A viable MBA for BoP students: PiMS in rural Kasaragod, Kerala
Publication date: 17 March 2022
Abstract
Learning outcomes
Participants will learn to analyze the basis of consumer segmentation in management education. It will specifically highlight the importance of positioning in influencing the marketing strategy of a firm and discuss the importance of a differentiated-low cost strategy to gain competitive advantage. The case will familiarize students with the business environment of rural India, and the applicability of the 4A’s and the 5D’s framework. Finally, the case will help participants understand the difference between a rural market and a Bottom-of-Pyramid (BoP) market.
Case overview/synopsis
A rural MBA institute for BoP students is grappling with the problem of low admissions, leading to an existential crisis. Two divergent options are presented to the protagonist. The first is to close down the B-school and use the infrastructure and facilities for a well-funded government skill development program which is vocational and intended for creating blue-collar workers. The second is to find ways to bolster the B-school to ensure that it gets adequate student enrollment, thereby leading to profitability.
Complexity academic level
This case is suitable for an undergraduate or MBA course in marketing management, rural marketing in India, South-Asian marketing or strategic marketing.
Supplementary materials
Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or e-mail support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes. There is an accompanying spreadsheet with the case for studying the market. It contains relevant market data that would support analysis of the case. Comments are added for easy understanding. Instructors can access the separate spreadsheet that works out the break-even calculations for the fee structure of the institute. Instructions on calculations as well as comments are added for easy understanding.
Subject code
CSS 8: Marketing.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to record their sincere thanks to the following academicians for their critical inputs and comments during the development of the case. Ms. Bincy Ann Babu (Asst. Professor, SNES-IMSAR Kozhikode), Dr. Suresh Malodia (Associate Professor, MICA Gujarat), Dr. Aswathy Asokan Ajitha (Asst. Professor- IIM-Amritsar)Declaration of Conflict of Interests: The first author has worked as a consultant with the Kasaragod Cooperative Educational Society during the period Dec 2015- May 2016. The second author is an employee of People Institute of Management Studies (2009-present). The second author has voluntarily forfeited all financial benefits that might accrue from publication of the case. The case was vetted by external academicians not connected with the institution to ensure neutrality of the content and writing.Disclaimer. This case is written solely for educational purposes and is not intended to represent successful or unsuccessful managerial decision-making. The authors may have disguised names; financial and other recognisable information to protect confidentiality.
Citation
John, K.T. and Kamala Raghavan, A.K. (2022), "A viable MBA for BoP students: PiMS in rural Kasaragod, Kerala", , Vol. 12 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/EEMCS-07-2021-0216
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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