UK firms come calling at IIM-Ahmedabad

UK companies looking for a business edge in India would be attending an intensive 5-day marketing scholarship programme at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, began from Monday.

Around 18 UK SMEs are visiting the campus from March 16 to 20 to understand the Indian customer's psychology, media trends, pricing approaches and various other marketing strategies focused around the Indian consumer.

This is the second time that IIM-A would be hosting companies from the UK for such a programme. Last year, for the first time, a course was provided specifically for UK overseas entrepreneurs to increase their understanding of the Indian market under the Management Development Programme.

"Last year's programme was so well received that we decided to repeat it. IIMA has proved itself to be the perfect choice among Indian institutes for a bespoke course of this kind," said acting deputy director for UKTI London John Stasi, who led the last delegation of UK entrepreneurs.

This year's course, organised once more in collaboration with UK Trade & Investment London and the London Development Agency, and supported by the Deputy High Commission in Mumbai and the British Trade Office in Ahmedabad, has participants representing a wide range of industries including glass processing, hair products, cable and wiring systems, healthcare and soft drinks among others.