RESEARCH METHODOLOGY & FUNDAMENTALS OF MARKET RESEARCH

Vanessa Dsouza Roll No. 657 MMS I (2011-2012)

PHENOMENON & POTENTIAL FOR APPLYING RESEARCH METHODOLOGY The introduction of beer in India dates back to the pre independence era. Beer in India, was first introduced by the British and the first Indian beer Lion, was produced back in 1820s in Solan by an Englishman named Edward Dyer. Lion, a highly hopped ale was later switched into a lager, a trend emulated by other breweries making Indian beer market predominantly lager based. With time, beer has occupied an important position in the Indian hard drinks segment. The Indian beer industry has been growing at a steady rate over the last few decades. With the increasing income levels of the Indian population the popularity of beer is also increasing at a rapid speed. In addition, a growing economy and improved social acceptance are factors that are in favor of the beer industry. These trends are expected to fuel growth in beer consumption of up to 15% a year through the end of the decade ushering in a new era of beer drinking culture.

To date, the biggest beneficiary of the surge has been Kingfisher. The brand rules the market, with a 45% share. Nevertheless, closing in is SABMiller commanding 37% of the market. With major international players like Anheuser- Busch, Carlsberg, InBev and Heine-ken setting up their production facilities in India the race for the supremacy is going to reach seismic levels. Though these new entrants are small today, they are hoping to boost their profile. This calls for a good understanding of what drives consumption patterns with existing top players through systematic & structured study. This can be achieved by applying Research Methodology.

RESEARCH PROCESS 1. Formulating the Research Problem 2. Developing the research objectives 3. Preparing the Research Design 4. Collecting the Data 5. Analysis of Data 6. Generalization and Interpretation 7. Preparation of the Report

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM & PURPOSE FOR STUDY The scope of the research study restricts itself to the analysis of consumer preferences, perception and consumption of popular brands of beer in India. There are many brands of beer available but the study is limited to three most popular brands of beer Kingfisher, Haywards & Royal Challenge.

Find out the awareness levels of the three brands in general. Seek the general perception of consumer towards them as brands. To understand the factors affecting consumer behaviour and usage of the three brands.

To check the performance of each of the brands and reasons for popularity

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES Objectives of the study are:

To study the attitudes and awareness of people towards the three popular brands of beer

To know the factors which affects consumers buying behaviour & consumption pattern

RESEARCH DESIGN The descriptive research was carried for around 15-20 days using the survey method, which included preparing the questionnaire, getting it filled by random people, analyzing it and making a study. Sample Size and Design A sample of 50 was taken on the basis of convenience. Random people were selected and asked to fill the questionnaire. Opinions of only beer-drinkers were considered. Research Instrument The data was collected directly from the respondent with the help of a structured questionnaire with a combination of open-ended as well as close-ended questions..

QUESTIONNAIRE Gender a) Male b) Female Age a) 18-25 yrs b) 25-35yrs c) 35-45yrs d) 45 & above Who introduced you to drink Beer? a) Friends b) Advertising c) Other________________ How often do you consume Beer? a) Once a week b) 3-4 times in a week c) Every day d) Occasionally Which type of Beer do you prefer? a) Mild b) Strong Rate the following Brands of beer in order of your preference a) Kingfisher_____ b) Haywards_____ c) Royal Challenge_____ How much quantity of Beer do you consume at one time? a) 1 Bottle b) 2 Bottles c) > 2 Bottles You drink Beer usually at? a) Home b) Restaurant c) Bar d) Parties e) Other_________________ What are the key factor/s that affect/s your purchasing decision?
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a) Price b) Brand c) Taste d) Quality e) Packaging d) Other__________________ Your preference for packaging? a) Bottle b) Can Are you brand loyal? a) Loyal b) Switcher

DATA ANALYSIS & INTEPRETATION Gender

FEMAL MALE E 70% 30%

Age Groups
AGE GROUP 18-25 25-35 35-45 >45 No. of responde nts 28 10 7 5

Brand Preference
Kingfisher Haywards Royal Challenge 46 3 1

Key Factors affecting purchase

Price Brand Taste Quality Packagi ng 7 39 10 3 1

Brand Loyalty
Loyal Switcher 30 20

CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS A lot of preference is being placed on the brand by the consumers of beer, followed by taste and price. Therefore, this could be an indicator for new entrants to focus on. Also it can be concluded that the high volume sales of Kingfisher are due to its Brand Equity. So, concentrating on the building a good brand must also be on the agenda of the new entrants if at all they are to capture market share in any way.

BIBLIOGRAHY

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_17/b4031068.htm http://goindia.about.com/od/nightlife/tp/top-indian-beers.htm http://business.mapsofindia.com/top-brands-india/top-beer-brands-in-india.html http://www.euromonitor.com/beer-in-india/report http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-1212/news/30507638_1_indian-market-strong-beer-molson-coors

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