A STUDY ON CUSTOMER BRAND PREFERENCE TOWORDS

BRIDGESTONE TYRES IN ERODE.

A project report submitted to the BHARATHIAR UNIVERSITY in partial fulfillment of the
requirement for the award of the degree of

BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

Submitted by

Under the Guidance of

Ms. K.V. SHANMUGAVADIVU, MBA., M.Phil., PGDCA.,

Assistant Professor

Department of Business Administration

KONGU ARTS AND SCIENCE COLLEGE

(AUTONOMOUS)
Affiliated to Bharathiar University, Coimbatore

Approved by UGC, AICTE, New Delhi & Re- accredited by NAAC

(An ISO 9001:2015 Certified Institution)

Nanjanapuram, Erode-638 107.

MARCH-2020
CERTIFICATE
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that this project report entitled “A STUDY ON CUSTOMER

BRAND PREFERENCE TOWARDS BRIDGESTONE TYRES IN ERODE” is a record
of original project work submitted in done by partial fulfillment of the requirement for the
degree of

BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

NAME Reg. No

Faculty Guide Head of the Department

PRINCIPAL

Internal Examiner External Examiner

Submitted for the Viva-voce Examination held on: _______________________

DECLARATION
 DECLARATION

We hereby declare that the project report entitled “A STUDY ON CUSTOMER

BRAND PREFERENCE TOWARDS BRIDGESTONE TYRES ERODE” submitted to
Kongu Arts and Science College (Autonomous), affiliated to Bharathiar University,
Coimbatore in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of Bachelor of Business
Administration degree is a record of original project work done by us under the guidance of
Ms. K.V. SHANMUGAVADIVU, M.B.A., M.Phil., PGDCA., Assistant Professor, Kongu
Arts and Science College (Autonomous), and this project has not formed the basis for the
award of any Degree/Diploma or similar to any title to any candidate of any university.

Name of the Candidates Signature of the Candidates

PLACE: Erode
DATE:
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We own a deep sense of gratitude forever to the Lord Almighty for blessing us
abundantly. First, we would like to express our profound thanks to
Thiru. K. PALANISAMY B.E., M.B.A., M.S., Correspondent, Kongu Arts and Science
College, Nanajanapuram, Erode for his blessings and motivation, which served as a moral
support for the successful completion of the project.

We take this glorious opportunity to express our deep sense of gratitude and profound
thanks to Dr. N. RAMAN, M.COM., M.B.A., M.Phil., Ph.D., Principal, Kongu Arts and
Science College, Nanjanapuram, Erode, giving permission to undertake this project and for
his valuable encouragement throughout the period of our study in Kongu Arts and science
college.

We are grateful to our Head of the Department

Mr. K.P. KARTHIKEYAN B.E., M.B.A., M.Phil., NET., Department of Business
Administration for his constant help in all the activities related to the completion of our
project.

We would like to express our heartful thanks to our project guide,

Ms. K.V. SHANMUGAVADIVU, M.B.A., M.Phil., PGDCA., Assistant Professor,
Department of Business Administration, Kongu Arts and Science College, Nanjanapuram,
Erode for her unique, Holistic approach and guidance in completing this project.

We take this opportunity to express us sincere thanks to the faculty members of

department of Business Administration, Kongu Arts and Science College, (Autonomous) for
giving suggestion to complete our research work.

We sincerely record our gratitude for the immense love, support, understanding and
sustaining encouragement of our family members and friends who helped us throughout the
process of this research work.
CONTENTS
 CONTENTS

CHAPTER
NO TITLE PAGE NO
LIST OF TABLES
LIST OF CHARTS
INTRODUCTION
1.1 INTRODUCTION OF THE STUDY
1.2 Statement of problem
I 1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
1.4 Scope of the study
1.5 Limitation of the study
1.6 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
II REVIEW OF LITERAURE
III COMPANY PROFILE
IV DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, SUGGESTIONS AND
CONCLUSION
V 5.1 FINDINGS
5.2 SUGGESTIONS
5.3 CONCLUSION
BIBLIOGRAPHY
APPENDIX
 LIST OF TABLES

LIST OF TABLES

TABLE PAGE
NO. TITLE NO.
Gender of the respondents.
1
2 Marital Status of the respondents.

3 Educational qualification of the respondents.

4 Occupation of the respondents.

5 Monthly income of the respondents.

6 Residence of the respondents.
7 Type of vehicle of the respondents.
8 Sources of product knowledge to the respondents.
9 Influenced to buy Bridgestone Tyres.
10 Factors influenced to buy Bridgestone Tyres.
11 Place you bought Bridgestone Tyres.
12 Number of years using Bridgestone Tyres.
13 Mode of purchase.
14 Level of satisfaction of the respondents.
15 Aware of various offer from Bridgestone Tyres.
16 Warranty of Bridgestone Tyres.
17 Major problem faced using Bridgestone Tyres.
18 Recommend Bridgestone Tyres to others.
19 Overall satisfaction of Bridgestone Tyres for respondents.
Relationship between gender and aware of various offers to the
20 respondents (Chi-Square Analysis).
Relationship between occupation and mode of purchase
21 (Chi- Square Analysis).
 LIST OF CHARTS

LIST OF CHARTS

TABLE
PAGE NO.
NO. TITLE

1 Gender of the respondents.

2 Marital Status of the respondents.

3 Educational qualification of the respondents.

4 Occupation of the respondents.

5 Monthly income of the respondents.

6 Residence of the respondents.

7 Type of vehicle of the respondents.

8 Source of product knowledge to the respondents.

9 Influenced to buy Bridgestone Tyres.

10 Place you bought Bridgestone Tyres.

11 Number of years using Bridgestone Tyres.

12 Mode of purchase.

13 Level of satisfaction of the respondents.

14 Aware of various offer from Bridgestone Tyres.

15 Warranty of Bridgestone Tyres.

16 Recommend Bridgestone Tyres to others.

17 Overall satisfaction of Bridgestone Tyres for respondents.

 INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER – I

1.1 INTRODUCTION OF THE STUDY

The history of Bridgestone America dates back to the two separate companies that
merged to form Bridgestone Tire Company. The first one is Firestone Tire & Rubber
Company that was founded in August 1900 by Harvey Firestone and was headquartered in
Akron, Ohio. The second one is Bridgestone Tire Company Ltd., founded in 1931 by Shapiro
Ishibashi in Japan. The first Bridgestone tyre was produced on 9 April 1930, by the Japanese
"Tabi" Socks Tyre Division. One year later on 1 March 1931, the founder, Shojiro Ishibashi,
made the "Tabi" Socks Tyre Division independent and established the Bridgestone Tyre Co.,
Ltd. in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture. "Bridgestone" was named after the name of
the founder, Shojiro Ishibashi.

