee
refers to the instrument’s ability to prove consistent
a sufficient number of respondents in each bank branch.
results in repeated uses, whereas validity refers to the
Thus, the following formula has been used to estimate
degree to which the instrument measures the concept
the population sample size (The Survey System, 2007):
the researcher wants to do. This provides confidence
t² * p * (1-p) that the empirical findings accurately reflect the proposed
Minimum Sample Size (n) =--------------------- constructs (Flynn et al., 1994). The reliability coefficient
m² (Cronbach’s alpha) values for the eight areas Accessibility
Where: (0.840), Convenience (0.784), Privacy (0.913), Security
(0.965), Design, (0.780); Content (0.701);, Speed (0.798);
n = required sample size (minimum size)
and Fees and Charges (0.791) were found to be within
t = Confidence level at 95% (standard value of 1.96) limits for further analysis. None of the reliability alphas
p = Estimated fractional population of subgroup is below the cutoff point of 0.60, which is generally
m = Margin of error at 5% (standard value of 0.05) considered to be the criterion for demonstrating internal
As per the formula, the required sample size is 253 consistency of new scales (Nunnally and Bernstein,
customers from SBI and 116 customers from ICICI Bank. 1994).
Therefore, sample size of 160 and 93 customers from PROBLEMS OF E-BANKING USERS
SBI and 66 and 50 customers from ICICI bank in the
Growth of e-banking in India depends on many factors,
respective branch of Thanjavur & Kumbakonam are
such as computer knowledge, success of internet
determined on the basis of proportionate to the total
access, new online banking features, household growth
customers. These samples are selected on the basis
of internet usage, legal and regulatory framework.
of Convenience sampling method. The reasons of using
E-banking can offer speedier, quicker and dependable
this sampling type are twofold. First, it offers an easy
services to the customers for which they may be relatively
way to obtain the raw data for the further analysis.
satisfied than that of manual system of banking.
Second, it saves times and costs since the respondents
E-banking system not only generates latest viable return,
can be randomly selected.
it can get its better dealings with customers.
DATA COLLECTION E-banking provides enormous benefits to consumers in
The primary data is collected with the help of pre-tested terms of the ease and cost of transactions. But it also
structured questionnaires from a sample of 369 poses new challenges for country authorities in
respondents (253 and 116 respondents from one public regulating and supervising the financial system and in
and one private sector bank) of selected branches of designing and implementing macroeconomic policy.
SBI and ICICI Bank from Thanjavur district. The branches
This chapter highlights various issues and challenges
and respondents are selected with the help of
related with e-banking and the problems of e-banking
convenience sampling method.

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users in the study area, so that the future of e-banking can become good asset for overall growth in the globalize
world.

ISSUES AND CHALLENGES OF E-BANKING SERVICES


In spite of the fact that electronic banking has lot of advantages, there are some hurdles of electronic banking. The
main hurdles are as follows:
Customer skills, Security risks, Fraud in transactions, Fake bank websites/email, Use of trojan programs, Power
failure, Atm theft, Risk management, Authentications and legal issues, Verifying and reputation risk

Problems in ATMs
To analyze the problems faced by the e-banking services user in the study area, all the possible problems were
made known to the respondents. They were asked to rank the reasons in the order of their importance. The ranks
given by them were quantified by using the Garrett Ranking Technique (Garrett, 1969). The formula is given below:
n
Per cent position = Ó [ (Rij - 0.5) / Nj ] × 100 …(1)
j=1
Where,
Rij = Rank given for the ith item by the jth individual, and
Nj = Number of items ranked by the jth individual.
The problems faced by the ATMs users are discussed in the table I

TABLE 1 PROBLEMS OF ATMs USER (N = 382)

S.No Nature of problem Mean score Rank

01 Insufficient number of ATMs 132.34 I

02 Improper location of ATMs 114.58 III

03 Not maintaining adequate cash 106.57 V

04 Not maintaining denomination 88.39 IX

05 Security concern 104.82 VII

06 Poor connectivity 102.50 VIII

07 High fees and charges 84.66 X

08 Frequent out of order 121.28 II

09 Restriction for use other cards 105.08 VI

10 Long waiting time 107.97 IV


Source: Primary data

From table 1, it has been observed that the main problem problems are the security concern, poor connectivity,
faced by the ATMs users in the study area is the not maintaining adequate denominations of cash and
insufficient number of ATMs with a mean score of 132.34 high fees and charges respectively. It can be inferred
followed by frequent out of order with mean score of from the table that all the respondents are highly
121.28. Improper location and long waiting time are the dissatisfied with the number of ATMs installed by the
third and fourth problems. Not maintaining adequate cash banks. However it is noteworthy to mention that the
restriction of using other bank cards are the fifth and respondents opined high fees and charges is the last
sixth problem. The seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth problem of the ATMs users.

