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June, 2013

Ms-63 : Product Management

SECTION-A

1. Distinguish between the following giving suitable examples :

(a) Convenience and shopping products

(b) Product Line and Product Mix

(c) Tangible specifications and Augmented features of a product

(d) Skimming Pricing and Penetration Pricing

2. (a) How would marketing strategies vary across different stages of Product Life Cycle ?

Explain giving suitable examples.

(b) "Though so many managers have been swept into product-line extension mania, many of them are also discovering that the problems and risks associated with extension proliferation are formidable". Discuss the statement.

3. (a) What is the rationale for test marketing ? Discuss the situations where you think test marketing is not desirable.

(b) Discuss the relative advantages and disadvantages of setting responsibility of developing new products at the corporate level.

4. Write short notes on any three of the following :

(a) BCG Matrix

(b) Concurrent Engineering

(c) Concept Testing

(d) Brand Equity Measurements

(e) Market Potential and Market Demand

SECTION-B

5. A company manufacturing biscuits now plans to launch a new range of biscuits targetted at health and calorie conscious customers as well as diabetics. The company intends to produce these biscuits with multigrains and lower sugar as well as calorie content. It is planned to offer the biscuits in different flavours like apple, orange, vanila etc. to cater to the different tastes of the customers. The company now has to decide upon the different aspects of the new launch like the ingredients, flavours, branding, packaging and labelling of the product.

Questions :

(a) Suggest some methods for generating ideas regarding the product attributes of the proposed range of biscuits.

(b) Identify the characteristics of a good brand name and suggest a suitable brand name for the new offerings.

(c) Suggest an appropriate positioning strategy.

(d) Discuss the significance of packaging and labelling decisions in the marketing of these new products.

December, 2009

Ms-62 : Sales Management

SECTION – A

1(a) Explain the interdependence of sales and distribution management in an FMCG company.

(b) Explain the various steps involved in personal selling process taking the example of diesel generating sets for industrial applications.

2(a) Explain the importance of non – verbal communication in selling process.

(b) Discuss the most commonly used methods of imparting training to the sales force in an organisation.

3. (a) What are the major objectives of territory planning ? Briefly explain the various approaches to territory design.

(b) Discuss the various types of compensation plans for the sales force. What are the factors influencing the design of compensation schemes ?

4. Write short notes on any three of the following :

(a) Application of computers in sales management.

(b) Types of sales organisation structures.

(c) Recruitment sources.

(d) Types of Retail Displays.

(e) Sales management Audit.

SECTION – B

5. Read the case given below and answer the questions given at the end.

Western Oil India, is a regional producer of oil products located in Gujarat state selling gasoline, fuel oil and related products under the Swift brand. Total sales during 2007-2008 were in excess of Rs.100 crores. The company's sales organization comprises of full-line sales personnel who sold in two states of western India. The full-line sales people sold to oil wholesalers, distributors, commercial users and domestic fuel oil consumers. The sales force was responsible for developing all new accounts. The sales personnel were evaluated according to a single criterion, sales volume. District sales managers determined each salesperson's volume from the weekly sales reports. Each report showed the previous week's sales, both in amount and percentage of total purchases by name of account. The district managers summarized the sales reports into monthly and annual summary sales reports. The amount and percentage of gain or loss was shown on both the monthly and annual reports. In addition, each salesperson's sales volume performance was compared with that of other sales personnel in the district and region. Finally, each salesperson's sales volume was compared with his output the previous year and the trend of this sales volume was shown over the past several years. Mr. Kumar, had recently been promoted from manager to vice-president of sales. When he was a manager, he had believed that the method of evaluating sales performance based

solely on sales volume was an inaccurate appraisal of a person's effectiveness. He felt it

was especially unfair to the salespeople who spent a portion of their time assisting dealers with problems such as special promotions, inventory control, merchandising and administration activities that had no direct effect on sales. He also believed that evaluation based on sales volume alone ignored some fairly wide differences in the sales potential of individual territories. As a result of the deficiencies he saw, Mr. Kumar suggested that the present method of personnel evaluation should be supplemented by a merit-rating plan. This plan would incorporate such factors as work habits; effectiveness in merchandising work, cooperation with management, dealers and other sales personnel

and difference in territory potential. The managers would rate the salespeople semiannually, then Mr. Kumar would review the ratings. The numerical scores assigned to each performance factor (which had not yet been determined) would be totaled to yield a merits score for each salesperson. Finally, managers would discuss this appraisal with each salesperson, counselling on strengths and weaknesses and making suggestions for improvement. And before  the plan was put into operation, each manager would explain the new evaluation method to the salespeople in the district. Reaction to Mr. Kumar's proposal was mixed and was strongly opposed to the idea and opined that the new method of evaluation was too complex in nature and also time consuming for the manager. It was also felt that the sales personnel would be unhappy with an evaluation system that was based on so many subjective factors. The argument that salespeople would feel that ratings were based on personal favouritism and other non-objective factors over which they had on control.

Questions

(a) Is the Western Oil company's present method for evaluating sales personnel performance adequate and fair ? Explain.

(b) How can Mr. Kumar answer other manager's objections. Substantiate.