Foregoing dependence on European and North American technology, the Bridgestone Tyre
Co., Ltd. set its eyes on manufacturing tyres based largely on Japanese technology. The
fledgling company experienced many difficulties in the areas of technology, production, and
sales in the early days. Eventually, improvements were achieved in quality and manufacturing
processes which led to the business rapidly expanding in domestic and overseas markets.

Technological Innovation

In 1951, Bridgestone was the first company in Japan to begin selling rayon cord tyres,
and a five-year project to modernize production facilities was started. This year also saw
another Bridgestone building opened in Kyobashi, Tokyo, which contained the Bridgestone
Museum. Sales surpassed ten billion yen in 1953, placing Bridgestone at the top of the tyre
industry in Japan, and celebrations were held to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the
company's foundation in Kurume.

The sale of nylon tyres was started in 1959, and work forged ahead with the
construction of the new Tokyo plant, which was opened in 1960, in order to cope with the
fast-expanding market for motorization.

Radial tires and overseas expansion

The company issued stock shares and was listed on the stock exchange in 1961. A new
system of administration was ushered in by Shojiro Ishibashi as the chairman, and Kanichiro
Ishibashi as the president. As part of the transition across to administrative reform, the
Deming Plan in honor of W. Edwards Deming, which involves overall quality control
activities, was adopted, and the company was awarded the prestigious Deming Prize in
1968. Also, additions were built onto the Tokyo plant in 1962 to house the new Technical
Centre, and a progressive system of research and development was established. On the
product front, 1967 saw the sale of the company's first ever radial tire, the RD10.

Bridgestone's first overseas plant since the end of the war was opened in Singapore in
1965, and production was also commenced in Thailand in 1969. The 1960s for Bridgestone
was an era of overseas expansion that also included the establishment of Bridgestone America
in the United States in 1967 to act as Bridgestone's USA representative sales branch.

At the start of the period of Japan's economic stagnation, brought about by the first oil shock,
the company was placing even more emphasis on establishing its own technology for the
manufacture of radial tires, and it was also at this time that further domestic plants were
constructed and fitted out. Its Super Filler Radial was placed on the market in 1978, and in
1979 the company introduced the high-performance POTENZA radial tire, from an Italian
word for power.

The company was actively engaged in overseas expansion activities at this time. In
addition to starting up production in Indonesia and Iran in 1976, it also invested in a Taiwan
tire manufacturer and purchased a tire plant and a plant for diversified products in Australia in
1980. The founder, Shojiro Ishibashi, died on 11 September 1976.

On 1 March 1981, the company celebrated its 50th anniversary. At the same time, the
company-initiated activities to strengthen its home base that supported overseas expansion
strategy with the aim of being ranked as one of the world's top three manufacturers of rubber
products. New production facilities were also established in Thailand, India, Poland, China,
the United States and other countries. The company changed the name from Bridgestone Tyre
Co., Ltd. to Bridgestone Corporation in 1984.

Firestone purchase

In 1988, Bridgestone purchased the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company of Akron,
Ohio. Placing considerable financial and personnel resources into rebuilding Firestone after
the purchase, Bridgestone achieved surplus annual profits for the year 1992 with BFE
(Bridgestone Firestone Europe) and again in 1993 with BFS (Bridgestone Firestone USA).
The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company and Bridgestone Tire Company Ltd. USA were
amalgamated in 1990 and became "Bridgestone Firestone North American Holdings Ltd".
The North American subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation is now named Bridgestone
Americas, Inc. The tire division is Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC. Bridgestone
Americas opened a $100 million technical centre in Akron in 2012.

Price Fixing

In February 2014 Bridgestone agreed to a $425 million fine imposed by the United
States Department of Justice for price fixing and bid rigging in the automotive parts industry.
The company said it regretted the actions that led to the plea deal and said it would take
disciplinary action against certain employees.

Sports Sponsorships
 Bridgestone started to invest in motorsport in the 1980s by developing race tyres for
feeder series like Formula 2, Formula 3, Formula Ford, Formula Opel Lotus and karting.

In order to increase the Firestone subsidiary's brand awareness, Bridgestone Firestone

NAH Ltd, re-entered the Firestone brand into CART IndyCar open-wheel racing in 1995 to
challenge Goodyear. The tyres proved better and Goodyear retired for 2000. Since then,
Firestone has been the single tyre provider for the renamed and disappeared Champ Car,
the IndyCar Series and its feeder series Firestone Indy Lights until 2013.

Michael Schumacher in practice at the 2005 United States Grand Prix. Note the
Bridgestone branding on the rear wing endplate, the Bridgestone's 'B' logo on the front wing,
just under the nosecone and on the side winglet just before the rear wheel. Bridgestone has
supplied tyres in Formula One since 1997, although the company one-off produced Formula
One tyres at the 1976 and 1977 Japanese Grand Prix for Japanese entrants such as Kazuyoshi
Hoshino's Heros Racing and Kojima.

Bridgestone used a Ligier JS41 as test bed during 1996.

The Japanese company decided to supply tyres for Formula One in 1995, backed-up by the
CEO Yoichiro Kaizaki, aiming to improve Bridgestone's name value in the European market
which was greatly inferior compared with their archrivals, Michelin. Though it was scheduled
to enter the championship in the 1998 season at first, this was brought forward to 1997
because the engineering section led by Hirohide Hamashima had quickly advanced
development. Thus, Hiroshi Yasukawa, the general manager of Motorsport Department, also
made the best use of the experience and networks in Europe since the Bridgestone's European
F2 era (1981–1984) and constructed logistics for Formula One at once. The first title was
acquired right away in the second year, 1998 by Mika Häkkinen and McLaren-Mercedes. And
Bridgestone users took five Drivers' Championship titles and five Constructors'
Championship titles (1998, 2001–2004) for the period that competed with Goodyear (1997–
1998) and Michelin (2001–2006). Especially, cooperation with Scuderia Ferrari and Michael
Schumacher functioned well in this period.