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PROBLEMS IN M-BANKING 6. Refund service is very poor in the m-banking. If


Mobile banking is simplest and cost effective way to customer made some wrong transaction and he/she
provide banking services in India. However, at present it sent money to wrong person by mistake the bank
was not accepted by common peoples in India because does not refund that money immediately. Stipulated
time for refund such money is defined maximum 15
of followings reasons:
days.
1. Less IT literacy is adversely affecting on the use of
7. Breakdown of M-banking create inconvenience for
mobile phone as electronic device for banking. They
customers. Many time it found that m-banking
have just using mobile phones for communication.
services are not ready to use.
2. Most of rural peoples have no idea about m-banking 8. Language used in the m-banking software is also
and how it is used. It is realized that about only 3 one of the barrier, almost all software using English
per cent of existing customers are using m-banking as common language but rural people and less
services in urban areas they have not clear idea about literate unable to use this software due to poor
benefits of m-banking. knowledge about English.
3. Continues and good quality of cellular service 9. Charges on GPRS or 3G service is not cheap to
connectivity is not available in the rural areas. use in m-banking service. It reduces cost
4. Security and trust are most important aspects of effectiveness of m-banking.
any banking service, but people have much of doubts 10. If customers are using m-banking, they would not
about its security and trustworthiness. be able to change to a different service provider and
5. M-banking provides limited range of services it not his phone number (it may be permanent customer
provides deposit facility which is essential service of the particular cellular service provider).
for the customers. If they want to deposit their money The problems faced by the mobile banking users
they must go in the branch. are shown in the table 2.

TABLE 2 : PROBLEMS OF MOBILE BANKING USER (N = 301)

S.No Nature of problem Mean score Rank


01 Time consuming 69.65 VI

02 Poor connectivity 90.28 II

03 Difficult to operate 83.97 III

04 Language problem 104.28 I

05 Less IT literacy 82.59 IV

06 Limited range of services 80.77 V

Source: Primary data

Table 6.1, shows that the problems of mobile banking In many instances, a simple mistake, like clicking a
users in the study area. Language problem is the major wrong button, may create a big problem. And so, many
problem of the mobile banking users with a mean score individuals often keep wondering if they have properly
of 104.28 followed by poor connectivity with mean score executed the transaction. However, this uneasiness can
of 83.97. Difficult to operate the mobile banking, less be avoided by printing the transaction receipt and keeping
IT literacy, limited range of services and time consuming it with oneself, until the bank statement is received.
are the third, fourth, fifth and sixth problems of the mobile
While banking through the Internet, the customers have
banking users in the study area.
to be careful about the security of your Internet bank
INTERNET BANKING PROBLEMS account. The security of Internet bank account depends
to a great extent on the security of customers’ computer,
The popularity of Internet banking is growing rapidly as
password and pin number.
the transactions are becoming faster and more
convenient. However, there are some serious problems Any leakage of information regarding password or pin
associated with Internet banking. number and banking transactions can allow computer

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hackers to gain access to customers bank account, However, with the advances in technology, many banks
which is the most common Internet banking problem. have taken the adequate measures to ward off any
problems related to the security of Internet banking.
In Internet banking, customer have to make sure that
the banking session is secure, as in many instances Customers can also follow some simple precautionary
customer may encounter proxy websites. These proxy measures, like not disclosing the password and pin
websites can easily access customer bank account, if number to anyone, changing the password at regular
they can crack customer’s user name, password or pin intervals and installing antivirus software to ensure
number. Sometimes, Internet banking can be time- security and safety of their Internet banking transactions.
consuming and tedious, as many websites take quite a Online banking tutorials are also provided by many banks
long time to get started. Besides this, customer Internet to help familiarize people with Internet banking. So,
customer can avail this facility to use Internet effectively,
bank account may also take considerable time to get
for making day-to-day financial transactions. The
started.
problems faced by the internet banking users are shown
in the table 3.

