Service Marketing in Bangladesh- A Case Study of Bangladesh Railway

Abstract

The present study is descriptive in nature. It attempts to explore the condition of Service Marketing in Bangladesh Railway sector depending on the mixes of Marketing. The study has been designed to find out the condition of Service Marketing in Bangladesh Railway related to product, price, place promotion and people. In the present study, the researcher has collected both qualitative data and quantitative data depending on the mixes of marketing. The researcher has analyzed data using the mixed approach of Creswell and has formulated triangulation to interpret data and their result for the findings of the research study. So, the present research study is qualitative and quantitative (mixed approach) by nature. A potential practical situation observation and documentary analysis has been conducted for descriptive analysis of the study. This documentary analysis is widely used here to draw the inference from the compilation, analysis and interpretation of assembled data. Here, ‘Opinion survey’ is also used for qualitative judgments from the lower class, upper class and middle class passengers traveling in different times by Bangladesh Railway. For opinion survey, 400 respondents (100 upper class passengers, 200 middle class passengers, 100 lower class passengers) have been selected randomly from the west zone of Bangladesh Railway. The reason behind selecting more number of middle Class passengers than that of other classes is that, researchers found this group of passengers replied more enthusiastically to them. The Simple Random Sampling (SRS) technique has been followed for collecting primary data. First, the researcher has collected a range of information regarding the issue through interview, consultation and observation. The statements have been noted on the basis of their opinion and 49 items have been used as the primary elements of the questionnaire. The Likert-type (Summated Scales) scale has been considered suitable and adopted for the present study because of the fact that the study has been viewed as a mediator of social life of the people engaged with the transportation service of Bangladesh railway. Then a pilot study has been conducted in order to select the items of the questionnaire. 120 respondents have been interviewed (35 lower class Passengers, 35 upper class Passengers and 50 middle class Passengers) for this purpose. Then, the method of finding the Discriminative Power (DP) of each statement has been calculated for primary item selection. An item with a high DP has been selected for the questionnaire. By this way, 14 items have been excluded which have showed DP below 0.50. As a result, final list of questionnaire contains 35 items. The selected 35 questions have been classified into five major groups according to the mixes of marketing considered as product, price, place, promotion and people. That will remain in final form of questionnaire to be applied on selected respondents finally for collecting primary data. Then, another one close ended questionnaire has been reformed to find out the satisfaction, belief and opinion of different kinds of passengers. Each of the questions has two alternate answers as ‘Yes’ and ‘No’. Different statistical methods and techniques have been applied for analysis of data such as Percentage corresponding, Mean Deviation, Standard Deviation, One-sample T-test, Paired T-test and Co-efficient of Variation (CV) analysis. Then the researcher has calculated the scores of the opinions of the respondents in quantitative approach. The researcher has formulated the matrix of the beneficiaries’ using both percentage corresponding and mean corresponding of the scores through triangulation. Then the researcher has converted the highly stressed opinions into qualitative mode and has interpreted as findings. By this process, the issues that have more significance and possible solutions have been identified. In general the interpretation of results has showed that the overall existing service sector of Bangladesh Railway has implemented a little content of service marketing concept. The overall enterprise has implemented the conventional ancient methods in managing the organization. In order to achieve the expected goal of Bangladesh Railway there needs a change, extension and modification of the overall corporate structure of the enterprise and a proper market based reorientation is very much necessary.