From 2008 to 2010 Bridgestone was due to be the sole tyre supplier to the FIA
Formula One World Championship. However, because Michelin chose to conclude its
Formula One tyre programmer at the end of the 2006 season, all teams used Bridgestone tyres
from the 2007 season to the 2010 Formula One season.

On 2 November 2009 Bridgestone announced that they will not be renewing their
contract to supply tyres to Formula One teams after 2010. The company said it was
"addressing the impact of the continuing evolution of the business
environment". Pirelli announced in June 2010 that it would serve as sole supplier for tyres in
the 2011 season.

Sports car and touring car racing

In the 1980s and 1990s, Bridgestone provided tyres to the Le Mans sport prototypes of
teams Nismo and TOM's, backed by Japanese automobile
manufacturers Nissan and Toyota respectively. In the early 1990s, Bridgestone expanded
to Mercedes-AMG, which entered the DTM and later Le Mans and the FIA GT
Championship. The brand left international sports car racing in 2000, but remains as one of
the main suppliers in the Japanese Super GT championship.

Motorcycling

In 2002, Bridgestone entered the Grand Prix motorcycle racing's main class MotoGP.
From 2009 to 2015, it was the exclusive tyre supplier of the championship and reached the
milestone of 100 MotoGP victories in 2012. Nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi was

Other sports

Bridgestone is the official tyre of the National Football League, National Hockey
League and the Olympic Games. In addition, it is the title sponsor of the NHL's flagship
event, the Winter Classic outdoor game. In 2010, Bridgestone acquired the naming rights to
the home venue of the NHL's Nashville Predators calling it Bridgestone Arena. They are also
the title sponsor of the Copa Liberators, the top competition for South American club football.
Bridgestone Commercial Services Group.

Logo of Bandag.

On 5 December 2006, Bridgestone Americas and Bandag Inc. announced a merger

agreement whereby Bridgestone would acquire Muscatine, Iowa-based Bandag, Inc., a
leading truck tyre re-treader that was founded in 1957 and had over 900 franchised dealers
worldwide at the time. In announcing the merger, Bridgestone's president in Tokyo explained:

“Higher fuel prices are prompting customers to cut costs. It takes time and costs to develop
this size of business. We were able to get that all at once”

The transaction was valued at approximately US$1.05 billion. On 31 May 2007, the
agreement was consummated and Bridgestone Americas acquired the outstanding shares of
Bandag stock for US$50.75 per share. The unit was renamed Bridgestone Bandag, LLC and
Saul Solomon was appointed to the position of chairman, CEO and President. Previously,
Solomon served as Vice President and General Counsel of BSAH. In the four years following
the acquisition, Bandag's headquarters remained in Muscatine, although some processes and
functions were consolidated and/or transferred to other facilities. In November 2010,
corporate headquarters were moved to Nashville. In May 2011, the unit was renamed
Bridgestone Commercial Services Group, eliminating the name "Bandag.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Competition is very high in today's marketplace. Every organization is therefore

determined to differentiate their brands and service offerings compared to their competitors.
In effect, everybody is trying to have unique features in their brand and market them. If
organizations want to succeed in this space, they need to assess their brands honestly else
similar me-too brands are out there in the market which can destroy their entire marketing
efforts. Brands suffering from symmetry syndrome will find it difficult to survive in the
market after some time.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

 To study the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents.

 To identify the factors that influence the respondents to purchase Bridgestone Tyres.

 To analyze the brand preference and level of satisfaction towards Bridgestone Tyres.

 To find out the problems faced by the respondents towards Bridgestone Tyres.
1.4 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

 This study highlights the preference of the customer towards the Bridgestone tyres.

 This study helps to determine the problems or issue faced by the customer who buy

Bridgestone tyres.

 It helps to find out the tyres which are preferred by the customers.
1.5 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

 The sample size of 100 respondents has chosen due to the time constraints for the

study.

 The area of the study is restricted to Erode only. So, the results may not be

generalized to other places.

 The accuracy of the figures and data dependent to the respondents view.
1.6 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research methodology is a way to systematically solve the research problem. The

research methodology includes the various methods and techniques for conducting a research.
Defining the Research Problem and Objectives: It is said that, "A problem well defined is
“HALF solved”. The first step in research methodology is to define the problem and deciding
the research objective. The objective of my study is to know the consumer buying behavior of
personal care products of Himalaya.

RESEARCH DESIGN

Research Design is a blueprint or framework for conducting marketing research

project. It specifies the details of the procedures necessary for obtaining the information
needed to structure and solve marketing research problem. The research design used in this
study is descriptive research.

DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH

The descriptive research is also known as statistical research. Describes data and
characteristics about the population or phenomenon being studied. The description is used for
frequencies, averages, and other statistical calculations. The research deals with everything
that can be counted and studied. But there are always restrictions to that. The research must
have an impact to the lives of the people around the researcher.

SAMPLING DESIGN

Sampling can be defined as the section of some part of an aggregate or totality on the basis of
which judgment or an inference about aggregate or totality is made. The steps involved in
sampling design arc as follows:

UNIVERSE

 Theoretical universe: Consumers of personal care products of Himalaya all

over the world.
 Accessible universe: Consumers of personal care products of Himalaya in
India.

SAMPLING FRAME
 The sources of information are retailers, friends and relatives. The sampling frame
includes the following which are as follows:

SAMPLING SIZE

Sampling size is the total number of units which covered in our study. The sample size
of the study is 100.

SAMPLING TECHNIQUE

Sampling Technique used in this study is Non-Probability Convenience sampling. It is

that type of sampling where the researcher selects the sample according to his or her
convenience.