TABLE 3 : PROBLEMS OF INTERNET BANKING USER (N = 195)

S.No Nature of problem Mean score Rank


01 Time consuming 45.12 VI

02 Poor connectivity 67.38 I

03 Difficult to operate 52.33 V

04 Language problem 53.51 IV

05 Less IT literacy 58.38 II

06 Power failure 54.39 III


Source: Primary data

Table 3, indicates the problems of the internet banking will also be helpful to draw up further policy for improving
users in the study area. Poor connectivity is the major customer satisfaction with e-banking practices and act
problem of the internet banking users with a mean score as a source for further research.
of 67.38 followed by less IT literacy with mean score of
58.38. Power failure, language problem, difficult to CONCLUSION
operate and time consuming are the third, fourth, fifth E-banking has become a necessary survival weapon and
and sixth problems of the internet banking users in the is fundamentally changing the banking industry
study area. The study revealed that the insufficient worldwide. Today, the click of the mouse offers
number of ATMs, language problem and poor connectivity customers banking services at a much lower cost and
is the major problem e-banking users in the study area. also empowers them with unprecedented freedom in
choosing vendors for their financial service needs. No
MAIN FINDINGS OF THE STUDY: country today has a choice-whether to implement E-
Measuring customer satisfaction is paramount banking or not given the global and competitive nature
importance for improving service quality and retaining of the economy. Banks have to upgrade and constantly
customers on a long-term basis. The study demonstrates think of new innovative customized packages and
that there are eight factors that affect satisfaction with services to remain competitive. The invasion of banking
regard to e-banking services in the study area. The study by technology has created an information age and
reveals that the insufficient number of ATMs, Improper commoditization of banking services. Therefore, E-
location of ATMs, not maintaining adequate cash with banking has become a strategic weapon for banks to
full denomination, security concern, connectivity, fees remain profitable.
and charges, frequent out of order of ATMs, restriction
for use other cards are some of the major problems faced REFERENCES
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has given various recommendations to the Indian banking Architecture Model for Internet Banking (e-Banking)’.
sector to improve customer satisfactions. This study Journal of Internet Banking and Commerce. 14(1). April.

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Ganesh, C. & Varghese, M. E. (2003). Customer Service
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Garland, R. (2002). Estimating customer defection in
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Marketing, 20 (7), 317-325. Zeithaml, V.A., L.L. Berry, and A. Parasuraman, “The
Behavioral Consequences of Service Quality,” Journal
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MARKETING MIX STRATEGIES OF PRIVATE LABEL BRANDS


(PLBs) IN ORGANIZED RETAIL OUTLETS IN CHENNAI,
TAMILNADU - AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION

K.R. Mahalaxmi1 Dr. A. Velanganni Joseph2

ABSTRACT
The Indian retail industry is one of the fastest budding industries in India, especially over the last few years. It
contributes 10 to 11 % of the GDP and 8 % of employment. Private label brands which were first introduced over 100
years ago in few product categories, had seen an impressive growth in past few decades. The early growth of private
label brands in India has been limited to certain categories like grocery and apparel; it is gradually expanding into
other categories as well. Initially the private label brands being developed as a low-priced strategy to compete with
national brands. But the situation has been now been changed and now it is in a position to compete with national
brands. In this study it is examined the various factors influencing consumers perception towards Private Label
Brands in Organized retail outlets in Chennai, Tamilnadu.
The research design chosen for the study is descriptive. A survey instrument was developed based on previous
studies done on consumer’s perception towards private label brands. Convenient sampling has been employed with
the questionnaires being collected from 352 respondents. The study was carried out in Chennai city, South India.
Primary stage sampling units were the persons shopping in hypermarkets. Data was collected from consumers
shopping in two leading hypermarkets in Chennai, Tamilnadu. Based on the test results some of the relevant findings
were derived that will be relevant to present Indian scenario.
Key Words: Private Label Brands, Retail, Perception etc.

