India has large untapped market: Management students

Overseas management students at the Indian Institute of Management-Bangalore (IIM-B) consider the lower rung of Indian society an untapped customer base and an opportunity for marketers.

“The size of the country, population and disparity in purchasing power need to be worked upon,” said Jean-Paul, student of HEC School of Management, Paris, who is attending the week-long student exchange programme.

Students are being familiarised with the Indian business environment. Some students said Indians at the bottom of the economic pyramid have been neglected, and thus are potential customers. One such student, Adam Wojnicki, said if the lower rung is catered to, there would be more business opportunities. And additional business, he said, meant more money for the state.

However, the students are aware of the challenges too. Bianca Roatis said the Indian market is closed and the regulatory restrictions make doing business here difficult.

Students also learnt about the general working of the Indian healthcare system during their visit to a hospital.

Thirty-six students of HEC School of Management and 36 students of IIM-B are part of the student exchange this year in the HEC–IIMB Exchange Programme (HIEP). Under the aegis of this programme, students of both the institutions visit each other’s institution for a week and learn about business modules.