Synopsis of research proposal for PhD in Management, specialization marketing, area consumer behaviour

1. The Impact of Marketing Promotions of Lubricants
Marketing Companies on Usage of Synthetic Lubricants by
Two Wheeler Motor Vehicle Users
Synopsis of the Research Proposal
Submitted for the Registration into the
Ph. D. Programme (Part-Time) in Management
By
Debanjan Saha
ID No. 12JU11300004
Research Supervisor :
Dr. R. Gopal
Director, Dean and Head of the Department
Padmashree Dr. D. Y. Patil University
Department of Business Management
Research Guide :
Dr. B. M. Singh
Dean and Registrar,
ICFAI University Jharkhand
Ranchi

2. Agenda
• Introduction
• Relevance of the Topic
• Objective/s and scope
• Concepts/Theories/Philosophies
• Research work that was done on the topic, so far
• Problem Statement
• Hypotheses
• Methodology Proposed
• Data proposed to be collected and Statistical Techniques Projected: Justification
• Relevance of Projected Findings
• Challenges anticipated
• Proposed time frames for completion of the major milestones
• Help required ,if any, from the University
• Acknowledgements

3. Introduction
• Motor vehicle
categories
• Lubricants : Types &
Brands

4. Relevance
Insights gained can
improve effectiveness
marketing of new high
technology products
targeted at a particular
customer segment 
Increase (ROMI)
Return On
Marketing Investment

5. Objectives & Scope
Objectives :
1. To determine awareness of two wheeler motor vehicle users regarding
introduction, availability and benefits of synthetic (including semi-synthetic)
lubricants for two wheeler motor vehicles, as a product category, differentiated
from mineral oil based lubricants for two wheeler motor vehicles.
2. To study the buying behaviour of two wheeler motor vehicle users with respect to
synthetic lubricants for two wheeler motor vehicles.
3. To study the factors influencing the usage synthetic lubricants for two wheeler
motor vehicle.
4. To study the impact of the factors influencing the usage of synthetic lubricants for
two wheeler motor vehicles.
5. To study the marketing strategies adopted by synthetic lubricants marketing
companies.
Scope : Usage synthetic (including semi-synthetic) lubricants by 4 stroke petrol
engine two-wheeler users in Pune, Nasik & Aurangabad, who get their vehicles
serviced at workshops other than the vehicle manufacturing company’s authorised
service stations

6. Concepts/Theories/Philosophies
• Consumer Buying Behaviour concepts
– Awareness, Interest, Evaluation, Trial, Adoption
– Need Recognition, Info Search, Evaluation of Alternatives, Purchase
Decision, Post purchase evaluation
– Habitual purchase

7. Concepts/Theories/Philosophies
Consumer Involvement Theory : Foote Cone Belding Matrix

8. Concepts/Theories/Philosophies
Ansoff Matrix

9. Concepts/Theories/Philosophies
• Social contagion,
Modelling, Risk
aversion, Innovation,
Uniqueness, Market
Mavenism, Opinion
Leadership
• Customer
Relationship/
Experience
Loyalty/Advocacy

10. Research work that was done - I
• Adoption of a new product is preceded by and is conditional on awareness and adoption
occurs if the perceived risk adjusted value of the product exceeds selling price of the
new product (Kalish 1985).
• Rogers (1976) has compiled a list of 2700 publications on diffusion of innovations and
new product adoption.
• Several researchers have developed models of innovation diffusion, starting with the
simple diffusion model by Bass (1969), which assumes a homogeneous population of
susceptible individuals.
• Later researchers have provided models assuming heterogeneous population of
susceptible individuals. Robinson and Lakhani (1975) and Kalish (1980 and 1983)
introduced models incorporating price as a factor. Kalish (1985) provides a model of
individual behaviour incorporating price and advertising variables. Oren and Schwartz
(1988) model includes risk aversion factor. Chatterjee and Eliashbert (1989) introduced
price/performance parameter in their model. Lattin and Roberts (1989) considered
perceived benefits in their model.
• The role of information shared by marketers in influencing consumer perception of new
high-technology product performance uncertainty has been extensively researched.
Ziamou and Ratneshwar (2002) are of the view that more information is not always
better in reducing performance uncertainty.