Introduction market for private label has grown in the last few years.
Store brands or private label brands are brands owned, (AC Nielsen, 2004).
controlled, and sold exclusively by a retailer (Baltas,
Reasons for the Growth Private Label around the
1997). Private label brands which were first introduced
world
over 100 years ago in few product categories, had seen
an impressive growth in past few decades (Tarzijan, According to Carmen Abril, professor of IE Business
2004). Private labels proliferated in a number of product School, Spain the reasons driving the private label growth
categories and garnered major market share as retailers are
perceived numerous benefits by their introduction. Apart a) An increased concentration among retailers
from providing higher retail margins in comparison to b) An improved quality perception among consumers
national brands (Ashley, 1998), private labels added
c) The rising social acceptance of private labels
diversity to the product line in a retail category (Raju et
consumption
al. 1995). Added benefits accrued to the retailer in terms
of differentiating its offerings from competing retailers d) The current economic downturn has further boosted
as well as having greater leverage with manufacturers of the appeal of private labels because of their price
national brands. utility and
e) The private label helps the retailer for convenient
Private Label
pricing for consumers.
A private label is characterized by being a product
produced, improved, processed, packed or distributed Review of Literature
exclusively by the organization that has the brand control Michael S. Pepe(2011), The purpose of this study is to
(AC Nielsen, 2002).It can carry the company’s name or investigate the influence of private label resources
use other brands not associated to the company’s name. possessed by a supermarket retailer on the shopping
Still due to these characteristics and their appeals, the behavior of loyal customers. The study examines whether

1
. Assistant Professor, Anna University Chennai, Tiruchirappalli Regional Centre, Bharathidasan Institution of Technology
(BIT Campus), Trichy
2
. Assistant professor , Anna University Chennai, Tiruchirappalli Regional Centre, Bharathidasan Institution of Technology
(BIT Campus), Trichy

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or not private label products can help in the overall interaction between national brands and private labels
enhancement of product category performance. The differs in times of recession and recovery.
paper examines the performance of a supermarket
retailer in the Northeast United States that operates over Sarah Nyengerai et.al (2013)A survey was conducted
100 stores and generates a total yearly sales volume in in Harare, Bulawayo and Bindura to quantify the effect
excess of $3 billion. Data obtained from the of selected variables on private label brand perception.
Supermarket’s point of sale information were used. The The following variables were tested; familiarity, store
paper then developed a research model from the image perception, selected demographic factors (age
literature review and used structural equation modeling and income) and consumer characteristics (intolerance
to analyze the data. The findings show that overall dollars of ambiguity, price consciousness, the level at which an
spent by loyal customers significantly impacted overall individual believes brand names reflect product quality
profitability. and social status). Data was analysed using stepwise
multiple linear regression. The factors that were found
Philip M. Parker and Namwoon Kim(1995) This paper to have a significant and positive effect on private label
considers certain aspects of competition between brand perception were familiarity (p<0.01) and store
national brands and quality equivalent private-label brands image perception (p<0.05). The authors concluded that
(a form of store, house or own-label branding). We there is scope to increase growth of the private label
investigate the impact of advertising on the ability of brand market share in the grocery sector of Zimbabwe.
brands to increase market power using a model of The authors recommended that retailers should embark
Coumot competition. Supporting recent theoretical on marketing strategies that focus on increasing the
arguments (though contradicting others), our industry familiarity of private label brands such the use of in-store
study reveals that heavy advertising among national tastes. Recommendations were also made for retailers
brands can increase prices, revenues, and profits for to focus on the improvement of store appearance and
both national brands and private-label brands. In environment as this affects private label brand perception.
particular, we find that all players can peacefully co-
exist: national brands collude amongst themselves, Prasanth MK et.al(2013) The time has come where store
private-label brands collude amongst themselves, and brands are shaping the future of modern trade outlets in
national brands collude with private-label brands. This India. The private label brand was introduced as an
holds despite price dispersion across brands, with alternative to national brands. Initially it was positioned
private-label brands being sold at lower prices. Model as low price and low quality, the own brands have moved
outcomes are quantitatively validated by cross a long way in establishing its identity. The store brands
competitor correlations which reveal perfectly are in par with the national brands at least in selected
synchronized pricing strategies, and qualitatively chains and outlets in India in terms of quality and price.
validated by industry interviews. The private labels have established lion market share in
many parts of the developed world. The present research
Richard Volpe(2011) Over the past two decades, private carried out at the selected retail a chain in Kerala such
label food products have grown steadily in sales and as More, Spencer and Reliance Fresh analyses the
often directly compete for market share with national consumer perception and rating of the private labels.
brands. This competition lowers prices and increases
product choices for consumers. This report analyzes Research Questions
the relationship between private label and national brand 1. To identify the product, price, place and promotional
product prices and in-store promotions for two major U.S. factors influencing consumers perception towards
grocery store chains during the 2007-2009 recession Private Label Brands.
and the year following the recession (2010). Retailers 2. To examine variety and availability of private label
promote private label products (offer price discounts) brands will enhance the consumers perception
strategically in response to national brand pricing
promotions to protect private label market share during METHODOLOGY
national brand promotions. However, the extent of the The research design chosen for the study is descriptive.
retailer response varies widely across supermarket A survey instrument was developed based on previous
departments and is also affected by both the density of studies done on consumers’ perception towards private
food stores and the market share of supercenters within label brands. Convenient sampling has been employed
a market area. These findings hold true regardless of with the questionnaires being collected from 352
the state of the economy, although the magnitude of the respondents. Primary stage sampling units were the

