Polaris India: riding ahead in an alternative market

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-25
Author(s):  
Soma Arora

Subject area International Marketing, Marketing Strategy. Study level/applicability Postgraduate Programs. Case overview This case investigated the effectiveness of experiential marketing on Indian customers and how it can be used to bring about significant positive change to the perception of a brand and its brand promise in emerging markets. Polaris India was a wholly owned subsidiary of Polaris Industries USA Inc. it was founded in India in 2011 with Mr Pallav Dubey as Head of the organization. Polaris specialized in building world class off road vehicles (ORVs) and was a global leader in the same. India did not have a ready-made market for ORVs as such. Mr Dubey was entrusted with the task of creating a market for the product and successfully sell it in the Indian market. There was no production facility in India and all the products were imported as Completely Built Unit (CBU) from US-based production facilities. Mr Dubey tried different communication adaptation methods using traditional styles of marketing which gave limited success. However, the concept of Polaris experience zones, which used the concept of experiential marketing was a hit and started yielding returns. The case study provided an opportunity to explore the reasons behind the success of Polaris India despite having a product whose price was affected by currency fluctuations, a product which was majorly used in agricultural areas in USA but was perceived as a premium product in emerging markets. The case also looked into the question of product adaptation and communication adaptation for successfully selling a product in the global market especially in emerging markets. The role of the chief protagonist Pallav, his contribution to the previous stints at different organizations and the role of a leader in this scenario has been brought to the forefront. Expected learning outcomes The case is expected to deliver answers to the following questions in an effective manner: How to price a product effectively in the International Market? What is Experiential Marketing? How is International Marketing strategy different in an emerging market? Supplementary materials Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email [email protected] to request teaching notes. Subject code: CSS 8: Marketing.

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-28
Author(s):  
Soma Arora

Learning outcomes To familiarize the students with a process of international expansion within an emerging market scenario encompassing countries such as India, Sri Lanka and a developing country like Kazakhstan. Mostly cases in international marketing are central to developed nations, as that is where the MNCs emerge and grow. In this case study, though Polaris originally is an US-based MNC, the focus lies on Polaris India going international. Hence, it looked at empowering an emerging market for regional development. To provide a situation for choice of entry mode strategies involving strategic alliances and various kinds of non-equity based partnerships. Here there is scope for tremendous learning with reference to institutional voids and market failures prompting a certain mode of entry strategy versus another in international marketing. Though this topic has been researched widely, this case is the first ever tribute to a real-life situation in an emerging market. The case is focussed on experiential marketing as the new tool for sales and communication. This is unique to Polaris, and worth replicating in its internationalization. The crucial question emerged: adaptation of experiential marketing techniques as per local market. Case overview / synopsis This case investigated the process of internationalization for Polaris India, a US-based MNC, making for an interesting study in how emerging markets can become hubs for effective regional market expansion. The case simultaneously explored the concept of experiential marketing in a new light referring to the issue of communication adaptation in international marketing. The company had successfully used Polaris Experience zones as their promotion and distribution tools. The PEZ had weaved its magic on Indian customers to bring about significant positive change to the perception of a brand now extending the brand promise to other emerging markets. Polaris India started as a wholly owned subsidiary of Polaris Industries USA Inc in 2011 with Mr Pankaj Dubey, as the Country Head. Polaris specialized in building world class off-road vehicles and was a global leader in the same. The case study provided an opportunity to discuss behind the scenes role played by channel partners in targeted foreign markets – Sri Lanka and Kazakhstan. In international marketing, strategic alliances are of tremendous significance as a method of entry strategy and the knowledge, depth, expertise can make all the difference to achievement of success in the local market. Polaris despite having to market a product with no readymade market and combating the perceived notion of a super-premium product in emerging markets, managed to weave its own success story. The case is about, how Polaris India went International with its choice of strategic partners and communication tools. Supplementary materials Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email [email protected] to request teaching notes. Subject code Marketing.