11. Research work that was done - II
• Wee, Thomas T.T. (2003) concluded that the most important factors in adoption of
new consumer electronic durables are trialability, compatibility, relative
advantage, observability, complexity, image and perceived risk of adoption.
• Deacon et. al. (2003) have studied inhibitions to adoption of new products in food
industry and have provided three recommendations to marketers to succeed in
new product introduction, stimulate emotional attachment by consumer
participation, build enduring involvement with opinion leaders and develop
network to promote word of mouth publicity.
• The concepts of opinion leadership and word of mouth publicity and their role in
influencing new product adoption have been studied by King and Summers (1970).
• Manning et. al. (1995) developed constructs of consumer novelty seeking and
consumer independent judgement and they are of the view that the former
construct is positively related to early stages of the adoption process, whereas the
later construct is associated with later stages of the adoption process.
• Iyenger et al. (2011) studied social contagion operating over network ties in
adoption of new drugs by physicians and found that adoption is affected by usage
volume of peers, which is likely to arrive from enhanced source credibility.

12. Problem Statement - General
• Many new product launches have been grossly
unsuccessful, resulting in serious financial troubles
for organisations, not to mention erosion of brand
equity.
• Adoption and usage of synthetic lubricants for two
wheelers has met with muted response in India.
• Lubricants marketing companies have made heavy
investments in ATL and BTL promotions, channel
partner schemes etc. with limited effect on sales of
premium products.

13. Problem Statement – Gaps Identified
• Not found any study done on awareness, adoption and usage of the newly launched low
involvement product category of synthetic lubricants for two wheeler motor vehicles in India.
• The most cost effective media to create awareness of a new product amongst early adopters
in the target customer segment.
• The type, quality, depth and extent of information to be shared by marketers to reduce
consumer uncertainty.
• Effect of intensity of competition amongst marketers in enhancing consumer awareness.
• Effect of sales promotion events in promoting acceptability of new products in addition to
increase in awareness.
• Post purchase satisfaction or dissatisfaction and its role in influencing future consumer
innovativeness to support repurchase and continued future new product adoption process in
other product categories.
• Diffusion of information on gap between consumer expectation and perceived performance
of new product and its effect on new product adoption.
• Change of population size of adopters over an extended time period and its effect on
enhancing incidence of new adoption.
• Seasonality factors on new adoption, with relevance to macro, micro and personal economic
factors.

14. Hypotheses - I
• H01 : Two Wheeler Motor Vehicle Users are not aware of (a) the product category
of Synthetic Lubricants for two wheelers, (b) its availability in local market and (c)
its benefits compared to conventional mineral based lubricants.
• H11 : Two Wheeler Motor Vehicle Users are aware of (a) the product category of
Synthetic Lubricants for two wheelers, (b) its availability in local market and (c) its
benefits compared to conventional mineral based lubricants.
• H02 : Two Wheeler Motor Vehicle Users are not involved in the purchase process
of Synthetic Lubricants for their vehicle.
• H12 : Two Wheeler Motor Vehicle Users are involved in the purchase process of
Synthetic Lubricants for their vehicle.
• H03: Two Wheeler Motor Vehicle Users are not interested in acquiring knowledge
about Synthetic Lubricants for their vehicle.
• H13 : Two Wheeler Motor Vehicle Users are interested in acquiring knowledge
about Synthetic Lubricants for their vehicle.

15. Hypotheses - II
• H04 : There is no correlation between (a) higher initial purchase price and (b) greater value
for money of synthetic lubricants compared to conventional mineral based lubricants,
perceived by Two Wheeler Motor Vehicle Users and the usage of synthetic lubricants.
• H14 : There is correlation between (a) higher initial purchase price and (b) greater value for
money of synthetic lubricants compared to conventional mineral based lubricants,
perceived by Two Wheeler Motor Vehicle Users and the usage of synthetic lubricants.
• H05 : There is no correlation between (a) category, (b) age, (c) make, (d) model and (e)
engine capacity of the Two Wheeler Motor Vehicle used and the usage of Synthetic
Lubricants.
• H15 : There is correlation between (a) category, (b) age, (c) make, (d) model and (e) engine
capacity of the Two Wheeler Motor Vehicle used and the usage of Synthetic Lubricants.
• H06 : Demographic factors of the Two Wheeler Motor Vehicle user viz. (a) age, (b) formal
education, (c) gender, (d) marital status and (e) monthly take-home income are not
determinants of usage of Synthetic Lubricants.
• H16 : Demographic factors of the Two Wheeler Motor Vehicle user viz. (a) age, (b) formal
education, (c) gender, (d) marital status and (e) monthly take-home income are
determinants of usage of Synthetic Lubricants.