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persons shopping in hypermarkets. Data was collected from consumers shopping in two leading hypermarkets in
Chennai, Tamilnadu. Using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) some of the relevant tools like a) Multiple
regression
b) Factor Analysis and
c) Reliability test were administered.
An examination had been made from the reliability of the data to check whether random error causing inconsistency
and in turn lower reliability is at a manageable level or not, by running reliability test. Amongst the reliability tests
that were run, the minimum value of coefficient alpha (Cronbach’s alpha) obtained was 0.783

Table 1 : Reliability Statistics

Cronbach’s Alpha N of Items


0.783 37

An examination had been made from the reliability of the data to check whether random error causing inconsistency
and in turn lower reliability is at a manageable level or not by running reliability test. Based on the reliability test, the
minimum value of co-efficient alpha (Cronbach’s Alpha) obtained was 0.783. This shows the data has satisfactory
internal consistency reliability.

HYPOTHESIS
There is a relationship among the factors that enhance the consumers perception towards Private
Label Brands

Table 2 : Model Summary

Model R R Square Adjusted R Square Std. Error of the Estimate


1 0.785 0.616 0.574 0.327

Predictors:(Constant),
The above model summary table shows R-Square for this model is 0.616. This means that 61.6 percent of the
variation in overall consumer’s perception can be explained from the 12 independent variables. This table also
shows the adjusted R-Square for the model as 0.574.Any time another independent variable is added to a multiple
regression model, the R-Square will increase (even if only slightly). Consequently, it becomes difficult to determine
which models do the best job of explaining variation in the same dependent variable. The adjusted R-Square just
what its name implies. It adjusts the R-Square by the number of predictor variables in the model. This adjustment
allows the easy comparison of the explanatory power of models with different numbers of predictor’s variable. It also
helps as to decide how many variables to include in our regression model.

Table 3 : Regression Anova

Model Sum of Squares Df Mean Square F Sig.


1 Regression 19.175 12 1.598 14.942 0.000
Residual 11.977 112 0.107
Total 31.152 124

Predictors:(Constant), Dependent Variable:


The ANOVA table, as displayed in the above table 2 shows the F ratio for the regression model that indicates the
statistical significance of the overall regression model. The larger the F ratio there will be more variance in the
dependent variable that is associated with the independent variable. The F ratio = 14.942. The statistical significance
is 0.000 – the “Sig”. So reject the null hypothesis. There is relationship between independent and dependent
variables.

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Primax International Journal of Commerce and Management Research ISSN : 2321-3604

Table 4 : Coefficients

Unstandardised Standardized
Model coefficient Coefficients T Sig.
B Std. Error Beta
(Constant) -2.171 0.651 -3.331 0.001
Variety 0.414 0.105 0.476 3.955 0.000
Brand Image / Brand Name -0.117 0.102 -0.128 -1.150 0.253

Price charged 0.279 0.067 0.270 4.143 0.000


Perceived quality 0.028 0.062 0.035 0.454 0.651
Trust in brand 0.044 0.069 0.046 0.634 0.527

Availability 0.359 0.075 0.393 4.792 0.000


Accessibility 0.067 0.062 0.067 1.085 0.280
Attractive packaging 0.095 0.075 0.095 1.257 0.211
Intrinsic clues 0.182 0.062 0.183 2.934 0.004

