Description Rural markets, for most organizations, both in the public andthe private sectors, represented a black box due to the existingknowledge gap in the past. That is not the case any more.Traditionally an agrarian economy, rural India has undergonesignificant development in the last three or four decades, makingit a very attractive option for businesses. Companies no longer shyaway from going that extra mile to woo rural consumers. As more andmore companies look to rural markets for growth and revenues,present-day marketers and managers need to understand the ruralset-up and the fundamentals of rural marketing.

Published in 2005, the first edition of the book, coveringthe fundamental aspects of marketing applicable to rural markets,established itself as a course-defining textbook. The syllabus ofthe paper on rural marketing in most B-schools has been designed asper the contents of the book. The first edition of the book emergedas the leading text and reference book for students andpractitioners alike in India and Bangladesh. The second edition, while retaining the distinguishingfeatures of the first edition, has been expanded to reflect thechanges in rural markets, and showcase successful rural initiativesand rural marketing strategies.

This book has been produced infour-colour to faithfully represent real-life snapshots andvignettes from rural markets, highlighting the transition that theyare undergoing. Examples from real-world organizations, theauthor's own observations, cases and other pedagogical tools makethis book the perfect resource for students and managers alike. Two new chapters ? "Rural Services Marketing " and "Marketing in Small Towns" Revised and updated coverage that captures changing trends and reflects the latest developments in rural marketing Four-colour photographs that bring alive the transformation that rural India is undergoing, which is the theme of the revised edition Eleven end-of-chapter video cases that showcase real-world p (less)