1. What is the role of NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) in BOP markets according to Prahalad?

Do you agree with this position?

 

Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are traditionally called on to solve problems pertaining to the poor and public health crisis such as IDD. NGO often benefit from grassroots links, long-term commitment to a single cause, cost-effectiveness, and political influence. Yes I agree because it’s proven in this case that NGO’s really contribute to the solution of the illness called Iodine Deficiency Disorder (IDD).

 

2. According to Rekha Balu of Fast Company, "poor people ... can become just as discerning about brands as rich customer". Do you agree with this statement? Is this applicable in the Philippines?

 

Yes I agree with this. Poverty won’t affect a person who is really choosy. As I walk in the sidewalks, I’ve seen a lot of people who wore signature clothes even though they still look like poor. Sometimes, poor people love to buy signature clothes than rich people because of the so called being “in”. There are a lot of imitation items in the “tyange” and poor people love to buy those.

 

3. What is the nature of the breakthrough of K15 Technology in your own words?

 

K15 is the stable iodine experiment that has different layering that protects the iodine from external environment such as chemical reactions due to storage, transportation, and cooking.

 

4. What are the issues/difficulties in branding something like salt according to Vishal Dhawan?

 

According to Vishal Dhawan, HLL made the decision to enter the branded staples business with salt and atta by assessing the branding potential of these commodities:  determine the best potential in branding, determine how to develop the undeveloped food staples market, assure that customers receive high-quality. People want the assurance of a high-quality, hygienic food product, which is often difficult to differentiate in something like salt.

 

5. Why is the Annapurna evolution necessary according to Vishal Dhawan?

 

According to Vishal Dhawan: “Annapurna needs to give reasons for the market to expand and that has happened. The number of re-launches is not too frequent in this market. The life of a product is usually 18 months. Because the name has remained the same throughout, each launch has had us going back with the strongest, most relevant perspective. We have gained market share each time. Who knows what benefits may be ahead with salt?”

 

6. What would the nature of the "differentiator" for Dr. Amitava Pramanik?

 

Dr. Amitava once read an article about the lost of iodine in slat when storing. This gives Dr. Pramanik and his team an idea and narrowed their focus to developing a technology that could guarantee that substantial iodine would not be lost during storage, transport, and cooking, and that 15 ppm were actually delivered to consumers.

 

7. What is the effect of advertising for the marketing strategy for Annapurna with K15?

 

The salt team believes all mothers are motivated by the same dreams of bright, healthy children. All of Annapurna’s advertisements convey this. The infomercial was extremely successful, winning awards from Unilever for its effectiveness in delivering a retainable message.

 

8. What are the innovations of HLL with regards to transporting salt?

 

HLL successfully executed a salt supply chain innovation. HLL began to use rail, mitigating some of the problems with trucking and earning an edge on competitors. Rail has significantly improved efficiencies and decreased costs for salt distribution to locations far from HLL refineries and has replaced trucks as the primary mode of distribution for the north and east.

 

9. What is Project Shakti and what are its goals?

 

Shakti make use of women’s slef-help groups (SHGs) for entrepreneur development training to operate as a rural direct-to-home sales forece, edicating consumers on the health and hygiene benefits of HLL brands and nuturing relationships to reinforce the HLL message. Project Shakti has the goals:

·        to increase their target market including the people living in rural areas

·        educate the customers so that they will have an awareness on the product

·        change the attitudes of consumers regarding the usage of various products

·         to drive growth to market.

 

10. How would you imagine SANGA, an "e-tailing program for daily ordering and delivery"? If you were its designer how would you describe it?

 

Since retailers can still benefit from Shakti dealers who can supply them more regularly, saving shop owners long trips to obtain new inventory. For me, it’s a real time POS System that would process their transactions daily.

 

11. Project Shakti caters exclusively to women. There have been requests for men to become Shakit dealers but HLL turned them down. If you were the decision-maker, would you allow men to become Shakti dealers? Why?

 

Yes I will allow men to become part Shakti dealers. As long as they are good in persuading the customers, why not let them part of the company. These days, men and women should be treated equal.

 

 

12. What is i-Shakti? As an IM student how can you improve i-Shakti?

 

. i-Shakti is an IT solution that focuses on providing solutions to rural information needs. It would be better if it’s interactive in the way it acquires information to the user and gives suggestions and tips based on the user’s information. 

 

13. HLL's would-be competitors decided to have a watch-and-wait policy. If you were a would-be competitor for HLL would you decide to get into HLL's market? Why? How?

 

If I were a competitor, I’ll try to compete with them by implementing technology in my processes. Their market is quiet many and I think, giving a faster solution to a problem will give the customers a good insight.

 

14. Should HLL keep their K15 technology proprietary? Why?

 

Yes they have to. They are the one who did it. If others want to make use of their system, they should be paid.

 

15. Do you think a program like Project Shakti would succeed in the Philippines? What do you think would be some of the anticipated difficulties?

 

For me, No. Putting a project Shakti in a country like the Philippines with scattered islands will give so many costs for the company. It’s also hard for the dealers to go door-to-door visits since the elders are working or not interested.