Extrinsic clues -0.05 0.048 -0.077 -1.042 0.300


Store image/ store name -0.024 0.056 -0.027 -0.420 0.675

store promotion 0.364 0.064 0.377 5.714 0.000

To determine if one or more of the independent variables are significant predictors of overall perception of consumers
towards private label brands, we examine the information provided in the coefficient table. From the above 12
independent statements only 4 independent statements are statistically significant the standardized coefficient
beta column reveals that Variety has a beta coefficient 0.476, which is significant (0.000). Brand Image / Brand
Name have a beta coefficient -0.128, which is not significant (0.253). Price charged has a beta coefficient 0.270,
which is significant (0.000). Perceived quality has a beta coefficient 0.035, which is not significant (0.651). Trust in
brand has a beta coefficient 0.046, which is not significant (0.527). Availability has a beta coefficient 0.393, which is
significant (0.000). Accessibility has a beta coefficient 0.067, which is not significant (0.280). Attractive packaging
has a beta coefficient 0.095, which is not significant (0.211). Intrinsic clues have a beta coefficient 0.183, which is
not significant (0.004). Extrinsic clues have a beta coefficient -0.077, which is not significant (0.300). Store image/
store name has a beta coefficient -0.027, which is not significant (0.675). Store promotion has a beta coefficient
0.377, which is significant (0.000).

FACTOR ANALYSIS
KMO and Barlett’s Test
The individual statements on the factors influencing consumers towards private label brands was examined using
factor analysis based on 25 individual statements and the reliability of the samples collected was tested for internal
consistency of the grouping of the items.

Table 5 : KMO and Bartlett’s Test

Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of
Sampling Adequacy. 0.501
Bartlett's Test of Sphericity Approx. Chi-Square 1418.026

Df 300.000
Sig. 0.000

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KMO measure of sampling adequacy is an index to examine the appropriateness of factor analysis. High values
between 0.5 and 1.0 indicate factor analysis is appropriate. Values below 0.5 imply that factor analysis may not be
appropriate. From the above table it is seen that Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy index is .501
and hence the factor analyses is appropriate for the given data set. Barlett’s Test of Sphericity is used to examine
the hypothesis that the variables are uncorrelated. It is based on Chi-Square transformation of the determinant of
correlation matrix. A large value of the test statistic will favor the rejection of the null hypothesis. In turn this would
indicate that factor analysis is appropriate. Bartlett’s test of Sphericity Chi-square statistics is 1418.026, that
shows the 25 statements are correlated and hence as inferred in KMO, factor analysis is appropriate for the given
data set.

Table 6 : Total Variance Explained

Extraction Sums of Rotation Sums of


Initial Eigen values
Squared Loadings Squared Loadings

Component Total % of Cumulative % Total % of Cumulative % Total % of Cumulative %


Variance Variance Variance
1 4.549 18.197 18.197 4.549 18.197 18.197 2.925 11.700 11.700
2 2.442 9.769 27.966 2.442 9.769 27.966 2.654 10.615 22.316
3 2.393 9.573 37.539 2.393 9.573 37.539 2.093 8.372 30.688
4 1.836 7.344 44.883 1.836 7.344 44.883 2.012 8.049 38.737
5 1.803 7.212 52.095 1.803 7.212 52.095 1.958 7.830 46.567
6 1.560 6.240 58.335 1.560 6.240 58.335 1.667 6.670 53.237
7 1.422 5.687 64.022 1.422 5.687 64.022 1.651 6.603 59.840
8 1.258 5.031 69.052 1.258 5.031 69.052 1.602 6.407 66.247
9 1.113 4.452 73.504 1.113 4.452 73.504 1.584 6.334 72.581
10 1.027 4.109 77.613 1.027 4.109 77.613 1.258 5.032 77.613
11 0.882 3.528 81.142
12 0.780 3.120 84.262
13 0.581 2.323 86.584
14 0.490 1.959 88.543
15 0.472 1.887 90.430
16 0.428 1.713 92.144
17 0.385 1.541 93.685
18 0.335 1.340 95.025
19 0.283 1.133 96.158
20 0.251 1.004 97.162
21 0.187 0.746 97.908
22 0.174 0.695 98.604
23 0.171 0.683 99.287
24 0.105 0.422 99.708
25 0.073 0.292 100.000

Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.


