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Centre for Rural Business (CRB)
Mission
To facilitate socio economic upliftment of marginal players / micro industries/ micro-entrepreneurs/ farmers through capacity building and entrepreneurial development in the field of Agricultural Value Chains (farm based and non farm based)/ Emerging Services ( Finance, Insurance, education and ICT) and all kinds of rural business opportunities using appropriate research, consulting and training tools. The centre has evolved the concept of Inclusive Marketing along with the leading Rural Research agency MART under the guidance of father of Rural Marketing and founder MART Mr. Pradeep Kashyap.
Objectives
We have identified three major tools and all the deliverables will be based on the respective objectives of these tools namely
- Research objectives
- Consulting objectives and
- Training objectives
Research Objectives
Research objectives will ensure an active research participation by CRB in the following areas
- Market Intelligence encompassing demand –supply Environment, competitor and trend analysis.
- Identification of appropriate tools for optimal utilization of available agricultural/technological resources.
- Adopting suitable Supply chain management techniques for improving Speed to Market.
- Modeling and implementation of Agri-portals with sustainable revenue models and information providing capabilities at regional levels on need based requisites.
- Study of consumer behavior for suitable rural focused products and services.
- To identify potential activity in a rural background for developing a Sustainable model of livelihood through that activity.
All rural based research will be using Participatory Research techniques as well as using 3M model from MART and IME ( Identification, Mobilizing and Economizing) model of inclusive marketing as given by the coordinator of this centre Mr Kuldeep Sharma.
Consulting Objectives
- Identification of consulting opportunities in Agricultural business Analytics
- Identification of opportunities in E-Governance, Agri-portals, E-Commerce and other IT enabled services
- Improvisation of Agri- Value Chain through timely intervention at all the private, public & social stakeholder levels.
- Timely intervention of tools like benchmarking, Restructuring and Business Process Reengineering for the improvement of ROI of existing businesses .
- Creation , up gradation and dissemination of knowledge pool for any new entrant/existing players planning to enter into Agri-business at any scale, any level and in any part of the country.
Training Objectives
To impart capacity building and hand holding in Human Resource Development in the areas of
- Agricultural Marketing
- Agricultural Entrepreneurship
- Supply Chain Management and Reverse Logistics
- Post Harvest technologies and transfers
- Cross Cultural Relationships
- Rural Sales Force Management
- Procurement and Retailing opportunities in Rural Sector
- Recent trends in Quality Practices and compliance
- Inclusive Marketing
- Extension Services
- Research capabilities at Rural levels
And many more customized training programs in both in-house and open house formats.
This centre has convened two International Marketing Summits on Rural Retail and Inclusive Marketing in 2006 and 2008 respectively. The centre has convened lectures by thought leaders like MR Pradeep Kashyap on rural marketing and Panel discussions on Rural retailing in 2007and 2008 . The centre played an active role in organizing and International conference on Responsible Business in 2008 and kept Emerging markets as theme in Indian Marketing Summit in 2009 and 2010 also.
The coordinator of the centre also moderated a round table on Development Sector and Rural Economy in which Mr Arun Maira (Member Planning Commission), Mr Pradeep Kashyap, Mr Shankar and Mr Julian Parr from Oxfam participated. Currently the centre is involved in doing a case study on Responsible Tourism initiative of Jaipur Rugs, Rajasthan. The centre is working very closely with leading organizations like MART, Jaipur Rugs, SEWA , TEDO in Agri and Food sector and many more.
Interested stakeholders from Public sector, Private sector, Development sector, Donor agencies, Educational Institutions, Policy making Institutions , Financial Institutions, Corporate , Entrepreneurship Development Agencies and others may contact us for conducting Research or capacity building and hand holding in any of the above mentioned areas.
We also provide resources material and resource persons for various training programs, summits, conventions to leading organizations like CII, ASSOCHAM , IDA and many more for their various programs related to Rural Business Development.
We also conduct and moderate round tables on appropriate themes in Rural business developments. We have also initiated two white papers to be published in this year on Indian competitiveness in Horticulture sector and Identification of skills for improving employability and livelihood opportunities at the rural level.
For further information and details :
Contact Informations
Prof. Kuldeep Sharma
AMT-AIMA ( Marketing)
Coordinator Centre for Rural Business
Birla Institute of Management Technology
Plot No 5, Knowledge Park II
Greater Noida
UP-201306
0120-2323001-10( extn 395)
Mobile : (0091)-9810315831
Email : kuldeep.sharma@bimtech.ac.in