Consumer Cooperatives & Rural Marketing

Inspite of all arrangements and support given by the Central and State Governments, the consumer cooperative movement has not made significant strides. Some of the consumer cooperatives have failed miserably in their business activities and rendering the services. Most of the studies conducted so far on the problems of consumer cooperatives are macro level studies and they deal with the problems of consumer cooperatives in general. This study makes an attempt to review and assess the role of consumer cooperatives in rural marketing with emphasis on their trade practices and customer services. The emerging rural middle class with vast changing consumption patterns have not attracted adequate attention of the existing consumer cooperatives. The findings and suggestions will help the consumer cooperatives and their administrative departments to evolve suitable policies and procedures for greater effectiveness of the consumer cooperatives in rural marketing. Moreover, the teachers, researchers and the students would find the book useful as it spells out an emerging area of study.

Nripendra N. Sarma (b. 1964) is Professor of Marketing at Assam Institute of Management since 1990. He obtained his MBA and Ph.D. in marketing management from Gauhati University in 2000. He has been teaching post graduate management students for over 11 years and has published more than a dozen research papers and articles.he has presented papers in several national and international conferences including AIMS Convention, AMDISA forum etc. His other areas of interest include training and development; service sector performance etc.