DATA COLLECTION

The data can be collected in two ways and they are as follows:

A) PRIMARY DATA

Primary data are those, which are collected a fresh and for the first time and thus
happen to be original in character. It is the backbone of any study. Primary data was obtained
from personal interview of respondents with the help of widely used and well-known method
of survey, through a well-structured questionnaire.

B) SECONDARY DATA

Secondary data and those which have already been collected by someone else and
which have already been passed through the statistical process. In this case one is not
confronted with the problems that are usually associated with the collection of original data.
Secondary data either is published data or unpublished data. Secondary data was collected
from the Internet only.

RESEARCH INSTRUMENT

Research instrument is that with the help of which we collect the data from
respondents. Here in this survey, the questionnaire has been used which consist of Multiple
choice, close ended and open-ended questions.

TOOLS USED IN THE STUDY

The data gathered through questionnaire for the study were consolidated in relevant
ow and classified under relevant headings. Those data were analyzed with the help of
statistical techniques such as:

 Percentage analysis
 Chi-square Analysis
 Weighted Average Ranking Method
PERCENTAGE ANALYSIS

Percentage analysis is the method to represent raw streams of data percentage (a part
in 100 percent) for better understanding of collected data. This method used to make
comparison between two or more series of data.

No. of. Respondents

Percentage Analysis = --------------------------------------- X 100

Total no. of. Respondents

CHI - SQUARE ANALYSIS

The chi square test is an important test amongst the several tests of significance
developed by static's. It can also be used to make comparisons between theoretical
populations and actual data when categories are used.

Whereas,

0 -Observed Frequencies

E- Expected frequencies

WEIGHTED AVERAGE RANKING METHOD

Weighted average ranking method is used to find out the most significant factor
which influences the respondent. As per this method, respondents have been asked to assign
the rank for all factors and the outcome of such ranking have been converted into score value
with the help of the following formula.

x₁w₁+x₂w₂+x₃w₃………………xnwn
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Total no. Of respondents

Where.

X= Response count for answer choice.

W = Weight of ranked position.

Weights are applied in reverse. In other words, the respondent's most preferred choice
has the largest weight and their least preferred choice has the smallest weight. We apply
weights in this way to ensure that which answer choice is most preferred. The factors having
highest mean value is considered to be the most important factor.
 COMPANY PROFILE

1SRI SAKTHI TYRES

Erode is a renowned tyre dealer. It was launched with a vision to offer quality products
and services to its valued customers. As a tyre dealer, it markets a wide range of tyres for
motorcycles, car alloy wheels, car accessories, motorcycle accessories and related
maintenance services. With a firm belief of setting benchmarks in providing best customer
experience through innovative and unique ways, this establishment has continued the legacy
of excellence in service, year on year. It strives to create benchmarks with their customer
centric approach. They have earned appreciation and praises from their clients for their
impeccable products and services. Undoubtedly it is one of the best tyre dealers in Erode.

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES OFFERED AT SRI SAKTHI TYRES

The product portfolio of Sri Sakthi Tyres in Erode. Includes a wide range of leading
branded motorcycle tyres, alloy wheels, car accessories and motorcycle accessories. Birla,
CEAT, Continental, Michelin, TVS and Pirelli are the leading tyre brands available. Air
pressure gauge, hydraulic jack, brake oil, engine oil, gear oil, tubeless tyre puncture kit are the
essential car accessories available at this outlet. Here, a customer can avail services for their
automobiles such as tyre fitting, wheel balancing, wheel alignment, puncture repair, tyre
rotation, oil change etc. A well-trained team of technicians carry out the services with
promptness.
 REVIEW OF LITERATURE

CHAPTER-III

REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Tajzadeh Namin A. A.; Rahmani Vahid; Tajzadeh Namin Aidin (2012) analyzed that the
process of deciding over (choosing) a brand may be influenced by situation and content. The
findings suggest a significant relationship between the variables “brand attitude”, “corporate
attitude”, and “product (cell phone) choice”. In addition, no significant relationship was found
between individual decision-making processes (independent or mediated) and product choice.

Serkan Aydin, Gökhan Özer, Ömer Arasil, (2005) had focused on to measure the effects of
customer satisfaction and trust on customer loyalty, and the direct and indirect effect of
“switching cost” on customer loyalty. The findings of this study show that the switching cost
factor directly affects loyalty, and has a moderator effect on both customer satisfaction and
trust.

Jonathan, Lee, Janghyuk, Lee and Lawrence, Feick, (2001) analysed that moderating role
of switching costs in the customer satisfaction-loyalty link; and to identify customer segments
and to retain them. Thus, the purposes of this paper are: to examine the moderating role of
switching costs in the customer satisfaction-loyalty link; and to identify customer segments
and then analyze the heterogeneity in the satisfaction-loyalty link among the different
segments. An empirical example based on the mobile phone service market in France
indicates support for the moderating role of switching costs. Managerial implications of the
results are discussed.

Oyeniyi, Omotayo Joseph - Abioudun, Abolaji Joachim (2010) emphasis on customer

loyalty and customer switching cost. Switching cost is one of the most discussed
contemporary issues in marketing in attempt to explain consumer behavior. The present
research studied switching cost and its relationships with customer retention, loyalty and
satisfaction in the Nigerian telecommunication market. The study finds that customer
satisfaction positively affects customer retention and that switching cost affects significantly
the level of customer retention.
Nasr Azad; Maryam Safaei (2012) states that there are many evidences to believe that
customers select their products based on brand name. Products also maintain their own
characteristics, which make them differentiable from others. In this paper, researchers have
presented an empirical study to determine important factors influencing customers' purchasing
intend for cellular phones in capital city of Iran, Tehran. The results of the study show that
there are some positive relationships between exclusive name and quality perception, between
exclusive name and word of mouth advertisement, between quality perception and fidelity,
between word of mouth advertisement and brand name and between brand name image and
brand name.

Mehran Rezvani; Seyed Hamid Khodadad Hoseini; Mohammad Mehdi Samadzadeh

(2012) investigates the impact of Word of Mouth (WOM) on Consumer Based Brand Equity
(CBBE) creation. WOM characteristics such as, volume, valence, and source quality are
studied to find how intensely they each affect brand awareness, perceived quality, and brand
association. The results suggested that volume and valence, two elements of WOM, affect
CBBE and no significant relationship between source type and brand equity was seen.

