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Comfort Components Pvt. Ltd.: Qualitative Research for Customized Seats

CASELET, MARKETING RESEARCH
ET Cases, 8 pages
AUTHOR(S) : R. Muthukumar and Dr. Nagendra V. Chowdary

Case Preview

Comfort Components Pvt. Ltd.: Qualitative Research for Customized Seats

On July 5th 2015, when Ankit Srivastava (Ankit), Founder-CEO, received a forwarded mail from Manish Saxena (Manish), COO of Comfort Components Pvt. Ltd. (CCPL), he was in a quandary. The mail was about the possibility of customizing seats for a major customized coach builder in South India. This was the seventh such request forwarded to him and Ankit was not able to take a decision whether he should go ahead and commit the required resources for the customized seats.

Automobile Seats Manufacturing: Designed with Regulations

A standard car seat is designed as per the Automotive Industry Standards (AIS). The standards were established considering passengers’ safety and comfort. The seats consist of three main parts: the seat back (squab), seat base (cushion), and the headrest. These components are usually constructed from foam to provide comfort to the passengers. Each of these will have standard dimensions. The car manufacturers design car seats as per the requirement of the  ar’s/automobile’s dimensions but adhering to the AIS standards. Manufacturing of seats has to follow stringent guidelines and specifications. For instance, while Toyota’s Innova has a standard specifications for seats, Skoda’s Fabia has an another set of specifications (Exhibit I).................

Comfort Components Private Limited (CCPL)

CCPL founded in 2000, is counted among the major auto components manufacturers in South India. CCPL focuses on manufacturing seats for automobiles. CCPL was setup by Ankit Srivastava (Ankit), an automobile engineer. Ankit, a graduate from one of the IITs, joined a well-known Indian automobile manufacturer for its newly launched cars division as Graduate Engineer Trainee in 1984 and worked his way up to be a successful Line Manager by 1990. As a Line Manager for more than 10 years, Ankit acquired adequate knowledge in manufacturing auto components and managing respective suppliers/vendors’ requirements............

Assignment Questions

I. What do you understand by Qualitative Research? What are the elements of Qualitative Research? When do you think Qualitative Research should be undertaken? Do you think Blueline Research should adopt Qualitative Research for CCPL’s Marketing Research Project? If yes, why? If no, why not?

II. What do you mean by Focused Group Interviews and Depth Interviews? What are the differences between both of them and what’s the feasibility of both of them/either of them being used for CCPL’s Marketing Research project?

III..............

Exhibits

Exhibit I: Automobile Seats Manufacturing: Details of Seat

Exhibit II: Adjustments in Automobile Seats

Exhibit III: Automobile Clusters in India

Exhibit IV: CCPL’s Business

Teaching Note Preview

Comfort Components Pvt. Ltd.: Qualitative Research for Customized Seats

 

Synopsis

This caselet is used to introduce the students/participants the concept and connotations of Qualitative Research required for conducting an effective Marketing Research project. This caselet ends with the need of Focused Research for Ankit Srivastava, CEO of Comfort Components Pvt. Ltd. (CCPL), an automobile seat solutions company, to take an appropriate decision on CCPL’s dilemma of whether to diversify into new product line, customized seats.

Prerequisite Conceptual Understanding

The students/participants must be encouraged to read the following as all of it would not only broaden the context of learning but would also provide appropriate perspectives on Marketing Research:

  • • Naresh K. Malhotra and Satyabhushan Dash, “Exploratory Research Design: Qualitative Research”, Marketing Research An Applied Orientation, 6th Edition, Pearson Education, 2010 – To understand the concept of Qualitative Research

 

Case Positioning and Setting

This caselet can be used in:

MBA Program – Marketing Research Course – To introduce the participants/students to the concept and connotations of Qualitative Research
MDPs/EDPs – To familiarize the participants with the importance and implications of Qualitative Research

Assignment Questions

  • I. What do you understand by Qualitative Research? What are the elements of Qualitative Research? When do you think Qualitative Research should be undertaken? Do you think Blueline Research should adopt Qualitative Research for CCPL’s Marketing Research Project? If yes, why? If no, why not?
  • II. What do you mean by Focused Group Interviews and Depth Interviews? What are the differences between both of them and what’s the feasibility of both of them/either of them being used for CCPL’s Marketing Research project?
  • III. ........................

 

Preamble to this Caselet Analysis

This caselet introduces the participants/students to the nuances of Qualitative Research. Assuming that the students/participants are aware of the concepts outlined in previous chapters (for instance, Marketing Research Problem vs Management Decision Problem, Secondary Data, etc.) this caselet builds on the connotations of Qualitative Research. Accordingly, this caselet was orchestrated in the following manner [Exhibit (TN)-I]..............

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Abstract


This caselet introduces the students/participants to the concept and connotations of Qualitative Research in Marketing/Business Research course. Consisting of Focus Groups, Depth Interviews, Projective Techniques and the ways to assess the Qualitative Data, Qualitative Research forms an important part of Marketing Research. Comfort Components Pvt. Ltd. (CCPL), a specialized automobile seating solutions company based out of Hosur is faced with a dilemma of starting another product line, customized seats for coaches and buses. Having been a trusted and most sought-after seat supplier to many of the well-known automotive companies in India, CCPL is in a quandary if or not to diversify into a new product line? While there seems enough potential demand, CCPL's Founder-CEO, Ankit Srivastava (Ankit) was opting for a focused research that can aid him and his team to take an appropriate decision.



Pedagogical Objectives

  • To have an overview of the concept and connotations of Qualitative Research in a Marketing Research Project
  • To understand the relevance of Focus Groups and Depth Interviews for CCPL's Marketing Research Project
  • To examine how Projective Techniques are used in Qualitative Research and discuss the steps to analyze qualitative data

Case Positioning and Setting

This caselet can be used in:

  • MBA Program - Marketing Research Course - To introduce the participants/students to the concept and connotations of Qualitative Research
  • MDPs/EDPs - To familiarize the participants with the importance and implications of Qualitative Research




This Case Pack Includes:
- Abstract
- Caselet
- Teaching Note (**ONLY for Academicians)


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