1-2 Journal: Research Problem Statement and Research Question
Problem Statement
Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. (MSIL), established in 1983, quickly become the leader in A-
segment (hatch-segment) vehicles within the India car market. Due to competitors in the market,
MSIL's market share began to decline from 2008 -- 2013. Competition was mostly within the
premium-hatch category where increased use of high-end features eventually became standard in
lower end segments. MSIL had earned a strong brand image for having durable and reliable
products but had not fully embraced these high-end features across the A-segment. By 2014,
previous research showed that a drop in A-segment sales was greater with the entry-level hatch
compared to the premium hatch category (Mukherjee et al., 2015).
Prior reports show great opportunities in the market to grow domestic products and
increase income. Consumers of the A-segment were changing. The requirement for value was
still great; however, the desire for more style, performance, and luxury features was also in
demand. The same general desire for new vehicles with more features and reasonable prices was
still prevalent across the automobile industry in India (Mukherjee et al., 2015). The research
aims to determine how best to fulfill the consumer requirements for more features while
maintaining a reasonable price point.
Research Question
What do consumers consider necessary features?
Which category of A-segment products should be the focus to gaining more of the
market?
References
1-2 Journal: Research Problem Statement and Research Question
Mukherjee, J., Mathur, G., & Dhar, N. (2015b). MARUTI SUZUKI INDIA: DEFENDING
MARKET LEADERSHIP IN THE A-SEGMENT.Ivey Publishing,1-8
Mukherjee, J., Mathur, G., & Dhar, N. (2015, December 17). Maruti Suzuki India: Defending market leadership in the A-segment. Ivey ID: W15582. https://www.iveycases.com