Page - 1

Dr. Kotler is in India on an invitation from Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai. Even in his hectic schedule, he spent an hour on the Rediff Chat on Thursday, July 20, 2006, responding to readers' queries on marketing, planning, growth of the retail market as a brand...

The illuminating chat transcript is as follows: -

Visitor 1: Hi Phillip! This is a rather different question. Do you think the principles of marketing apply in the terror networks?
Especially, the way Al Qaeda seem to be operating - without the hierarchical elements of the traditional organizations, does it pose a challenge to marketing thought? And do you think it is possible for intellectuals to make a change there - for good?

Dr. Philip Kotler: You are raising an interesting question. There are a lot of markets that are underground. Even if you look at hard drug distribution, you know they are making use of the principles of distribution. In the case of terrorist networks, they are operating with marketing principles. Instead of using reason and propaganda, they are using fear. I don't want to think of marketing being corrupted to their ends. If you really wanted to win power, they would think much differently about how to market their cause. I think their methods are self-defeating.

Visitor 2: Hello Sir, how can micro-finance help to achieve the GDP growth of country?

Dr. Philip Kotler: Marketing has neglected the poor (85% of the people) because they don't have much money. It is time to remedy this. I am researching strategies for alleviating poverty and will write a book describing such strategies. Micro-finance is one of those strategies. It works on the principle that there are members of the poor who are entrepreneurial but who lack capital. Now there are lenders who will help them buy, for example, a cell phone where the borrower can sell single phone calls, recover the cost, and repay the loan, at a profit. Micro-finance is one of the most promising approaches. However, it won't lift the GDP very much initially, but over time will help.

Visitor 3: Sir, I m a big fan of yours. What are the opportunities for Ph.D. in Marketing and Economics under you?

Next