What are the factors affecting determination of the price of a product or service? Explain.
Pricing refers to the process of determining the price of a product. Price of product refers to the amount of money that the customer has to pay to obtain a product from the market. Pricing is considered as a regulator of demand of a product, because, when the price of the product is increased, demand falls, and vice-versa.
Under perfect competition, most firms compete with each other on the basis of this factor. Therefore, firms give great importance to the fixation of price for their goods and services.
Factors Affecting price determination of a product are:
Product cost: The total cost of product includes production, selling and distribution costs. In the long run the firm strives to cover all their costs. The cost sets the minimum level of floor price for a product. In addition to that firm aims to earn profit margin over and above the cost.
Costs can be broadly divided into three categories:
a. Fixed costs, which do not vary with change in production.
b. Variable costs, which vary at all levels of production.
c. Semi-variable costs, which vary with production, but not in direct proportion with it.
Total cost is the sum total of fixed, variable and semi variable cost, at a specific level of activity. Price is determined by adding a profit to the average cost of a product.
The utility and demand: It is necessary to anticipate the utility and demand of a product, while fixing the price, as if a product is offering higher utility, one can easily charge high price from the customer.
Whereas, if utility is low, one cannot charge high price for such products. On the other hand, if the demand is elastic, price should be set at a lower level and if the demand is less elastic or inelastic price can be set at a higher level.
Extent of competition in the market: The price of a product can be set upto the higher limit, if the extent of competitors’ price, their reactions, their product, quality and features must be considered before fixing the price.
Government and legal regulations: To protect the interest of general public, the government has all the rights to control the price of various products and services by including the products in the category of essential commodities.
The common commodities in essential commodities are drugs, some food items, LPG, etc. With government intervention, there can be a check on the activity of monopolist as they cannot charge unfairly high price for essential commodities.
Pricing Objectives: If the objective of the firm is to maximize sales, price will be set at a lower level, whereas, if the firm’s objective is profit maximization, price will be set at a higher level. Apart from this, the firm’s other pricing objectives may be:
a. Obtaining market share leadership by setting the price at lower levels.
b. Surviving in a competitive market by setting price at lower levels, in order to face intense competition efficiently.
c. For attaining product quality leadership higher prices are set to cover high quality and cost of research and development.
Marketing methods used: The price of the product also gets affected by various techniques and methods of marketing used to promote the products. If the company is using intensive advertising to promote the sale of product, them it will change high price.
Other marketing method, which affect price of a product are type of packaging, distribution system, salesmen employed, customer support services, etc.
A marketer of colour TV having 20% of the current market share of the country aims at enhancing the market share to 50 per cent in next three years. For achieving this objective he specified an action programme. Name the function of marketing being discussed above. (Ans. Marketing planning.)
What is marketing mix? What are its main elements? Explain.
For buyers of consumer durable products, what ‘customer care services’ would you plan as a manager of a firm marketing new brand of motorcycle. Discuss.
How does branding help in differential pricing?
Discuss the role of intermediaries in the distribution of consumer non-durable products.
Distinguish between convenience product and shopping product.
What are industrial products? How are they different from consumer products? Explain.
What information is generally placed on the package of a food product? Design a label for one of the food products of your choice.
Product is a bundle of utilities. Explain.
Define advertising? What are its main features? Explain.
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?
What makes principles of management flexible?
Under which consumer right does a business firm set up consumer grievance cell?
Mr Shantanu is a chief manager of a reputed company that manufactures garments. He called the production manager and instructed him to keep a constant and continuous check on all the activities related to his department so that everything goes as per the set plan. He also suggested him to keep a track of the performance of all the employees in the organisation so that targets are achieved effectively and efficiently.
a. Describe any two features of Controlling highlighted in the above situation.(Goal Oriented, continuous and pervasive – any 2).
b. Explain any four points of importance of Controlling.
Planning reduces creativity. Critically comment.(Hint: both the points - Planning promotes innovative ideas and planning reduces creativity – will be given).
State the type of plan and state whether they are Single use or Standing plan:
a. A type of plan which serves as a controlling device as well.(budget)
b. A plan based on research and analysis and is concerned with physical and technical tasks. (Method).
State the meaning of controlling.
Ms. Jayshree recently completed her Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management. A few months from now a large steel manufacturing company appointed her as its human resource manager. As of now, the company employs 800 persons and has an expansion plan in hand which may require another 200 persons for various types of additional requirements. Ms. Jayshree has been given complete charge of the company’s Human Resource Department.
Questions
a. Point out, what functions is she supposed to perform?
b. What problems do you foresee in her job?
c. What steps is she going to take to perform her job efficiently?
d. How significant is her role in the organisation?
Name the principle that is an extension of the ‘harmony, not discord’.
Discuss the elements of delegation.
A reputed hostel, Gyan Pradhan provides medical aid and free education to children of its employees. Which incentive is being highlighted here? State its category and name any two more incentives of the same category.
SanakLal and Gagan started their career in Wales Limited (a printing press) after going through a rigorous recruitment process. Since they had no prior work experience, the firm decided to give them one year to prove themselves. Name the principle of management followed by Wales Limited.
Explain the role of consumer organisations and NGOs in protecting and promoting consumer’s interest.