UGC NET Management Unit - VII Syllabus

Differentiate a 'push' and a 'pull' supply chain strategy.

Push (make-to-stock) produces based on forecasts ahead of demand—efficient but risks overstock; Pull (make-to-order) responds to actual demand—responsive with low inventory but longer lead times.

What is the bullwhip effect in a supply chain?

The amplification of demand variability as orders move upstream from retailer to manufacturer/supplier, causing excess inventory and inefficiency; reduced through information sharing and demand visibility.

What are the major decisions in designing the sales force?

Designing sales force objectives, strategy, structure (territorial, product, market, complex), size, and compensation.

What is the 'workload method' for determining sales force size?

Sales force size = (Total workload, i.e., number of accounts x desired call frequency) divided by the average number of calls one salesperson can make per period.

List the steps in managing the sales force.

Recruiting & selecting, training, supervising/directing, motivating, and evaluating salespeople (against quotas and performance standards).

What are the main types of sales force structure?

Territorial (geographic), Product-based, Market/Customer-based, and Complex/Hybrid structures—chosen by product complexity and customer diversity.

What are the four unique characteristics of services (IHIP)?

Intangibility, Inseparability (produced and consumed simultaneously), Variability/Heterogeneity, and Perishability (cannot be stored).

What is the SERVQUAL model and its five dimensions (RATER)?

A model measuring service quality as the gap between expectations and perceptions across five dimensions: Reliability, Assurance, Tangibles, Empathy, and Responsiveness.

What is the Gaps Model of service quality?

Identifies five gaps causing poor service: Gap 1 knowledge, Gap 2 standards, Gap 3 delivery, Gap 4 communication, and Gap 5 the customer gap (perceived vs expected service), which is a function of the other four.

What is the extended (7 Ps) marketing mix for services?

The traditional 4 Ps (Product, Price, Place, Promotion) plus three service-specific Ps: People, Process, and Physical Evidence.

What is the 'service-profit chain'?

The linkage connecting internal service quality to employee satisfaction and productivity, which drives external service value, customer satisfaction and loyalty, and ultimately profit and growth.

What marketing strategies do service firms emphasize beyond external marketing?

Internal marketing (training/motivating employees to serve customers) and Interactive marketing (quality of the buyer-seller interaction during service encounters), in addition to external marketing.

What is Customer Relationship Management (CRM)?

The process of building and maintaining profitable customer relationships by delivering superior value and satisfaction, using technology to manage all customer touchpoints and maximise customer lifetime value.

What is Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)?

The total net present value of profit a firm earns from a customer over the entire duration of the relationship—used to prioritise investment in high-value customers.

What are the levels of relationship marketing (Kotler)?

Basic, Reactive, Accountable, Proactive, and Partnership—moving from a simple sale toward a continuous, value-adding partnership with the customer.

What is the difference between transactional and relationship marketing?

Transactional marketing focuses on single, short-term sales and market share; relationship marketing focuses on long-term customer retention, loyalty, and lifetime value through ongoing engagement.

What is a retailer, and what are the key retail format classification bases?

A retailer sells goods/services directly to final consumers for personal use. Formats are classified by amount of service, product line, relative prices, and organizational approach.

Name the major types of retail outlets by product line and service.

Specialty stores, Department stores, Supermarkets, Convenience stores, Discount stores, Off-price retailers, Superstores/Hypermarkets, and Category killers.

What is the difference between a hypermarket and a category killer?

A hypermarket is a huge store combining supermarket, discount, and warehouse retailing across many categories; a category killer is a giant specialty store dominating a single category with deep assortment (e.g., electronics).

What are the main forms of non-store retailing?

Direct marketing, direct selling (door-to-door, MLM), automatic vending, and online/e-tailing—selling without a physical store location.

Define e-marketing (electronic marketing).

The application of marketing principles and techniques through electronic media, especially the Internet, to achieve marketing objectives—covering company efforts to communicate, promote, and sell products online.

What are the four main e-commerce domains/relationships?

B2C (business-to-consumer), B2B (business-to-business), C2C (consumer-to-consumer), and C2B (consumer-to-business).

Define direct marketing.

Direct connections with carefully targeted individual consumers to obtain an immediate response and cultivate lasting relationships—using mail, catalog, telephone, email, and online channels without intermediaries.

What are the major forms/channels of direct marketing?

Direct mail, catalog marketing, telemarketing, direct-response TV (DRTV), kiosk marketing, and online/digital direct marketing.

Define digital marketing and name its key channels.

Marketing of products/services using digital technologies and the Internet. Key channels: SEO, SEM/PPC, social media marketing, content marketing, email marketing, affiliate, and mobile marketing.

What is the difference between SEO and SEM?

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) improves organic/unpaid search ranking through content and technical optimization; SEM (Search Engine Marketing) uses paid ads (PPC) to gain visibility on search engines.

Define green marketing.

The marketing of products and services that are presumed to be environmentally safe—incorporating eco-friendly product design, packaging, production, and promotion to satisfy needs while minimising environmental harm.

What are the '4 Ps' (or principles) of green marketing?

Green Product (eco-friendly, recyclable), Green Price (reflecting environmental value), Green Place (low-impact distribution/logistics), and Green Promotion (communicating genuine eco-benefits, avoiding greenwashing).

What are the main international market entry modes, from low to high commitment?

Exporting (direct/indirect), Licensing, Franchising, Joint ventures, Strategic alliances/Contract manufacturing, and Direct investment (wholly owned subsidiary/acquisition)—rising in control, risk, and commitment.

What factors influence the choice of international entry mode?

Internal factors (firm size, resources, product, international experience) and external factors (market size/growth, political/economic risk, trade barriers, cultural distance, competition).

What are the strategic options for planning the marketing mix in international markets?

Standardization (same mix globally for scale economies) vs Adaptation (customizing product, price, promotion, place to local markets), and the in-between 'glocal' approach—captured in product/communication strategies like straight extension, adaptation, and invention.