Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
S Ramesh Kumar, Professor of Marketing, Jagannath Janakiraman, and Shankar Sethuramalingam, prepared this case for class
discussion. This case is not intended to serve as an endorsement, source of primary data, or to show effective or inefficient
handling of decision or business processes.
Copyright 2015 by the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore. No part of the publication may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise (including internet)
without the permission of Indian Institute of Management Bangalore.
This document is authorized for use only in Consumer Behaviour June 2016 by Prof. Gauri Joshi, Symbiosis Centre for Management & HRD (SCMHRD) from June 2016 to December 2016.
S. Srinath was quite pleased with the manner in which two of his furniture shops Inscape: The Furniture
Shoppe, had grown in the last one and a half decades since its inception in 1998 in two residential areas
of Bangalore. Bangalore has been often referred to as the Silicon Valley of India denoting the high
concentration of software professionals employed in several multinational software firms such as IBM,
Oracle, Honeywell, and SAP. Furniture has been a part of the Indian lifestyle perhaps as a legacy of the
British rule since the early part of the last century. With several changes in the environment and lifestyles
of young professionals, Inscape focused on providing high quality furniture and had grown to a turnover
of Rs. 75 lakhs or Rs. 7.5 million (one US$ was equivalent to Rs. 61, in November 2014). With the Indian
furniture market being largely dominated by the unorganized sector, Srinath had a tremendous
opportunity to build his brand. (An unorganized sector is one that has offerings of sub-standard quality,
generally not branded; and even if branded, it is distributed within a small range of few kilometers; and
pricewise the offering is cheaper than branded offerings.) However, there was a barrier that he had to
overcome. He had a limited budget for promotional activities and was unable to avail the kind of
promotion that large brands followed. He approached S. Ramesh Kumar, his customer who was interested
in researching consumer insights to come up with a plan suitable for a smaller company such as Inscape.
As furniture was part of a lifestyle that had a social link, Ramesh Kumar thought cultural symbolism may
hold the key not only to gain insights into consumer behavior but also to formulate a marketing strategy
for Inscape. How would culture be associated with lifestyles that included household furniture? Could it
reflect the lifestyle of consumers? Culture is all about shared meanings and how can furniture be a
lifestyle symbol that can be used for shared meanings? Can it also reflect ones self-concept? With a host
of such psychological dimensions, how can they be used to create a marketing strategy as an outcome of
the exercise? What are some of the unconventional questions that would crop up while planning for the
launch of Inscapes strategy? If IKEA, the world class brand with its branding had created a revolution in
the world of furniture as a symbol of lifestyle, there must be certain underlying psychological dimensions
that can be explored within the category of furniture.
The case is unique, given the situation that an entrepreneur was trying to build a brand in an environment
where branding was associated with large multinationals, especially in an emerging market such as India.
INTRODUCTION
The lifestyle of urban Indian consumers had been changing mainly owing to the growing real incomes,
which led to an increase in per capita disposable income; thereby, leading to increase in per capita
consumer spending. Indias consumer segments shifted from the pyramid structure with a large
economically weak segment at the bottom, a middle-class segment at the center, and a very small affluent
class at the top to more of a diamond structure which had a relatively large affluent segment at the top, a
huge middle-class segment at the center and a relatively smaller economically weak segment at the
bottom.1 This big chunk of middle-class consumers were generally categorized into three kinds of
households. Aspirers were people earning ~USD 1,9004,300 and expected to constitute 106 million
households. Seekers were people earning USD 4,30011,000 and would constitute 55.1 million
The bird of gold: The rise of Indias consumer market, May 2007.
Page 2 of 12
This document is authorized for use only in Consumer Behaviour June 2016 by Prof. Gauri Joshi, Symbiosis Centre for Management & HRD (SCMHRD) from June 2016 to December 2016.
households; and Strivers were people earning USD 11,00022,000, and would constitute 5.5 million
households by 2015.2 Lifestyles of each of these segments differed in terms of products purchased, brand
preferences, and also cultural/sub-cultural orientations. Consumers were also becoming more brand
conscious by looking beyond the functional or utilitarian aspects of a product to more intangible benefits
such as brand image and lifestyle statements associated with the product.3 The lifestyle of urban
consumers was also affected by changing cultural trends. Young professionals in the age group of 2530
years were leaning more toward achievement orientation. They were also extremely conscious of their
material success. This segment was highly educated, taking up cutting-edge professions and also adopted
a middle-of-the-road approach toward rituals and other traditional practices.