Shakir Hafeez; SAF Hasnu (2010) states that Customer satisfaction is a crucial element for
the success of all businesses. One of the biggest challenges for a market is how to satisfy and
retain the customers. This study is based on Mobilink’s prepaid customers. The findings
suggest that overall customer satisfaction and customer loyalty is comparatively low among
the customers of Mobilink. The Customer loyalty in Pakistan’s mobile sector is relatively low
because it is an emerging industry, new players are entering in this market and customers are
more fascinated to try the new service providers. However, it is expected that when the
industry will be well established, the results will be more comparable to other studies.

Arvind Sahay and Nivedita Sharma (2010) focused on brand relationships are indeed
important for different categories of young consumers; second, to investigate the effect of
peer influence, family influence, and brand relationships on switching intentions amongst
young consumers; and third, to look at the impact of price changes on switching intentions in
the context of brand relationships. Researcher’s results suggest that young consumers develop
relationships on all brand relationship dimensions.

Ramakrishnan Venkatesakumar, D. Ramkumar and P. Thillai Rajan, (2008), confirms

that Brand loyalty and brand switching behavior of the consumers are evergreen issues of
research and strategic importance to the marketers and academic researchers. The current
research aims to address the significance of product attributes in brand switching behavior
through multi-dimensional scaling and results suggest that a set of product attributes trigger
the intention to switch the current brand.

Lynda Andrews, Judy Drennan, Rebekah Russell-Bennett, (2012) examine the nature of
consumers' perceptions of the value they derive from the everyday experiential consumption
of mobile phones and how mobile marketing (m-marketing) can potentially enhance these
value perceptions. The findings highlight ways to tailor m-marketing strategies to complement
consumers' perceptions of the value offered through their mobile phones
 DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

CHAPTER-IV

DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

TABLE – 4.1

GENDER OF THE RESPONDENTS

S. No. Gender No. of Respondents Percentage

1 Male 84 84%

2 Female 16 16%

Total 100 100%

Source: Primary data

INTERPRETATION

From the above table it is identified that, 84% of the respondents are Male and 16% of
the respondents are Female.

It is concluded that, majority (84%) of the respondents are male.

 CHART – 4.1

GENDER OF THE RESPONDENTS

84

16

Mal e Fem al e
 TABLE 4.2

MARITAL STATUS OF THE RESPONDENTS

S. No. Marital Status No. of Respondents Percentage

1 Married 56 56%

2 Unmarried 44 44%

Total 100 100%

Source: Primary data.

INTERPRETATION

From the above table it is identified that, 56% of the respondents are married and 44%
of the respondents are unmarried.

It is concluded that, majority (56%) of the respondents are married.

 CHART- 4.2

MARITAL STATUS OF THE RESPONDENTS

56

44

Mar r ei d Un m ar r i ed
 TABLE 4.3

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION OF THE RESPONDENTS

Educational
S. No. No. of Respondents Percentage
Qualification
1 No Formal Education 3 3%

2 School Level 44 44%

3 College Level 53 53%

4 Others (Specify) 0 0%

Total 100 100%

Source: Primary data.

INTERPRETATION

From the above table it is identified that, 3% of the respondents have No Formal
Education and 44% of the respondents are School Level and 53% of the respondents are
College Level and 0% of the respondents are others (Specify).

It is concluded that, majority (53%) of the respondents are college level.

 CHART- 4.3

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION OF THE RESPONDENTS

53
44
3

No Fo r m al Ed u c ato n S c h o o l L ev el C o l l ege L ev el Ot h er (S p ec i fy )
0
 Table- 4.4

OCCUAPATION OF THE RESPONDENTS

S. No. Occupation No. of Respondents Percentage

1 Business 48 48%

2 Employee 43 43%

3 Professional 02 02%

4 Homemaker 0 0%

5 Student 7 7%

Total 100 100%

Source: Primary data.

INTERPRETATION

From the above table it is identified that, 48% of the respondents have business and
43% of the respondents are Employee and 2% of the respondents are Professional and 0% of
the respondents are Homemakers and 7% of the respondents are Student.

It is concluded that, majority (48%) of the respondents are business people.

 CHART- 4.4

OCCUPATION OF THE RESPONDENTS

48

43

7
2

B u si n ess Em p l o y ee P r o fessi o n al H o m em ak er S t u d en t
0
 TABLE- 4.5

MONTHLY INCOME OF THE RESPONDENTS

S. No. Monthly Income No. of Respondents Percentage

1 Rs. Below 10,000 6 6%

2 Rs.10,000-20,000 23 23%

3 Rs.20,001-30,000 44 44%

4 Rs.30,000 and above 27 27%

Total 100 100%

Source: Primary data.

INTERPRETATION

From the above table it is identified that, 6% of the respondents have monthly income
of Rs. Below 10,000 and 23% have the monthly income of Rs. 10,000-20,000 and 44% of the
respondents have monthly income of Rs. 20,001-30,000 and 27% of the respondents have
monthly income of Rs. 30,000 and above.

It is concluded that, majority (44%) of the respondents have monthly income of

Rs. 20,001-30,000.
 CHART-4. 5

MONTHLY INCOME OF THE RESPONDENTS

44

27
23
6

B el o w 1 0 , 0 0 0 R s. 1 0 , 0 0 1 -2 0 , 0 0 0 R s2 0 , 0 0 1 -3 0 , 0 0 0 Rs.3 0 , 0 0 1 an d ab o ve
 TABLE 4.6

AREA OF RESIDENCE OF THE RESPONDENTS

S. No. Area of Residence No. of Respondents Percentage

1 Urban 82 82%

2 Semi-urban 3 3%

3 Rural 15 15%

Total 100 100%

Source: Primary data.

INTERPRETATION

From the above table it is identified that, 82% of the respondents are in urban area and
3% of the respondents are in semi-urban area and 15% of the respondents are in rural area.

It is concluded that, majority (82%) of the respondents are in urban area.

