Solved 2025: FYUG Even Semester Exam, 2025 Marketing Management (COMDSM-252)

Question 1: Objective Type [1 x 4 = 4 Marks]

(a) Define marketing.

Marketing is the process of identifying, anticipating, and satisfying customer requirements profitably through the creation and exchange of products and value.

(b) What is marketing mix?

It is the set of tactical marketing tools—Product, Price, Place, and Promotion (4Ps)—that a firm blends to produce the desired response in the target market.

(c) What do you mean by macro-environment?

It refers to the larger societal forces that affect the micro-environment, including demographic, economic, natural, technological, political, and cultural forces.

(d) What is legal environment?

The legal environment consists of laws, government agencies, and pressure groups that influence or limit various organizations and individuals in a given society.

(e) True or False: Marketing environment includes economic, political and technological factors.

Answer: True.

Question 3 [8 Marks]

Option A

Discuss the macro-environmental factors of marketing.

Economic Factors: Changes in income, inflation, and interest rates affect consumer buying power and patterns.

Political Factors: Laws, government agencies, and pressure groups that influence marketing activities.

Technological Factors: Rapid changes in technology create new product and market opportunities but also make existing products obsolete.

Demographic Factors: Changes in population size, age structure, and geographic distribution.

Natural Factors: Involves physical environment and natural resources used as inputs or affected by marketing.

Option B

What is services marketing? Discuss the characteristics of services marketing.

Services marketing is a branch of marketing that focuses on the sale of non-physical products or intangible benefits provided by an organization

. Characteristics:

• Intangibility: Services cannot be seen, tasted, felt, heard, or smelled before they are bought.
• Inseparability: Services are produced and consumed at the same time and cannot be separated from their providers.
• Variability (Heterogeneity): The quality of services depends on who provides them, when, where, and how.
• Perishability: Services cannot be stored for later use or sale.

UNIT-II: Consumer Behaviour & Segmentation

Question 6 [8 Marks]

Option A

Discuss the factors influencing consumer buying decisions.

Cultural Factors: Culture, subculture, and social class that exert a deep influence on consumer behavior.

Social Factors: Reference groups, family, and social roles and status.

Personal Factors: Age, life-cycle stage, occupation, economic situation, lifestyle, and personality.

Psychological Factors: Motivation, perception, learning, and beliefs/attitudes.

Option B

Distinctions between market segmentation and product differentiation.

Basis Market Segmentation Product Differentiation Approach Divides the whole market into groups based on buyer needs. Focuses on highlighting unique features of a product to stand out. Objective To serve specific customer groups more effectively. To create a unique image and reduce price competition. Perspective Customer-oriented. Product-oriented.

UNIT-III: Product & Branding

Question 9 [8 Marks]

Option B

What is product life cycle (PLC)? Discuss various stages.

Introduction Stage: A period of slow sales growth as the product is introduced; profits are non-existent due to heavy expenses.

Growth Stage: Period of rapid market acceptance and increasing profits.

Maturity Stage: Slowdown in sales growth because the product has achieved acceptance; profits level off or decline.

Decline Stage: Sales and profits drop significantly as the product is replaced by newer technologies or shifts in tastes.

UNIT-IV: Pricing & Distribution

Question 12 [8 Marks]

Option A

Narrate different types of pricing strategies with suitable examples.

Skimming Pricing: Setting a high price for a new product to "skim" maximum revenues layer by layer. Example: Apple iPhones at launch.

Penetration Pricing: Setting a low price for a new product to attract a large number of buyers and a large market share. Example: Jio Telecom launch.

Psychological Pricing: Adjusting prices for psychological effect. Example: Pricing at ₹99 instead of ₹100.

Discount Pricing: Reducing prices to reward customer responses such as paying early.

UNIT-V: Promotion & Modern Marketing

Question 15 [8 Marks]

Option B

What is digital marketing? Discuss the prevalence of digital marketing in the present-day marketing environment.

Digital marketing is the use of digital channels—such as websites, mobile devices, social media, and search engines—to promote products and services to consumers

. Prevalence in Present Environment:

• Global Reach: Allows businesses to reach a global audience at a low cost compared to traditional media.
• Personalization: Enables marketers to tailor messages to individual consumer preferences using data.
• Real-time Engagement: Facilitates instant communication between the brand and the consumer through social media.
• Measurable Results: Tools allow for precise tracking of campaign performance and ROI.

Knowlet Exam Focus Enhancements

Exam Tips

Diagrams: Always draw the PLC curve (S-shaped) for Product Life Cycle questions for full marks.

Distinctions: Use table formats for "Segmentation vs Differentiation" questions to enhance clarity.

Important Concepts List

4Ps of Marketing: Product, Price, Place, Promotion.

Consumer Decision Process: Problem Recognition -> Search -> Evaluation -> Purchase -> Post-purchase.

Answer Presentation Strategy

For 8-mark questions, ensure you define the term first, list at least 4-5 points with sub-headings, and provide a real-world example

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