In conditions of wide disparities
Philip Kotler zeroes in on an exciting part of the globe
Due to advancements in many technologies such as air travel, television and the Internet, the boundaries of time and space have collapsed and the world has become smaller. It is as easy, today, to place a phone call to a climber abreast Mount Everest as to zoom in on the details of one's own home via satellite images. Amidst this abundance of possibilities, lie the challenges and complexities created by the rapid rates and ranges of change in the economic, social, political and technological spheres. Particularly challenging are market conditions created by technological innovations that reshape industry and competitive boundaries as well as the conditions created by social and economic forces that reshape customer aspirations and habits. Even the best of firms have to continuously assess the environment and adjust their strategies and tactics to remain competitive in the marketplace. Globalization has added to the complexities. While markets have expandeda mobile handset from Motorola or Nokia has demand in the US as well as in Chinaeach market is likely to be at a different stage of development, governed by various sets of institutional and cultural rules and practices. Competition exists not only between multinational companies such as Procter and Gamble and Unilever fighting for market shares in India but also between local and multinational firms. Furthermore, many new multinational firms are being created as firms in countries such as Brazil and South Korea expand their operations overseas. In this context, marketing orientation and market-driven strategies have become keys to success. A clear understanding of markets, customers and competitors form the basis for developing such strategies. Firms that have adopted a marketing orientation emphasize the customer and focus on identifying and delivering superior customer value. This is neither an easy task nor a task that is done once and then forgotten. It demands constant vigilance and assessment; it requires an organization and a culture that supports commitment to creating superior value. It is built and sustained by ethical behaviours. Marketing history in the US indicates that not all firms and organizations adopt this orientation at the same time or with the same degree of success. We have learned much about these specific situations through case studies and through analyses of these case studies, we have learned how to recommend strategic alternatives for different firms as well as for different market conditions. We have learned that while there are general principles, there are no universal theories that can be uniformly applied to every situation. As the need to become market-oriented becomes more intense in other parts of the world, we will similarly see an increase in the types and number of organizations that will attempt to adopt the marketing approach. In such situations, we will need cases that describe problems and challenges faced by organizations and firms in different markets. We have made much progress in the development of cases from various parts of the world which have been integrated into textbooks and academic curriculums. In this context, I am happy to see this book of cases which provides a South Asia perspective and includes cases from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. All these countries, some large and some much smaller, form the subcontinent of South Asia, and comprise one of the largest population centres in the world. India is the largest country in this region with a population over 1 billion people, and home to many global companies such as Infosys and Tata. Bangladesh, home to over 144 million people, is smaller in comparison, but yet the sheer size of this market has attracted the attention of many global MNCs such as Unilever and British American Tobacco. Conditions of wide disparities characterize each of these countries, but there also exist myriads of organizationsin the private and public sector, large and smallwhich face issues that could benefit from a marketing approach. I was approached by my former student Ruby Roy to write a Foreword. She spent her sabbatical year in Bangladesh and teamed up with Professor Syed Ferhat Anwar of IBA, Dhaka University and Dr. Khalid Hasan of Nielsen Bangladesh (formerly ACNielsen) to create this book. As editors, they have attempted to put together cases that encompass a variety of problems encountered by a variety of organizations. They have solicited contributions from several scholars who have experience teaching and consulting in these countries. The cases cover a wide range - from agriculture to manufactured products - from micro level decisions to macro oriented ones. The situations described, while specific to South Asia, are applicable to other countries in similar stages of development. An understanding of these cases should deepen our knowledge not only of the environment existing in South Asian countries but also the market conditions existing outside the advanced western-type economies. I would expect this type of cases to be beneficial to a whole host of people interested in marketing, particularly marketing in developing countries. In addition to use of cases in traditional classroom settings for full time students, the cases can be used during training of private company executives as well as policy makers in government and international organizations. I want to congratulate the team for producing this important collection of cases.
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