2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 202-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathaniel Boso ◽  
Yaw A. Debrah ◽  
Joseph Amankwah-Amoah

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold: to publish scholarly works that extend knowledge on the drivers, consequences and boundary conditions of international marketing strategies employed by emerging market firms of all sizes and types; and to advance a narrative for future research on emerging market firms’ international marketing activities. Design/methodology/approach To achieve this agenda, the authors invited scholars to submit quality manuscripts to the special issue. Manuscripts that addressed the special issue theme from varied theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches were invited. Findings Out of 70 manuscripts reviewed, 7 are eventually accepted for inclusion in this special issue. The papers touched on interesting research topics bothering on international marketing practices of emerging market firms using blend of interesting theoretical perspectives and variety of methods. Key theoretical perspectives used include resource-based theory, internationalization theory, institutional theory and corporate visual identity theory. The authors employed unique sets of methods including literature review, surveys, panel data, and process-based qualitative and case-study enquiries. The authors used some of the most advanced analytical techniques to analyze their data. Originality/value This introduction to the special issue provides a review of the extant literature on the international marketing strategy of emerging market firms, focusing on summarizing key empirical contributions on the topic over the last three decades. Subsequently, the authors discuss how each paper included in this special issue helps advance the agenda to develop scholarly knowledge on emerging market firms’ international marketing strategy.


2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 35
Author(s):  
Nagasimha Balakrishna Kanagal

Emerging markets, as of recent times, are going through phases of liberalization towards market economies, increasing privatization, and are witnessing an emphasis of emerging markets’ governments towards globalization. There has been a rise in the contribution of emerging market firms to the economies of emerging markets. A study with a purpose to conceptualize strategic marketing issues for an emerging market firm to go global is significant, given that success in overseas marketing ventures is critical to sustain the phases of globalization. The challenge is to enter, obtain market share, and sustain in advanced economies and other emerging markets. This paper attempts to address the conceptualization and the challenge. The method of the study is to (i) define strategic marketing, outline and distinguish the different types of firms marketing overseas – international, multinational, and transnational / global; and (ii) analyze using extant literature, the aspects and issues of global entry and implementation of global marketing strategy. The study, post analysis, conceptualizes and postulates three moderating success factors, wherein consideration of these factors will aid the emerging market firm in improving its performance (i) acculturation processes in global businesses; (ii) achievement of global marketing synergies; and (iii) the importance of overcoming global negatives. Given that conditions for global entry and implementing global marketing strategy are met, and the three success moderating factors are addressed, the study recognizes that it is necessary to address the competitive forces in the global environment to be able to obtain an optimal share of the market. The study includes a discussion based on an in-depth interview with a leading garment exporter in Bangalore, India, to understand global entry and global marketing strategy implementation. In conclusion, it can be stated that that (i) an explicit process to address global negatives is required to overcome the perceptual gap of emerging market firms on deliverables; (ii) explicit attention to the achievement of global market synergies has to be given by global marketing strategists.


2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saeed Samiee ◽  
Suthawan Chirapanda

Unlike their counterparts in developed markets, emerging-market firms are characterized by limited resources, including international experience and access to relevant information, which are essential for developing suitable international marketing strategy (IMS). Under such circumstances, strategies are expected to produce suboptimal results, especially when targeting competitive markets in advanced economies. Prior IMS research has largely focused on developed markets. In contrast, the authors examine IMS of exporters in Thailand, an emerging market. Despite major differences in environments and processes in emerging markets, they establish that Thai exporters that match their IMS to local market conditions realize superior performance, as predicated by strategy coalignment. The authors validate these results and discuss emerging-market firms’ capacity to adapt their strategies and succeed in highly competitive advanced economies, despite relative inexperience, volatility, and information asymmetry at home. Exporting remains of critical importance to the economies of emerging markets, and the findings provide greater optimism for their firms’ ability to address host-market conditions in their marketing strategies, as well as pointing to the competitive threat posed by these emerging-market neophytes.