16. Hypotheses - III
• H07 : Consumer behaviour characteristics exhibited by Two Wheeler Motor Vehicle
users viz. (a) Customer Innovativeness, (b) Opinion Leadership, (c) Market Mavenism
and (d) Two Wheeler Enthusiasm are not determinants of usage of Synthetic
Lubricants.
• H17 : Consumer behaviour characteristics exhibited by Two Wheeler Motor Vehicle
users viz. (a) Customer Innovativeness, (b) Opinion Leadership, (c) Market Mavenism
and (d) Two Wheeler Enthusiasm are determinants of usage of Synthetic Lubricants.
• H08 : Marketing efforts of lubricants marketing companies for promotion of sales of
Synthetic Lubricants by advertisement through various media viz. (a) In-store display,
(b) In-store posters, (c) Outdoor hoardings, (d) News paper advertisements, (e)
Advertisement in Magazines, (f) FM radio advertisements, (g) TV advertisements and
(h) online advertisements have no effect on usage of Synthetic Lubricants by Two
WheelerMotor Vehicle users.
• H18 : Marketing efforts of lubricants marketing companies for promotion of sales of
Synthetic Lubricants by advertisement through various media viz. (a) In-store display,
(b) In-store posters, (c) Outdoor hoardings, (d) News paper advertisements, (e)
Advertisement in Magazines, (f) FM radio advertisements, (g) TV advertisements and
(h) online advertisements have positive effect on usage of Synthetic Lubricants by Two
Wheeler Motor Vehicle users.

17. Hypotheses - IV
• H09 : Marketing efforts of lubricants marketing companies for promotion of sales of
Synthetic Lubricants by resorting to below the line sales promotional activities viz. (a)
sales campaigns at petrol pumps, (b) sales campaigns at lubricants shops, (c) discounts,
(d) free gifts and (e) lucky draws have no effect on usage of Synthetic Lubricants by Two
Wheeler Motor Vehicle users.
• H19 : Marketing efforts of lubricants marketing companies for promotion of sales of
Synthetic Lubricants by resorting to below the line sales promotional activities viz. (a)
sales campaigns at petrol pumps, (b) sales campaigns at lubricants shops, (c) discounts,
(d) free gifts and (e) lucky draws have positive effect on usage of Synthetic Lubricants
by Two Wheeler Motor Vehicle users.
• H010 : Marketplace Influencers viz. (a) Innovative Customers, (b) Opinion Leaders, (c)
Market Mavens, (d) Social, online media including blogs and Product Category
Influencers viz. (e) Motor Vehicle Mechanics and (f) Salespersons of Lubricants shops
exert no influence on usage of Synthetic Lubricants by Two Wheeler Motor Vehicle
users.
• H110 : Marketplace Influencers viz. (a) Innovative Customers, (b) Opinion Leaders, (c)
Market Mavens, (d) Social, online media including blogs and Product Category
Influencers viz. (e) Motor Vehicle Mechanics and (f) Salespersons of Lubricants shops
exert influence on usage of Synthetic Lubricants by Two Wheeler Motor Vehicle users.

18. Hypotheses - V
• H011 : Two Wheeler Motor Vehicle
Users who use Synthetic Lubricants
are not satisfied with its perceived
performance.
• H111 : Two Wheeler Motor Vehicle
Users who use Synthetic Lubricants
are satisfied with its perceived
performance.
• H012 : Two Wheeler Motor Vehicle
Users who use Synthetic Lubricants
are not Brand Loyalists.
• H112 : Two Wheeler Motor Vehicle
Users who use Synthetic Lubricants
are Brand Loyalists.