 CHART- 4.6

AREA OF RESIDENCE OF THE RESPONDENTS

82

15
3

Ur b an Sem i -u rb an Ru r al
 TABLE – 4.7

TYPE OF VEHICLE OF THE RESPONDENTS

S. No Type of Vehicle using No. of Respondents Percentage

1 Two-Wheeler 17 17%

2 Four-Wheeler 72 72%

3 Heavy Vehicle 11 11%

Total 100 100%

Source: Primary data.

INTERPRETATION

From the above table it is identified that, 17% of the respondents use two-wheeler and
72% of the respondents use four-wheeler and 11% of the respondent’s heavy vehicle.

It is concluded that, majority (72%) of the respondents are using four-wheeler.

 CHART- 4.7

TYPE OF VEHICLE OF THE RESPONDENTS

72
17

11
Tw o W h eel er F o u r W h eel er H eavy Veh i c l e
 TABLE 4.8

SOURCES OF PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE TO THE RESPONDENTS

S. No. Sources No. of Respondents Percentage

1 Friends 29 29%

2 Relatives 28 28%

3 Colleagues 8 8%

4 Consultation 15 15%

5 Advertisements 20 20%

Total 100 100%

Source: Primary data.

INTERPRETATION

From the above table it is identified that, 29% of the respondents know by their friends
and 28% of the respondents know by their relatives and 8% of the respondents know by their
colleagues and 15% of the respondents know by consultation and 20% of the respondents
know by advertisements.

It is concluded that, majority (29%) of the respondents know by their friends.

 CHART- 4.8

SOURCES OF PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE TO THE RESPONDENTS

29

28

20
15
8

Fr i en d s R el atv es C o l l eagu es C on su l t ato n Ad v er t sm en t

 TABLE-4.9

INFLUENCED TO BUY BRIDGESTONE TYRES TO THE RESPONDENTS

S. No. Influenced No. of Respondents Percentage

1 Friends 28 28%

2 Relatives 30 30%

3 Colleagues 7 7%

4 Consultation 35 35%

Total 100 100%

Source: Primary data.

INTERPRETATION

From the above table it is identified that, 29% of the respondents know by their friends
and 28% of the respondents know by their relatives and 8% of the respondents know by their
colleagues and 15% of the respondents know by consultation and 20% of the respondents
know by advertisements.

It is concluded that, majority (30%) of the respondents influenced by relatives.

 CHART -4.9

INFLUENCED TO BUY BRIDGESTONE TYRES TO THE RESPONDENTS

36
30
28

F r i en d s R el atv es C o l l eagu es C o n su l t ato n

 TABLE-4.10

FACTORS INFLUENCED TO BUY BRIDGESTONE TYRES

S. No. Factors Weightage score Rank

1 Brand 465 1
2 Price 406 7
3 Quality 430 5
4 Performance 449 3
5 Air Resistance 439 4
6 Tyre Rolling 417 6
7 Fuel Efficiency 453 2
Source: Primary data.

INTERPRETATION

From above table, brand stands first with the score of 465, Fuel efficiency stands
second with the score of 453, Performance stands third with the score of 449, Air resistance
stand fourth with score of 439, Quality stands fifth with the score of 430, Tyre rolling stand
sixth with the score of 417, Price stand seventh with the score of 406.

It is found from the analysis that maximum, brand is the major factors influenced to
buy Bridgestone tyres.
 TABLE 4.11

PLACE OF PURCHASE OF BRIDGESTONE TYRES

S. No Place No. of Respondents Percentage

1 Exclusive showroom 54 56%

2 Other retail shop 46 46%

Total 100 100%

Source: Primary data.

INTERPRETATION

From the above table, that 54% of the respondents buy at exclusive showroom and
46% of the respondents buy at other retail shop.

It is concluded that, majority (54%) of the respondents buy in exclusive showroom.

 CHART 4.11

PLACE OF PURCHASE OF BRIDGESTONE TYRES

54

46
Ex c l u si ve S h o w r o o m Ot h er R et ai l sh o p
 TABLE 4.12

NUMBER OF YEARS USING BRIDGESTONE TYRES

S. No. Years No. of Respondents Percentage

1 Less than 1 year 13 13%

2 2-3 years 55 52%

3 3-4 years 22 22%

4 4-5 years 3 3%

5 5 years and above 7 7%

Total 100 100%

Source: Primary data.

INTERPRETATION

From the above table, that 13% of the respondents using less than 1 year and 55%
of the respondents using 2-3years and 22% of the respondents using 3-4years and 3% of the
respondents using 4-5years and 7% of the respondents using 5years and above.

It is concluded that, majority (55%) of the respondents using for 2-3 years.
 CHART 4.12

NUMBER OF YEARS USING BRIDGESTONE TYRES

55

22
13

7
3

L ess t h an 1 y ear 2 -3 y ear s 3 -4 y ear s 4 -5 y ear s 5 y ear s an d ab o v e

 TABLE 4.13

MODE OF PURCHASE

S. No. Mode of purchase No. of Respondents Percentage

1 Cash 73 73%

2 Credit 7 7%

3 Cheque 20 20%

Total 100 100%

Source: Primary data.

INTERPRETATION

From the above table, 73% of the respondents purchase with cash and 7% of the
respondents purchase in credit and 20% of the respondents purchase by Cheque.

It is concluded that, majority (73%) of the respondents made cash purchase.

 CHART 4.13
73 MODE OF PURCHASE

20
7

C ash C h eq u e C r ed i t
 TABLE 4.14

LEVEL OF SATISFACTION OF THE RESPONDENTS

(HS- Highly Satisfied, S- Satisfied, N- Neutral, DS- Dissatisfied, HDS- Highly

Dissatisfied)

S. No Factors HS S N DS H DS Total
1 100
Brand 85 4 5 5 1
%
2 100
Price 20 72 6 1 1
%
3 100
Quality 53 39 4 2 2
%
4 100
Performance 58 38 2 1 1
%
5 100
Durability 36 55 5 2 2
%
6 100
Grip-ness 57 31 7 4 1
%
7 100
Tyre pressure 41 50 6 2 1
%
8 100
Pattern 12 26 56 2 4
%
9 100
Load capacity 30 60 2 7 1
%
10 100
Mileage 54 38 5 1 2
%
Source: Primary data.