2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (8) ◽  
pp. 503-517 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Sze Yin Ho ◽  
Sanjaya S. Gaur ◽  
Kok Wai Chew ◽  
Nasreen Khan

Purpose Organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) entails employees’ voluntary commitment to an organisation beyond their contractual responsibilities and has been found to be contributing to an organisation’s success. While the roles of gender and OCB exhibited by employees (as internal stakeholders) are documented, the role of gender in OCB by customers (as external stakeholders) of an organisation, especially within the context of emerging markets, is not found, therefore necessitating further studies. This research aims at bridging this research gap. Design/methodology/approach In total, 203 male and 194 female customers representing the young working professionals segment rated their level of satisfaction with the relationship that they had with their banking website. They also indicated their willingness to participate in different dimensions of OCB. Findings Generally, both men and women, who are satisfied with the relationship that they have with the organisation, indicated their willingness to contribute to the organisation by displaying OCB. Contrary to past studies, where women at workplace were reported to be more likely to participate in OCB, the findings from the customer’s perspective revealed that men are more likely to engage in OCB. Research limitations/implications The results indicated that OCB is not limited to internal customers (employees) but could also be expanded to external customers. The stereotypes causing females to be perceived as stronger OCB contributors may not remain constant in all types of circumstances. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this appears to be the first study to establish the gender role in OCB from the customer’s perspective in the context of an emerging market.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Manish Das ◽  
Victor Saha ◽  
M.S. Balaji

Purpose This study aims to investigate the role of middle-class consumers’ need for uniqueness (CNFU), consumer susceptibility to interpersonal influence (CSII), inspiration and behavioral intentions toward masstige products. Specifically, this study examines the differential effects of CNFU dimensions, the underlying mechanism of consumer inspiration and the moderating role of CSII in the purchase intentions toward masstige products. Design/methodology/approach Two studies were carried out to test the proposed relationships. Study 1 examines the differential effect of CNFU dimensions and the mediating role of consumer inspiration for data collected from Tier 1 cities in India. Study 2 replicated Study 1 findings for the jewelry masstige products and tested the moderating role of CSII for data collected from Tier 2 cities. Structural equation modeling was used to test the proposed hypotheses. Findings The study findings confirm the differential effects of CNFU dimensions on inspiration and its mediating role in masstige products’ purchase intentions. Furthermore, the study found that CSII moderates the effect of CNFU dimensions on inspiration toward masstige (jewelry) purchase intentions. Status does not determine masstige purchase intention. Research limitations/implications The present study was carried out in the emerging market of India. Future studies should replicate the study findings in other emerging markets. Practical implications The study findings have important implications for marketers of masstige brands in developing effective marketing strategies in the emerging markets. Originality/value The study is among the few studies to investigate the differential role of CNFU dimensions and inspiration for masstige brands in an emerging market context.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ammar Javed ◽  
Zia Khan

PurposeThis study aims to highlight important marketing strategies within the context of a highly competitive emerging market with few points of difference because of service homogeneity. Drawing upon the social identity and self-expansion theories, this research explores the role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and discounts and packages offers (DPO) as determinants of purchase intentions. The understudied mediating role of brand love is investigated in the CSR–purchase intentions and DPO–purchase intentions relationships, with relationship age as a moderating variable for the two relationships.Design/methodology/approachData from 359 valid responses from customers of cellular service firms in Pakistan were analyzed using partial least squares-based structural equation modeling.FindingsThe findings show that brand love partially (albeit a weaker relationship) mediates the CSR–purchase intentions relationship. Brand love also partially (albeit a stronger relationship) mediates the DPO–purchase intentions relationship. The moderating role of relationship age is not established.Practical implicationsCellular firms in emerging markets experience high volatility. Therefore, understanding of the volatile behavior alongside devising strategies is of the utmost importance. This research shows that customers continue their business with the firms they love. Interestingly, the non-significance of relationship age as a moderator for both CSR–purchase intentions and DPO–purchase intentions indicates that garnering customers' purchase intentions with respect to relationship age will be very difficult for cellular firms under fierce competition. CSR and DPO should be strategically used to increase brand love to boost purchase intentions.Originality/valueThis study makes two important contributions to the literature of emerging markets. The first contribution of this research is the proposal and validation of brand love as a mediating variable in CSR–purchase intentions and DPO–purchase intentions relationships. Evaluation of the moderating role of relationship age in CSR–purchase intentions and DPO–purchase intentions relationships is the second contribution.