The bird of gold: The rise of Indias consumer market, May 2007.
Indian consumer market A change from pyramid to sparkling diamond K S Oils Ltd. Report
4
S. Ramesh Kumar, Consumer behaviour and branding: Concepts, readings and cases, 1st Edition, Pearson Publication, India, pp. 166178.
2
3
Page 3 of 12
This document is authorized for use only in Consumer Behaviour June 2016 by Prof. Gauri Joshi, Symbiosis Centre for Management & HRD (SCMHRD) from June 2016 to December 2016.
Page 4 of 12
This document is authorized for use only in Consumer Behaviour June 2016 by Prof. Gauri Joshi, Symbiosis Centre for Management & HRD (SCMHRD) from June 2016 to December 2016.
involved in furniture making aesthetically pleasing. Consumers also experienced a sense of progress in
life and accomplishment when they upgraded their furniture from utility-oriented plastic to more
aesthetic, decorative sofa sets or divans. Furniture and furnishings were used by consumers as gifts,
especially during marriages, as a means of showcasing their affection and reinforcing the status symbol.
Furniture buying was also a ritual for Indian parents during their daughters marriage, symbolizing their
love and care, by ensuring a comfortable lifestyle for their daughters.
requirements. The product portfolio of Inscape included bed frames, dining set furniture, living room
sofa, TV stands, kids beds, kitchen cabinets in the home furniture category and computer tables, chairs,
file cabinets, reception sofas in the office furniture category.12 Bangalore consisted of a population of
Page 5 of 12
This document is authorized for use only in Consumer Behaviour June 2016 by Prof. Gauri Joshi, Symbiosis Centre for Management & HRD (SCMHRD) from June 2016 to December 2016.
about 9.6 million13 and Inscape had two retail outlets in different corners of the city.14 Inscapes target
segment was the urban middle-class which was increasingly moving toward stylish as well as compact
furniture that enhanced the look and feel of their living spaces. Srinath, the owner of Inscape furniture
was aware of the increasing footprint of international furniture makers in India and the traditional
stronghold of the unorganized players; and planned to position Inscape in a unique way to attract the
urban Indian consumers, as they moved from simple furniture to living room solutions.
13
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-05-24/bangalore/39501220_1_96-lakh-30-lakh-population
http://www.inscapefurniture.com/contact-us
15
Judith Lynne Zaichowsky, Measuring the involvement construct, Journal of Consumer Research, 1985, 12(3), 341-352.
14
Page 6 of 12
This document is authorized for use only in Consumer Behaviour June 2016 by Prof. Gauri Joshi, Symbiosis Centre for Management & HRD (SCMHRD) from June 2016 to December 2016.
furniture buying were used to construct the extended self-concept for both the segments with furniture as
the extended self. Finally, by considering furniture as the extended self, the dominant and dormant
cultural dimensions that emerged were mapped with Holts framework on typology of consumption for
each segment and furniture consumption was classified into four types Experience, Integration, Play,
and Classification.16 The findings of this study were used to suggest a marketing strategy for Inscape
furniture.
Srinath along with Ramesh Kumar had to determine a strategy based on the results and analysis of the
survey.
Exhibits 1 & 2 indicate the dominant cultural dimensions captured for the unmarried and married
segments with respect to furniture buying. Exhibits 3 & 4 indicate the lifestyle aspects (captured for the
two segments) that were used to extract the internal values for the two segments. Exhibit 5 is a
photograph of Inscapes showroom.
The authors would like to thank S. Srinath, Managing Director, Inscape: the Furniture Shoppe, Bangalore for his support towards developing the
case study.
16
Douglas B. Holt, How consumers consume: A typology of consumption practices ,Journal of Consumer Research,22(1), June 1995, 1-16.
Page 7 of 12
This document is authorized for use only in Consumer Behaviour June 2016 by Prof. Gauri Joshi, Symbiosis Centre for Management & HRD (SCMHRD) from June 2016 to December 2016.
Exhibit 1
Dominant cultural dimensions with respect to furniture buying unmarried segment
Dimension
Mean
Visual hedonism
4.271
3.486
3.814
Expression of taste
3.800
3.436
3.207
Self-identity
3.214
Loveable possessions
3.614
Symbol of accomplishment
3.829
3.457
3.343
3.629
2.971
Materialism
3.443
3.271
Sense of belongingness
3.357
3.200
Nostalgia
2.900
2.443
Page 8 of 12
This document is authorized for use only in Consumer Behaviour June 2016 by Prof. Gauri Joshi, Symbiosis Centre for Management & HRD (SCMHRD) from June 2016 to December 2016.