Eigen value represents the total variance explained by each factor. Percentage of the total variance attributed to
each factor. One of the popular methods used in Exploratory Factor Analysis is Principal Component Analysis,
where the total variance in the data is considered to determine the minimum number of factors that will account for
maximum variance of data.

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Primax International Journal of Commerce and Management Research ISSN : 2321-3604

Table 7 : Rotated Component Matrix

Component
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
PLB provides variety of - - - - - - -
assortment 0.005 0.068 0.045 0.018 0.113 0.003 0.032 0.853 0.100 0.013
PLB are well known and
ease to make purchase - - - - - -
decision 0.189 0.329 0.226 0.276 0.172 0.471 0.202 0.421 0.117 0.168
PLB Product is unique and - - - - -
specific in nature 0.086 0.009 0.153 0.079 0.220 0.124 0.519 0.161 0.438 0.046
PLB is easy to differentiate - - - - - -
from the National brand 0.068 0.218 0.133 0.750 0.034 0.103 0.339 0.188 0.225 0.217
PLB provide value for - - -
money 0.001 0.367 0.146 0.028 0.151 0.141 0.106 0.080 0.027 0.740
- -
PLB are innovative 0.187 0.254 0.053 0.708 0.073 0.013 0.245 0.021 0.049 0.112
PLB is convenient to - - - -
purchase 0.587 0.380 0.027 0.032 0.054 0.513 0.069 0.149 0.207 0.029
PLB needs to create more
awareness to the - - - - -
consumer 0.315 0.452 0.196 0.189 0.177 0.201 0.045 0.306 0.121 0.487
PLB has better - -
promotional strategies 0.269 0.392 0.271 0.195 0.188 0.063 0.254 0.061 0.451 0.395
PLB are popular among
the brands available in the - - -
stores 0.144 0.312 0.715 0.180 0.165 0.259 0.090 0.070 0.148 0.137
PLB are simple to read - - -
and understand 0.034 0.227 0.133 0.579 0.202 0.068 0.012 0.497 0.053 0.024
PLB often comes with - - -
discount and offer 0.161 0.100 0.834 0.055 0.003 0.103 0.047 0.025 0.058 0.043
PLB product purchase
improves the Retailers - -
image 0.231 0.229 0.136 0.328 0.491 0.247 0.266 0.148 0.303 0.175
PLB are available only in
specific category - - - -
merchandise 0.328 0.232 0.634 0.295 0.047 0.152 0.192 0.134 0.009 0.275
PLB purchase saves
money and provides good - - -
value 0.009 0.259 0.067 0.220 0.835 0.085 0.035 0.041 0.093 0.003
PLB draws more no of - - -
customers to the stores 0.045 0.775 0.205 0.162 0.043 0.164 0.054 0.012 0.045 0.098
- - - -
Quality of PLB is superior 0.134 0.227 0.021 0.135 0.815 0.139 0.143 0.154 0.007 0.031
PLB are easily available in
preferred shopping - -
destination 0.062 0.826 0.163 0.096 0.014 0.097 0.133 0.149 0.070 0.136
PLB are attractive to make - - -
purchase of the product 0.235 0.084 0.033 0.039 0.045 0.081 0.841 0.002 0.019 0.058

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Primax International Journal of Commerce and Management Research ISSN : 2321-3604

Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis. product category profitability, Journal of Product & Brand
Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization. Management, Vol. 20 Iss: 1, pp.27 – 36
Rotation converged in 18 iterations.
P.M. Parker & N.Kim, National Brands versus Private-
The factors that influence the consumers towards private Labels: An empirical study of competition, advertising
label brands comprised of 25 individual statements. Out and collusion, A working paper in the INSEAD Working
of 25 factors, 10 individual factors influence more, the Paper Series is intended as a means whereby a faculty
factors are: researcher’s thoughts and findings may be
1. PLB provides variety of assortment communicated to interested readers
2. Easy to differentiate from the National brand Raju, J., Sethuraman, R., and Dhar, S., (1995), “The
3. Value for money Introduction and Performance of Store Brands”,
4. Often comes with discount and offer Management Science, Vol. 41, No.6, pp.957-978.
5. Saves money and provides good value Richard Volpe, The Relationship Between National
6. Easily available in preferred shopping destination Brand and Private Label Food Products: Prices,
7. Attractive to make purchase of the product Promotions, Recessions, and Recoveries, Economic
Research Report No. (ERR-129) 31 pp, December 2011
8. Exhibits current trends in their product category
9. Feel confident when I buy PLB Richardson P.S., Jain A.K. and Dick A., (1996).
10. Improves the Brand image of the product Household store brand proneness: a framework. Journal
of Retailing,72 (2): 159-185
CONCLUSION
Rzem H. and Debabi M., (2012). Store Image as a
Over the past two decades, private label food products
moderator of store brand attitude. Journal of Business
have grown steadily in sales and often directly compete
Studies,Quarterly 4(1): 130-148
for market share with national brands. This competition
lowers prices and increases product choices for Sarah Nyengerai, Divaries Jaravaza, Paul
consumers. Initially it was positioned as low price and Mukucha,Ranganai Chirimubwe and Evans
low quality, the own brands have moved a long way in Manjoro, Determinants of Perception towards Private
establishing its identity. In this study it is found out that Label Brands in Zimbabwe: The Role of Familiarity, Store
consumers feel confident, Value for their money, Variety, Image, Demographic Factors and Consumer
Availability about the private label brands. Consumers Characteristics, Greener Journal of Business and
are having a favorable image about private label brands. Management Studies, Vol. 3 (5) pp. 224-230, July 2013
Retailers to focus on the improvement of store
appearance and environment as this affects private label Semeijn J, van Riel A.C.R and Ambrosini A.B.,
brand perception. (2004). Consumer evaluations of store brands: effects
of store image and product attributes. Journal of Retailing
References and Consumer Services 11:247-258
Ashley, S., (1998), “How to Effectively Compete Against
Private-Label Brands”, Journal Of Advertising Research, Vahie A. and Paswan A., (2006). Private label brand
Vol.38, No.1, pp. 75-82. image: its relationship with store image and national
brand. International Journal of Retail and Distribution
Baltas, G., (1997), “Determinants of Store Brand Choice: Management 34 (1):67-84
A Behavioral Analysis, Journal of Product and Brand
Management”, Vol. 6, No.5, pp.315-324. Van Riel, A.C.R., Lemmink J. and Ouwersloot, H.,
(2001). Consumer‘ evaluations of brand extensions:
Michael S. Pepe, Russell Abratt, Paul Dion, The differencesbetween goods and services. Journal of
impact of private label brands on customer loyalty and Service Research 3 (3): 220–231.

Vol.2, Special Issue March 2014 Page 264


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ABOUT
ST. JOSEPH'S INSTITUTIONS:
St. Joseph's institutions comprises of St. Joseph's middle school,
St. Joseph Hr. Sec. School, St. Joseph's Institute of Management
and St. Joseph's arts and Science College St. Joseph's College is
an affiliated First Grade College of the Bharathidasan University,
Tiruchirappalli. It was established in 1844 by the Fathers of the
Society of Jesus popularly known as the Jesuits and got affiliated
to the then Madras University in 1869.

The College celebrated its centenary in 1944, sesqui - centenary in 1995and acquired the Five Star status,
awarded by NAAC in 2000. It was then recognized by UGC as a college with potential for Excellence (CPE) in
2004 and was Re-accredited by NAAC with A + Grade in 2006,with the motto of 'PRO BONO ET VERO' (for
the Good and True), St. Joseph's College trains young boys and girls of quality to be leaders in all walks of life
that would eventually enable them serve the society.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE COMPUTER APPLICATION :


The department was established with the Undergraduate degree
course in Commerce Computer Application (B.Com.CA) in the
year 2008. In the year 2011, the Postgraduate degree course in
Commerce Computer Application (M.Com.CA) was introduced. It
provides teaching in the area of Commerce, Accounting and
Computer Application.In includes various specialized subjects in
Commerce and Computer Application. It maintains a good
industrial and institutional interaction.

It highlights the concepts and skills for Accounting and Computer Applications. The curriculum represents the
course response to evolving accounting and computer techniques.
The enthusiastic teachers of this Department prepare students to pursue their higher studies and get
employed in the highly competitive job market. It imparts value addition courses to all students. Our
department conducts seminars and takes students for industrial visits. The curriculum is updated according
to the changing environment in industry and Commerce through board of Studies with eminent members.

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