2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Joffi Thomas ◽  
Ashok Pratap Arora ◽  
Rajen K. Gupta

Subject area Transforming a production-oriented firm into a marketing-oriented firm; aligning marketing strategy of local companies in globalizing emerging markets; creating sustainable competitive advantage. Student level/applicability Post graduate management courses in marketing management, strategic marketing, international marketing, business strategy. Case overview This case is about how the leader in the Indian paper industry, Ballarpur Industries Ltd (BILT), is proactively transforming a production-oriented firm to a marketing-oriented firm to compete in the globalizing emerging market scenario, in the wake of economic liberalisation. It requires the participants to evaluate the impact of marketing initiatives made, and align BILT's marketing strategy to leverage it's strengths and help create sustainable competitive advantage. Expected learning outcomes To understand the need for local companies in emerging markets to proactively align marketing strategy to build competitive advantage in the globalizing industry. Supplementary materials Teaching notes.


2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Vimi Jham ◽  
Eric Van Genderen

Subject area Marketing Strategy, International Marketing. Study level/applicability MBA Course Core course of Marketing Management. Specialization courses in Services marketing, Marketing Management, Retail Management. Executive training workshops on strategy formulations. Faculty development workshops on teaching pedagogy through cases. Capstone courses. Case overview The case talks about the declining share of Nokia globally, which affected Midcom's business. Despite this downfall, Midcom had maintained a majority share in the market. For now, the Middle East and Africa region was least effected by the global market share drop of Nokia, but Nokia's dropping market share was one of the threats Midcom might face in Africa. The segment where Android and BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) had hit Nokia was a minority stake holder in Nokia's share in Africa. The market itself was growing, but there was stiff competition from brands such as Samsung, Tecno, HTC, Apple and other Chinese brands. The case revolves around the strategies adopted by Midcom to maintain its leadership in the market to avoid the threats from its competitors. Expected learning outcomes The case seeks an intensive reading, research and a stimulating in-class discussion on implementing marketing strategy mixed with creating experience in the service industry with special focus on the telecom industry. The case is also open to other angles as per the other intents and context of the course and course instructor. Some of the learning outcomes from the case will be in the area of: customer satisfaction, distribution management, market leadership, retailing, competitive strategies in marketing and international marketing. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or e-mail [email protected] to request teaching notes. Subject code CSS 8: Marketing


2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 936-957 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Falahat ◽  
Gary Knight ◽  
Ilan Alon

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of entrepreneurial orientation and networking capabilities of born global firms in an emerging market on marketing strategy and foreign market performance. Design/methodology/approach Structural equation modeling was used to analyze data from 1,001 internationalized firms in an emerging market and to test seven hypotheses regarding the development of marketing strategy and foreign market performance. Findings Marketing strategy was found to mediate the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and networking capability and foreign market performance, while foreign market performance is affected by entrepreneurial orientation and marketing strategy. Research limitations/implications Research on emerging market multinationals can be merged with that of born globals to augment our understanding of how early internationalizers from emerging markets perform in foreign markets. Originality/value This study is among the few focusing on born globals in emerging markets, which face the difficulties of newness and limited resources, as well as characteristics of emerging markets, such as institutional voids.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document