19. Methodology Proposed
• Descriptive research design
• Target population for the study is users of 4 stroke petrol engine Two Wheeler Motor
Vehicles in the cities of Pune, Nasik and Aurangabad, who get their vehicles serviced at
workshops other than the vehicle manufacturing company’s authorised service stations
• Sampling design of this study follows a combination of judgement and probability sampling
• Sample elements will be intercepted at 20 major workshops in each of the above three cities.
• Instrument : Questionnaire
• Pilot study at Pune – sample size 225 (25 elements at 9 workshops)
• Sample Size : n = z2 . p . q . N____
e2 . ( N – 1 ) + z2 . p . q
City
Population (N) :
31.03.2011
Determined Sample
size (n)
Rounded off sample
size for this study
Pune 1551968 384.07 384
Nashik 300877 383.67 384
Aurangabad 193878 383.40 383
Source : Motor Transport Statistics of Maharashtra 2010 – 2011. Retrieved on March 17, 2013 from
http://www.mahatranscom.in/statistics.aspx.

20. Data proposed to be collected and
Statistical Techniques Projected - I
• Questionnaires - personally administered for the pilot study
and thereafter paid researchers will be used from amongst
MBA students in the above three cities
• Likert scale (5 point) to be used
• Data Analysis :
Hypothesis Testing using SPSS
Precision rate : 5%
Confidence level : 95%

21. Data proposed to be collected and
Statistical Techniques Projected - II
Flow : Research Objective  Research Hypothesis  Research Instrument
Objective Hypothesis Questionnaire
1 1 1, 4-7
2 2 2, 3
2 3 8-12, 17
2 4 13-16
3, 4 5 37
3, 4 6 33-36, 38-40
3, 4 7 18-25
4, 5 8 30
4, 5 9 31
3, 4 10 32
2 11 28
2 12 26, 27, 29

22. Relevance of Projected Findings
• Identify significant factors and influences on consumer behaviour in adoption and
usage of new and innovative high performance products.
• Generate greater awareness among organizations on the importance of having a
dedicated customer education, support and engagement mechanism to promote
new improved products through word of mouth publicity, supportive social media
advisories, customer referrals, opinion leader and market maven behaviour.
• Conclusions will be drawn which will be helpful to contribute to enhancement of
knowledge in the domain of marketing management not only in the academic
world but also to business organisations in designing strategic and tactical
marketing approaches, for introduction, early adoption and growth of their new
improved, innovative and differentiated products and services.

23. Challenges Anticipated & Means to
address them
• Low involvement of respondents with this product
category - Create involvement by association with their
two wheeler, to which they are emotional attached
• Low awareness / knowledge levels of respondents-
Cordially explain benefits & provide product leaflets
• Lack of interest in respondents - Offer token giveaways
to all & chance to win in lucky draw
• Lackadaisical approach by respondents -
Handhold/Interact with respondents throughout the
response process to provide him a good experience,
make him feel valued

24. Proposed time frame
Phase Activity End Time Duration
(months)
1 In-depth Literature Survey of the research topic to
understand methodologies used, conclusions drawn
and their limitations to understand and derive gaps in
existing research. Critical review of the research
objectives and hypotheses formulated. Collection of
secondary data.
Nov 2013 6
2 Pilot study to test the research design, sample design,
research data collection instrument and incorporate
rectifications.
Feb 2014 3
3 Field research for collection of primary data. Jun 2014 4
4 Data tabulation, coding and analysis using SPSS
software.
Nov 2014 2
5 Conclusion of research, thesis writing and submission. May 2015 9
TOTAL 24

25. Help required from the University
• Continuous guidance and support for early
completion of research work, thesis
submission & defence
• Opportunity to attend seminars
• Help in publication of articles in ICFAI journals
• Opportunity to be guest faculty at local IBS
• An early convocation

26. Acknowledgements
I am thankful to –
Dr. R. Gopal for his painstaking and caring supervision.
Prof. O. R. S. Rao for creating such a welcoming
environment to pursue our PhD.
Dr. K. K. Nag for being a fountainhead of encouragement
to strive for being expert in our field.
Dr. B. M. Singh for his enthusiasm in starting the PhD
programme (because of whom we are here) and his
advice on rectification of the synopsis.
Dr. S. C. Swain for his most prompt support at all times.
All the other staff of IUJ who always go all out to see to it
that we are comfortable in our doctoral pursuit.
And all my fellow PhD scholars for their companionship.