What are various ways in which the objective of consumer protection can be achieved?
There are various ways, by which the objectives of consumer protection can be achieved:
1. Self-regulation by business: Business firms realize that it is in their long- term interest to serve the consumers well. Socially responsible firms follow ethical standards and practices in dealing with their customers. Many firms have set-up their customer service and grievance cells to redress the problems and grievances of their consumers.
2. Business Associations: The Associations of trade, commerce and business like Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce of India (FICCI) and Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) have laid down certain code of conduct, which lay down for their members the guidelines in their dealings with the customers.
3. Consumer Awareness: A consumer, who is well informed about his rights and the reliefs available to him, would be in a position to raise his voice against unfair trade practices or unscrupulous exploitation. This would enable him to safeguard his interests.
4. Consumer Organisations: They play an important role in educating consumers about their rights and providing protection to them. They can also force business firms to avoid malpractices and exploitation of consumers.
5. Government: The government can protect the interests of the consumers by enacting various legislations. The legal framework in India encompasses various legislations, which provide protection to consumers. The most important of these regulations is the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, which provides three-tier machinery for redressal of consumer grievances.
Mrs. Mathur sent a jacket to a laundry shop in January 2018. The jacket was purchased at a price of ₹4,500. She had previously sent the jacket for dry cleaning with Shine Dry Cleaners and the jacket was cleaned well. However, she noticed that her jacket had white discoloration marks when she collected the jacket this time. On informing the dry cleaner, Mrs. Mathur received a letter confirming that discolouration indeed appeared after the jacket was dry cleaned. She contacted the dry cleaner multiple times and requested for compensation for discoloured jacket but to no avail.
Upon Consumer court’s intervention, Shine Dry Cleaners agreed to compensate ₹2,500 to Mrs. Mathur for the discoloured jacket.
a. Which right was exercised by Mrs. Mathur at the first instance.
b. Name and explain the right which helped Mrs. Mathur to avail the compensation.
c. State which consumer responsibility has been fulfilled by Mrs. Mathur in the above case.
d. State any other two responsibilities to be assumed by the consumers.
Under which consumer right does a business firm set up consumer grievance cell?
Explain the redressal mechanism available to consumers under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) has made a proposal for hotels and other food outlets to declare the kind of oil/fat used in cooking each of the food items on their menus. Name and explain the Consumer Right being reinforced by this proposal.
Name the component of product mix that helps the consumer to exercise the right to information.
Which quality certification mark is used for agricultural products?
Who can file a complaint in a consumer court?
State any two relief available to consumers under CPA.
Enumerate the various Acts passed by the Government of India which help in protection of consumers’ interests.
Explain the importance of consumer protection from the point of view of a business.
How does planning provide direction?
What is meant by staffing?
Identify the network of social relationships which arises spontaneously due to interaction at work.
What is informal communication?
State the meaning of controlling.
What is meant by capital structure?v
What is meant by management?
What is a Treasury Bill?
State any two advantages of branding to marketers of goods and services?
What makes principles of management flexible?
Explain the procedure for selection of employees.
State the objective of NSE?
What is marketing mix? What are its main elements? Explain.
What are industrial products? How are they different from consumer products? Explain.
In an organisation, one of the departmental manager is inflexible and once he takes a decision, he does not like to be contradicted. As a result, employees always feel they are under stress and they take least initiative and fear to express their opinions and problems before the manager. What is the problem in the way authority is being used by the manager?
Explain how management audit serves as an effective technique of controlling.
(Further information related to the above question 6) The management of company Bhasin Limited now realised its folly. In order to rectify the situation it appointed a management consultant -Mukti Consultants - to recommend a restructure plan to bring the company back on the rails. Mukti Consultants undertook a study of the production process at the plant of the company Bhasin Limited and recommended the following changes —
• The company should introduce scientific management with regard to production.
• Production Planning including routing, scheduling, dispatching and feedback should be implemented.
• In order to separate planning from operational management ’Functional foremanship’ should be introduced.
• ‘Work study’ should be undertaken to optimise the use of resources.
• ‘Standardisation’ of all activities should be implemented to increase efficiency and accountability.
• To motivate the workers ‘Differential Piece Rate System’ should be implemented.
(The above changes should be introduced apart from the steps recommended as an answer to Part c - case problem 6 above.) It was expected that the changes will bring about a radical transformation in the working of the company and it will regain its pristine glory.
a. Do you think that introduction of scientific management as recommended by M consultants will result in intended outcome?
b. What precautions should the company undertake to implement the changes?
c. Give your answer with regard to each technique separately as enunciated in points 1 through 6 in the case problem.
Give an example to show that a business firm operates within numerous inter related factors constituting the business environment.(Hint: example highlighting the inter relatedness of dimensions of business environment).
A company ‘M’ limited is manufacturing mobile phones both for domestic Indian market as well as for export. It had enjoyed a substantial market share and also had a loyal customer following. But lately it has been experiencing problems because its targets have not been met with regard to sales and customer satisfaction. Also mobile market in India has grown tremendously and new players have come with better technology and pricing. This is causing problems for the company. It is planning to revamp its controlling system and take other steps necessary to rectify the problems it is facing.
a. Identify the benefits the company will derive from a good control system.
b. How can the company relate its planning with control in this line of business to ensure that its plans are actually implemented and targets attained.
c. Give the steps in the control process that the company should follow to remove the problems it is facing.
Explain the technique of ‘Functional Foremanship’ and the concept of ‘Mental Revolution’ as enunciated by Taylor.