A Report

On

Comparative Analysis between Business Standard and Economic

Times based on readers’ perception with special reference to
Business Standard Ltd.

Under the guidance of:

Mr. Jitender Govindani Mr. Asirwadam

Director and Marketing Faculty Faculty Guide

Submitted by:
Santosh Rai
Regd. No. 08/111
 SYNOPSIS
About Company
Business Standard started in 1975 by the Ananda Bazar group in Kolkata previously
Calcutta, the paper was hived off as a separate company in 1996, and then bought by Mumbai-
based financial investors, after which it began a phase of rapid expansion with the launch of new
editions. T.N. Ninan has been the editor since 1993, after he moved over from the editorship of
The Economic Times.

It is published in colour from 12 centers in India - Mumbai (formerly Bombay),

New Delhi, Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), Bangalore, Chennai (formerly Madras), Ahmedabad,
Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Pune, Kochi and Bhubaneswar. Business Standard is being
sold by 210000 copies every day across the country. It circulated in more than 1000 towns across
the country. Business standard is published Monday to Saturday from all locations and on
Sunday it published from Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata.

Introduction

At the current scenario business newspaper industry is very competitive. Every

companies are expending there business in all major cities of the country. The topic
“Comparative Study between Business Standard and Economic Times with special reference to
Business Standard” is chosen to know the readers perception about both the newspaper.

The main purpose of this project is to explain in depth awareness of brand Business
Standard to the various segments of the readers with comparison to E.T.

The study is carried out with intension to find out the readers view about Business
Standard and Economic Times and do the comparison between both newspapers. In this Study
100 people have taken for survey from population.

Importance of Study
 This project will help the Business Standard Ltd. to implement necessary steps to
improve the market share especially in Hyderabad and Secundrabad. It will also help to
organization to find out weak points compare to Economic Times.

The study is about Comparative Analysis between Business Standard and Economic
Times. The main competitor of Business Standard is Economic Times therefore this study will
help to Business Standard Ltd. to know the readers view about both the newspapers and what
consumer wants from business standard newspaper.

Need of Study

The need for conducting the research arrived because of :

➢ To compare the qualitative service of Business Standard and Economic Times.

➢ To compare the promotional strategies of Business Standard and Economic Times.
➢ To compare both newspaper on different aspect.

Objectives
The main objective of the study is:
➢ To find out the brand preference among the business newspaper.
➢ To find out the time duration of using particular business daily.
➢ To find out the attributes which influence the consumer to purchase business daily.

Research Methodology
 The objective of the present study could have accomplished by conducting a systematic
market research to know the promotional strategies and services of Business Standard Ltd.
Market research consist of the systematic collection, recording, analysis, Interpretation and
reporting of information about various facts of a phenomenon under study. It plays a truly
analytical approach to decision that will be take.

Source of Data
There are two types of data which have used in this study:
➢ Primary Data
➢ Secondary Data

Sampling Method

Simple random sampling: It refers where each and every item in the population has an equal
chance of inclusion in the sample and each one of the possible samples, in case of finite universe,
has the same probability of being selected.

Sample Unit:

The sample unit is Management Student & Professors, Corporate professionals,

Chartered Accountant and Investors (Stock brokers).

Sample Size:

The sample size for the survey is 100 chosen from the large population. Out of 100 it was
divided in 40-30-15-15 respectively in above categories of sample unit.

Research Instrument:
 The Questionnaire is the most common instrument used in collecting primary data for the
study. It was used for consumer survey, which helps in study.

The types of questions included in questionnaire are:

1) Multiple choice questions

2) Rating Questions
3) Likert scale questions
4) Open ended question

Findings
In my survey I came to know that most of the business daily readers are reading
Economic Times because of the bundle offer with Times of India (Rs. 450 for 6 month for both
newspaper), but if we compare the individual sales of Economic Times (15000 copy) with
Business Standard (12500) in Hyderabad and Secundrabad than difference in sales is only 2500
copy. Investors are the majority users of Business Standard among all the respondents, 47 % of
Investors would like to read Business Standard because Business Standard is a only business
daily which provides 200 companies share market (Sensex, Nifty) knowledge of previous
business day which is “BS 200”.

Economic Times is providing good sales promotion offers compare to Business Standard
to its consumer. E.T is also having the benefit of Times of India’s distribution channel because of
this distribution channel E.T is able to save more distribution expenses. Most of the business
daily readers are reading it from more than 1 year.

In Hyderabad Business Standard is not having Sunday edition but other business dailies
like Economic Times and Financial Express are having Sunday edition it is also effecting on the
Business Standard’s sales.

Suggestions
➢ At the current time Business Standard is not having Sunday edition in Hyderabad but
another business dailies like Economic Times and Financial Express are having Sunday
edition and the customers of the Business Standard are unhappy with this policy of the
 organization so that Business Standard should start its edition on Sunday with some
better strategies than its competitors who is charging more on Sunday edition.

➢ Business Standard provides only 4 annual magazines to its subscribers which are Fund
Manger, BS 1000, Billionaire Club and Annual Banking but Financial Express
provides 13 magazines in a year so that Business Standard should think about increasing
the magazines or they should provide these 4 magazines more frequently.

➢ Business Standard uses Eenadu’s distribution channel for distributing news paper to its
customers but there are so many people who are not receiving there copy after
completing subscription process. For example Indian Bank Banjara Hill, Road no 7 has
subscribed Business Standard before 10 month but till now the bank has not got any
copy.

Limitation:
➢ The study have been completed in 45 days, this is not sufficient time to do a survey in
twin city Hyderabad and Secundrabad.
➢ The sample size chosen is limited to 100 respondents; the study may not be applicable to
the total market.
➢ Hence the data collected may not be a representation of the entire population.
➢ There is a possibility of biased answer from the respondents; hence the information
collected might not be an accurate one.
➢ The study has been done in certain areas in twin cities in Hyderabad and Secundrabad.
The findings are regional and do not represent the state or country.
➢ As the market being very huge it was not possible to cover each and every area.