INTERPRETATION

From the above table, 85% are highly satisfied, 4% are satisfied, 5% are neutral,
5% are dissatisfied and 1% are highly dissatisfied to brand, 20% are highly satisfied, 72% are
satisfied, 6% are neutral, 1% are dissatisfied and 1% are highly dissatisfied to price, 53% are
highly satisfied, 39% are satisfied, 4% are neutral, 2% are dissatisfied and 2% are highly
dissatisfied to quality, 58% are highly satisfied, 38% are satisfied, 2% are neutral, 1% are
dissatisfied and 1% are highly dissatisfied to performance, 36% are highly satisfied, 55% are
satisfied, 5% are neutral, 2% are dissatisfied and 2% are highly dissatisfied to durability, 57%
are highly satisfied, 31% are satisfied, 7% are neutral, 4% are dissatisfied and 1% are highly
dissatisfied to gripness, 41% are highly satisfied, 50% are satisfied, 6% are neutral, 2% are
dissatisfied and 1% are highly dissatisfied to tyre pressure, 12% are highly satisfied, 26% are
satisfied, 56% are neutral, 2% are dissatisfied and 4% are highly dissatisfied to pattern, 30%
are highly satisfied, 60% are satisfied, 2% are neutral, 7% are dissatisfied and 1% are highly
dissatisfied to load capacity, 54% are highly satisfied, 38% are satisfied, 5% are neutral, 1%
are dissatisfied and 2% are highly dissatisfied to mileage.
 CHART 4.14

LEVEL OF SATISFACTION OF THE RESPONDENTS

5 4 3 2 1
80

76

61
55
52

49
46
40

40

40
36

25
15
9

8
6

5
5
4

4
3

3
2

2
2

2
1
1

1
Br an d Price Qu al i t y P er fo r m an c e Ai r R esi i t an c e Ty r e R o l l i n g F u el Ef c en c y
 TABLE 4.15

AWARE OF VARIOUS OFFER FROM BRIDGESTONE TYRES

S. No. Offers No. of Respondents Percentage

1 Yes 58 58%

2 No 42 42%

Total 100 100%

Source: Primary data.

INTERPRETATION

From the above tables, 58% of the respondents are aware of various and 42% of
the respondents are not aware of various offers.

It is concluded that, majority (58%) of the respondents are aware of various offers.
 CHART 4.15

AWARE OF VARIOUS OFFER FROM BRIDGESTONE TYRES

42

58

Yes No
 TABLE 4.16

WARRANTY OF BRIDGESTONE TYRES

S. No. Warranty No. of Respondents Percentage

1 Highly Satisfied 33 33%

2 Satisfied 56 56%

3 Neutral 11 11%

4 Dissatisfied 0 0%

Total 100 100%

Source: Primary data.

INTERPRETATION

From the above table, 33% of the respondents are highly satisfied and 56% of the
respondents are satisfied and 11% of the respondents are neutral and 0% of the respondents
are dissatisfied.

It is concluded that, majority (56%) of the respondents are satisfied with warranty.
 CHART 4.16

WARRANTY OF BRIDGESTONE TYRES

56
33

H i gh l y S at sf ed S at sf ed 11
N eu t r al D i ssat sf ed

0
 TABLE 4.17

MAJOR PROBLEM FACED USING BRIDGESTONE TYRES

Weightage
S. No Factors score Rank
1 Misalignment 422 4
2 Wear and Tear 415 5
3 Puncture 394 6
4 Vibration 444 1
5 Bulging 443 2
6 Gripness 438 3
Source: Primary data.

INTERPRETATION

From above table, Vibration stands first with the score of 444, Bulging stands
second with the score of 443, Road hazards stands third with the score of 438, Misalignment
stands fourth with the score of 422, Wear and tear stands fifth with the of 415, Puncture
stands sixth with score of 394.

It is found from the analysis that maximum, Vibration is the major problem faced
using Bridgestone tyres.
 TABLE 4.18

RECOMMEND BRIDGESTONE TYRES TO OTHERS

S. No. Recommend No. of Respondents Percentage

1 Yes 90 90%

2 No 10 10%

Total 100 100%

Source: Primary data.

INTERPRETATION

From the above table, 90% of the respondents recommend to others and 10% of
the respondents recommend to others.

It is concluded that, majority (90%) of the respondents recommend to others.

 CHART 4.18

RECOMMEND BRIDGESTONE TYRES TO OTHERS

90

10
Yes No
 TABLE 4.19

OVERALL SATISFACTION OF BRIDGESTONE TYRES

S. No. Warranty No. of Respondents Percentage

1 Highly Satisfied 35 35%

2 Satisfied 58 58%

3 Neutral 7 7%

4 Dissatisfied 0 0%

Total 100 100%

Source: Primary data.

INTERPRETATION

From the above table, 35% of the respondents are highly satisfied and 58% of the
respondents are satisfied and 7% of the respondents are neutral and 0% dissatisfied.

It is concluded that, majority (58%) of the respondents are satisfied with overall
satisfaction.
 CHART 4.19

OVERALL SATISFACTION OF BRIDGESTONE TYRES

58
35

7
H i gh l y S at sf ed S at sf ed N eu t r al D i ssat sf ed

0
 CHI - SQUARE ANALYSIS

TABLE 20

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GENDER AND AWARE OF VARIOUS OFFERS TO

THE RESPONDENTS (CHI-SQUARE ANALYSIS)

HYPOTHESIS:

 Null Hypothesis (Ho):

There is no significant relationship between the gender and aware of various

offer to the respondents.

 Alternative Hypothesis (Ha):

There is significant relationship between gender and aware of various offer to

the respondents.

RESULT

Calculated Degree of Level of

Factors Table value
value freedom significance
Gender and aware of various Significance
8.352 3.841 1
offers to the respondents level at 5%.

