Build an Indian Marketing Strategy with Mumbai Management College Scholarship

Expanding a business into a new country can be daunting. As we've discovered across the Digital Mission events understanding the market is critical, even when there's a (mostly) shared language like the US.

At first sight, the Indian market looks daunting, the numbers are mind-boggling, as is the pace of change. That's before figuring out how to tackle the business culture.

Step in UK Trade & Investment's London team, they've just announced a Marketing Strategy Scholarship with S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai. It looks like a fantastic opportunity to tap the brains of India's leading marketers in a five-day intensive course at their campus in Mumbai followed by executive placements at Indian companies.

The course will cover:

• Marketing to the Indian customer - customer psychology
• Developing a competitive marketing strategy
• Building customer value models
• Developing segmentation and positioning strategies
• Managing market offerings
• Media trends, advertising and marketing
• Communications
• Pricing approaches
• Providing superior value with adaptive channels
• Building and sustaining working relationships
• Developing and using defensive strategies
• Identifying and predicting the strategies of competitors, and thinking through and implementing e-business strategies

Better still, if you qualify for the scholarship, you'll only need to spring for your travel, food and a proportion of your accommodation costs. The only catch is the deadline, 29th December 2010, so you'll need to sort out the application form pretty sharpish.

There's more information below and you can down download the PDF brochure with further details and UKTI contact details.

What is provided?

The programme is supported by the London region of UK Trade & Investment and the London Development Agency.

•  Scholars are awarded a one week programme at the SPJIMR, Mumbai from 21-25 March 2011
• The cost of tuition and accommodation is included
• Flight costs will be met by participants but may be eligible for UK Trade & Investment’s Market Visit Support
• Candidates and their employers will be expected to meet the travel and subsistence costs of the following week’s business placement, and the cost of accommodation prior to the marketing course
• Candidates or their employers will be expected to cover their personal and medical insurance fees
• Candidates will be responsible for ensuring their passports are correct and up to date and that they obtain an Indian visa before travel

Companies not eligible for a scholarship may be offered a place for a fee of £1,000 which includes tuition.

What is expected?

• Scholarship winners must conform to the requirements of the SPJIMR and the Indian company to which they are assigned
• They must complete the course, and (if successful in finding a placement) the executive attachment
• Candidates and their employers are expected to identify a suitable Indian company for the second week’s executive attachment
• They must attend a pre-departure briefing in London
• They must produce an initial report six weeks after completing the scholarship
• They must produce a detailed report six months after completing the scholarship, reflecting the benefits gained for the company and the individual.

Application procedure

Application forms with supporting documents must be returned by the closing date of 29 December 2010. Late applications will not be considered. Application forms and further details are available on the UKTI London website.

For more info email indiascholarshipuktilondon [dot] org [dot] uk or telephone +44 (0)20 7593 8557.

Photo (cc) Christian Haugen.