Exhibit 2
Dominant cultural dimensions with respect to furniture buying married segment
Dimension
Mean
3.393
4.000
Visual hedonism
4.200
Expression of taste
3.829
Self-identity
3.100
Symbol of accomplishment
3.529
Loveable possessions
3.614
3.221
2.950
Sense of belongingness
3.514
3.100
3.271
Nostalgia
2.900
Materialism
3.200
3.129
3.129
2.771
2.729
2.171
Page 9 of 12
This document is authorized for use only in Consumer Behaviour June 2016 by Prof. Gauri Joshi, Symbiosis Centre for Management & HRD (SCMHRD) from June 2016 to December 2016.
Exhibit 3
Values extracted from lifestyle statements for unmarried segment
Statements
Average
My weekends are filled with social get-togethers such as parties and outings
2.40
2.75
3.10
3.55
Watching a movie in theatre and eating out later along with friends is my idea of fun
3.95
I regularly follow sports seasons such as premier league, cricket or tennis seasons
3.65
3.35
2.25
2.70
1.95
4.25
I like to own tech-savvy products and keep myself updated with the latest technologies
3.30
I have a keen interest in cars and keep myself updated with the latest news on different brands
2.75
I regularly buy handicrafts and artifacts that enhance the appearance of my home
2.15
3.15
3.05
If I like a furniture brand, I rarely switch from it just to try something different
3.25
I regularly change my wall paints to make my house look clean and attractive
2.80
2.95
2.20
I always visit trade fairs and exhibitions showcasing unique furniture models
2.10
I regularly arrange the items in my living room to make it attractive and keep up with latest
trends.
I like to keep an aquarium to decorate my living room.
2.95
3.10
3.75
I regularly change curtains and floor carpets to improve the aesthetics of my living room.
3.30
Whenever I have guests at home, I take them around my house showcasing my priced
collections.
I like to keep traditional artefacts which symbolize our cultural heritage and showcase them in
my living room.
I like to buy traditional furniture over modern and trendy furniture models.
2.45
I believe in buying superior quality furniture that will last for many years.
4.25
4.25
2.75
3.21
2.60
Page 10 of 12
This document is authorized for use only in Consumer Behaviour June 2016 by Prof. Gauri Joshi, Symbiosis Centre for Management & HRD (SCMHRD) from June 2016 to December 2016.
Exhibit 4
Values extracted from lifestyle statements for married segment
Statements
Average
4.27
3.93
3.87
I believe in buying superior quality furniture that will last for many years.
3.80
I like to own tech-savvy products and keep myself updated with the latest technologies
3.73
3.60
Watching a movie in theatre and eating out later along with friends is my idea of fun
3.53
3.53
I regularly follow sports seasons such as premier league, cricket or tennis seasons
3.47
3.47
3.47
I have a keen interest in cars and keep myself updated with the latest news on different brands
When I find a good furniture store, I often tell my friends about it
I regularly arrange the items in my living room to make it attractive and keep up with latest trends.
3.27
3.27
3.27
3.20
3.13
I regularly change curtains and floor carpets to improve the aesthetics of my living room.
3.13
I like to buy traditional furniture over modern and trendy furniture models.
3.13
If I like a furniture brand, I rarely switch from it just to try something different
3.07
2.93
I like to keep traditional artefacts which symbolize our cultural heritage and showcase them in my
living room.
2.93
2.73
2.67
I regularly buy handicrafts and artifacts that enhance the appearance of my home
2.67
2.67
My weekends are filled with social get-togethers such as parties and outings
2.60
2.60
I will regularly change my wall paints to make my house look clean and attractive
2.53
2.53
I always visit trade fairs and exhibitions showcasing unique furniture models
2.40
Whenever I have guests at home, I take them around my house showcasing my priced collections.
2.27
Page 11 of 12
This document is authorized for use only in Consumer Behaviour June 2016 by Prof. Gauri Joshi, Symbiosis Centre for Management & HRD (SCMHRD) from June 2016 to December 2016.
Exhibit 5
Inscape Furniture Store
Source: Inscape
Page 12 of 12
This document is authorized for use only in Consumer Behaviour June 2016 by Prof. Gauri Joshi, Symbiosis Centre for Management & HRD (SCMHRD) from June 2016 to December 2016.