INFERENCE

It is diverged from above table, that the calculated chi-square is greater than the table
value and level of significance at 5% level. Hence the Null hypothesis is rejected. From the
analysis it is identified that there is significant relationship between gender and where did you
buy Bridgestone tyres.
 CHI-SQUARE ANALYSIS

TABLE 21

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OCCUPATION AND MODE OF PURCHASE

(CHI-SQUARE ANALYSIS)

HYPOTHESIS:

 Null Hypothesis (Ho):

There is no significant relationship between the occupation and mode of

purchase of the respondents.

 Alternative Hypothesis (Ha):

There is significant relationship between the occupation and mode of

purchase of the respondents.

RESULT

Calculated Degree of Level of

Factors Table value
value freedom significance
Occupation and mode of Significance
5.821 9.488 4
purchase of the respondents. level at 5%.

INFERENCE

It is diverged from above table, that the calculated chi-square is lesser than the table
value and level of significance at 5% level. Hence the Null hypothesis is accepted. From the
analysis it is identified that there is no significant relationship between occupation and mode
of purchase of the respondents
FINDINGS, SUGGESTIONS, CONCLUSION

CHAPTER-IV
FINDINGS

 It is found that 84% of the respondents are male.

 It is found that 56% of respondents are married

 It is observed that 48% of the respondent’s college level.

 It is observed that 48% of the respondents doing business.

 It revealed that 44% of the respondents have an income level of RS: 20,001-30,000.

 It found that 82% of the respondents live in urban area.

 It found that 72% of the respondents use four-wheeler.

 It revealed that 29% of the respondents came to know buy fiends.

 Is revealed that 35% of the respondents are influenced to buy in consultation.

 It is found that 54% of the respondents bought under exclusive showroom.

 It observed that 55% of the respondents using tyres for about 2-3years.

 It found that 73% of the respondents purchased by cash.

 It found that 58% of the respondents are aware of the various offers.

 It is observed that 56% of the respondents are satisfied with warranty.

 It is found that 90% of the respondents will recommend to others.

 It revealed that 35% of the respondents are highly satisfied.

SUGGESTIONS
 Tyre pattern should be changed to make more gripness.

 More brand awareness should be created to the customer among visual media.

 Puncture and bulging problem should be rectified.

 Sales promotion has to be done for increasing brand value towards customers

and services to be increased towards customer.

 Increase in quality of service will gain the brand value of Bridgestone.

CONCLUSION

This project study gave conclusion about the customer brand preference of

Bridgestone tyres. This study reveals that the most of the respondents are satisfied with

overall satisfaction of the Bridgestone tyres. Some of the respondents feel that pattern should

be changed and improved for more gripness to satisfy the customer preference. Most customer

prefer to purchase tyre from an exclusive dealer rather than the composite dealer. To improve

brand awareness, buy aggressive marketing campaign and increasing visibility of brand and

product. The biggest influencer in the tyres purchase decision is consulting firms and

recommendation from relatives but the decision maker in buying tyres of majority been taken

by the customer itself.

In order to create and expand brand’s share, companies must realize the importance of

increasing and leveraging the brand’s unaided and aided awareness. Marketing and integrated

communication must be instigated, with unusual importance on customer relationship

management and advertising, which plays essential roles in this route.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
BIBLIOGRAPHY

 Gupta, S.P., Statistical Methods- Third Edition, 2011, Sultan Chand & Sons Publisher,
New Delhi
 Kothari, C.R., Research methodology – Methods & Techniques, Second Edition, age
international (P) Ltd., Publisher, 2009, New Delhi.
 Kotler Philip., Marketing Management, PHI Pvt., Ltd., Second Edition, New Delhi,
2009.
 Sharma, D.D Marketing Research, Sultan Chand & Sons, New Delhi, Second edition
1998.

WEBSITES

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/brandvalue
 http://www.bridgestone.co.in/branding
 http://ezinearticles.com
 http://an-Introduction-to-brand-value.com
APPENDIX
QUESTIONARIES

1. Name: ______________________________________________

2. Age:

3. Gender: a) Male b) Female

4.Marital status: a) Married b) Unmarried

5.Education qualification:

a) No formal Education b) School level c) College level d) Other (specify)

6. Occupation:

a) Business b) Employee c) Professional d) Homemaker e) Student

7. Monthly Income:

a) Below 10,000 b) 10,001-20,000 c) 20,001-30,000 d) 30,000 and above

8. Area of Residence:

a) Urban b) Semi urban c) Rural

9.Type of Vehicle you are using:

a) Two-Wheeler b) Four-Wheeler c) Heavy Vehicle

10.sources of product knowledge about Bridgestone Tyres:

a) Friends b) Relatives c) Colleagues d) Consultation e) Advertisement

11. Who influenced to buy Bridgestone Tyres?

a) Friends b) Relatives c) Colleagues d) Consultation

12. Rank the following factors that influenced you to buy Bridgestone Tyres:

S. No. Factors Rank

1 Brand
2 Price
3 Quality
4 Performance
5 Air resistance
6 Tyre rolling resistance
7 Fuel efficiency

13. Where did you buy Bridgestone Tyres?

a) Exclusive Showroom b) Other Retail shop

14. How long you have been using Bridgestone Tyres?

a) Less than 1-year b) 2-3 years c) 3-4 years d) 4-5 years d) 5years and above

15. Mode of purchase:

a) Cash b) Cheque c) Credit

16. State your level of satisfaction from the following factors.

Highly Highly
S. No Factors Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied
Satisfied Dissatisfied
1. Brand
2. Price
3. Quality
4. Performance
5. Durability
6. Grip-ness
7. Tyre Pressure
8. Pattern
9. Load capacity
10. Mileage
17. Do you aware of various offers for Bridgestone Tyres?

a) Yes b) No

18. Warranty of Bridgestone Tyres:

a) Satisfied b) Highly Satisfied c) Neutral d) Dissatisfied Satisfied

19. Rank the major problems faced by you while using Bridgestone Tyres:

S. No. Factors Rank

1 Misalignment
2 Wear and Tear
3 Puncture
4 Vibration
5 Bulging
6 Gripness

20. Do you recommend Bridgestone Tyres to others?

a) Yes b) No

21. Overall satisfaction of Bridgestone Tyres:

a) Highly satisfied b) Satisfied c) Neutral d) Dissatisfied

22. Give your valuable suggestions.

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
__________________