Service Quality in Healthcare Sector: An Exploratory Study on Hospitals

--Raghu Naga Prabhakar Kalepu

Quality refers to the closeness of an actual outcome to the expected outcome by the observer. In view of the changing scenario of customer needs, lifestyles and technological innovations, the market has become much more quality-conscious. Therefore, in service delivery, quality has become an essential prerequisite even in the healthcare sector. The SERVQUAL model pioneered by Parasuraman et al. (1988) measures service quality and identifies the potential gaps within the service organizations. The present study measures service quality in select hospitals of Krishna District of Andhra Pradesh, and attempts to diagnose service quality gaps. The results of the study confirmed that the demographic factors and socioeconomic status play a vital role in patients’ satisfaction towards service quality.

© 2014 IUP. All Rights Reserved.

Predicting Customer Satisfaction Towards Mobile Value-Added Services: An Application of Multiple Regression

--Lokesh Jasrai

The Mobile Value-Added Services (MVAS) make a significant share in non-voice revenue in the Indian telecom sector. The MVAS are considered as growth drivers, source of revenue and key differentiators at the time when the industry is facing a sluggish growth due to decline in minutes of use per connection per month, average revenue per user per month, intense competition, and fall in voice tariffs. The present study is an attempt to analyze customer satisfaction for MVAS by using parametric and non-parametric test procedures. M-Commerce, M-Education, M-Health and M-Entertainment have been identified as important determinants that affect customer satisfaction in MVAS. Multiple regression analysis has been used to predict the customer satisfaction and also examine the relative importance of each determinant in affecting the customer satisfaction. Validity, assumptions and generalization of results have also been examined so as to make inferences about the population.

© 2014 IUP. All Rights Reserved.

A Study of the Constructive Factors Influencing Green Marketing in Tamil Nadu

--G Suresh

Green marketing in both academic and business sense is crucial to developing countries. This phenomenon has to develop its economic and social agenda. In the past two decades, the concept of green marketing has achieved an exponential growth, making imperative impact both on the market and environment across the globe. In the field of ethics and social responsibility, environmental and green marketing themes are the core areas related to environmental safety and human wellbeing. The present paper reviews the green marketing literature in various aspects, which include customer awareness, constructive factors, and parameters that would make green products more attractive to consumers. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the constructive factors on the use of green marketing products in the present situation in Tamil Nadu. A well-structured and close-ended questionnaire was used to collect the data from 100 respondents. The questionnaire consisted of four sections: demographic background; customer awareness; constructive factors on the use of green marketing; and parameters that attract the consumers. The data was analyzed using percentage analysis, factor analysis, multiple linear-regression analysis and mean score analysis. The results of the study show a bright future for green products in the present day situations.

© 2014 IUP. All Rights Reserved.

Rural Market Dynamics and Product Penetration

--Rinalini Pathak Kakati and Shazeed Ahmed

Indian rural households collectively account for 57% of the current consumption and hold great opportunities both for the Indian and global marketers. The growing prosperity of the Indian rural consumers, with rising incomes, changing lifestyles and shifting demographic profile, challenges the marketers in terms of product pioneering, rapid penetration and easy accessibility of different products. This study makes an effort to identify the market segments available based on rural Values, Attitudes and Lifestyles (VALs); develop a consumer buying behavior scale both for the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) and durable products; and identify and access the product categories and penetration level of a few identified products in the rural areas. The study is a combination of exploratory and descriptive research with a total sample size of 400 taken from two important districts of North-East India. The study reveals six clusters with distinctively different VALs characteristics. Pricing, availability and promotions are found to significantly affect the purchase decisions of FMCGs; further with body and hair care products having the highest penetration among rural consumers. Whereas product levels and availability contribute positively in case of purchase of CDs with bicycles and mobile phones having highest penetration among durables in rural markets.

© 2014 IUP. All Rights Reserved.

Case Study: Tata Nano to Tata No-No

--B Shafiulla

This case study narrates the insightful and interesting story of Tata Nano, the world’s cheapest car. Though much applauded and publicized for the feat of having manufactured a car at an impossibly low cost, Tata Motors (the company which developed this car) faced many challenges in making this car a viable commercial proposition. This paper discusses as to what went wrong and what remedial steps could be taken to make this car commercially successful.

© 2014 IUP. All Rights Reserved.