Third Year

Time : Three hours

Maximum : 75 marks

1 . Section A consists of EIGHT short answers questions The candidate has to answer any FOUR questions. The answer shall not exceed 1 page each.
2. Section B consists of FOUR questions. Each question consists of either or choices and the candidate has to answer either (a) or (b) from each question. The answer shall not exceed 5 pages each.
3. Section C consists of case which s compulsory.

SECTION - A (4 x 3 = 12 Marks)

1. Write any FOUR of the fol1owin:

a) Selling process
b) Communication
c) Sales Job Analysis
d) Sales Organisation
e) Selection
f) Media scheduling
g) Advertising
h) Message design

SECTION - B (4 x 12 = 48 Marks)

2. a) Discuss in detail various theories of selling.

OR

b) What is salesmanship? Elaborate the typical selling process.

3. a) Without sales job analysis recruitment and selection cannot be done properly. - Comment.

OR

b) How are sales personnel trained ? Is there a need to evaluate training programmes'?

4. a) What is the current. promotion Scenario in India. - Discuss.

OR

b) Suggest appropriate promotion strategies for
i) Automobile companies ii) Cosmetics manufactures

5. a) What is media planning and s4eduling? What factors influence the choice of a particular media?

OR

b) Why do we need to evaluate the effectiveness of advertising and other promotion programmes?

SECTION-C (15 Marks)

6.Skill Development Vs Employee

A large south based fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) company wanted its employees to have highly specialised, focused sales training- so that the firm could achieve faster sales growth, utilising such skills. To this end it had hired' the services of a premier sales training agency and asked 9o fits executives (mostly engineers and commerce graduates) to undergo training for a period of 15 months. The company supported the programme by meeting all the expenses charged by the agency in addition to a special allowance for buying books, study material, stationery, etc., The training was offered in company's own premises in Chennai. The executives were allowed to focus on the programme in the afternoon hours, in addition to two off days on weekends. The whole exercise was meant to update their skills in 'sales' as quickly as possible. The programme went on smoothly and concluded only recently. The results were beginning to manifest themselves in more than one way. As per the recommendations of the training agency and the newly trained executives, (he company is about c to launch new brands into the market.

Rahul, a bright and aspiring young engineering graduate full of energy and ideas- for whom management had high hopes- resigned in August 99, exactly after four months of the sales training programme. Rahul found that the intra organisation training, the invaluable 6 year work experience and the newly acquired sales training certificate presented a 'fairly lucrative portfolio of credentials, which he took to a large multinational firm. The offer from the MNC seemed irresistible and Rahul had no hesitation in quitting the company that had spent nearly fifty thousand rupees on his sales training just four months back. Rahul, on his part, had expressed a desire to stay, but the management told him that there were no anticipated openings at middle management level and he might have to wait for his turn patiently.

Rahul's manager Vikram is caught in a dilemma now. Loss of Rahul meant a ten-month setback for the project. Rahul was working on. He also felt that the extensive sales training Rahul had received at the company's expense was little utilised compare to what Rahul would have contributed had he remained with the company. Another pressing problem stared Vikram in the face-many others may be waiting in the queue. Rahul had shown the other trainees that if the firm would not recognize and reward his capabilities, other employment could be easily found.

Questions:

1. As Rahul's manager, what would you do to retain him?
2. What changes would you recommend in the company's employee development programmes?
3. Does it make sense to develop employees at company's expense, only to lose them afterwards'? What policy guidelines would you advance so as to benefit trainees as well as the company?

[06 3YDM/139]

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