Young Indians Research Articles

Brand Love – Moving Beyond Loyalty An Empirical Investigation of Perceived Brand Love of Indian Consumer

ABSTRACT Each passing day brings new brands to India each vying for a share of wallet in the prospering market. By 2020, the median age of Indian population will be 29 years and owing to the absolute population of India, the presence in Indian market will be rewarding for the multinationals. But the twenty-something targets, because of their ‘variety seeking’ disposition, are a challenge, even for the most experienced marketers. The marketers create brands with a vision to create sustained loyalty, which however gets diluted by consumers coveting for ‘something new’ and ‘something different’. As a defensive, the marketers are now attempting to create an emotional bond with the customers. This phenomenon is termed as brand love and it is likely to influence desirable marketing outcomes such as commitment, positive word of mouth by customers, etc. This research attempts to explore the perceived ‘brand love’ of young Indians. A structured, non-disguised questionnaire was used, data was collected through personal interviews and a total of 160 complete questionnaires were obtained. The findings describe the comparative status of brands loved by the Indian consumers and will help marketers to understand their perceived brand image, customer engagement and attitude of customers towards their brands.

Problem of Colorectal Cancer in India and Issues Related to Management

Abstract Colorectal cancer (CRC) in India ranks amongst the lowest in comparison to most parts of the world. However, the sheer population of the country and increasing urbanization, coupled with greater awareness and scope of detection, has resulted in a gradual increase in numbers to the point that it ranks amongst the commonest cancers in India. This review discusses the relevance of specialization in CRC surgery in India and also important aspects of multidisciplinary care such as advances in chemotherapy and radiotherapy. This article also deals specifically with the problem of rectal cancer in young Indians. Furthermore, the impact of minimal access CRC surgery and cutting edge issues in CRC surgery such as approach to complete responders after neo-adjuvant treatment in rectal cancer, concepts in sphincter preservation, and dealing with metastatic CRC are also addressed. Lastly, modern molecular biology with a clinical relevance and modern surgical approaches such as TEMS and TAMIS are also discussed.

Consumer Behavior and Preferences of Indian Consumers towards Apparel Purchase in Retail Markets of India

The growth of Indian economy and markets has given birth to a new range of customers who is inclined towards the purchase of braded and quality products specially the apparels as the youth of the country is now exposed to various business and professional situations. The economy has resulted in to the development of markets with new jobs created in the ITES sector, Biomedical, Automotive engineering, Apparel manufacturing and Civil engineering. The growth is strongly supported by the education sector with increase in the number of students enrolling for higher education and large numbers of students graduating every year thus creating a large pool of technical and managerial manpower. The working class people segment has grown since the economic growth and it has benefited middle class and upper middle class people. Due to the increase in the number of working people and substantial raise in income, spending power has increased over the years, and particularly the young Indians in the age of 15 – 25 like to shop more. The Government of India has laid down strict rules to protect the environment and avoiding child labor but there is no legality followed by companies in providing an ethical environment in means of working time and salary. This study focuses on the consumer behavior of young Indians in the age of 15 – 25 to understand and know their perception towards spending and to show a new path for the society and the industry for a sustainable economic and social environment.

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T polymorphism is associated with increased risk of coronary artery disease in young South African Indians

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) reduces 5′,10′-methylenetetrahydrofolate to 5′-methyltetrahydrofolate, and is involved in remethylation of homocysteine to methionine, two important reactions involved in folate metabolism and methylation pathways. The common MTHFR C677T single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (rs1801133) has been associated with raised levels of homocysteine, a well known risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). CAD is a major cause of mortality worldwide. The age of onset of this chronic disorder is on the decline, particularly in the Indian population. Indians in South Africa (SA) have a higher prevalence of premature CAD compared to Black South Africans. The MTHFR C677T SNP has not been investigated in the SA Indian population. The present study therefore investigated the MTHFR C677T SNP in young SA Indian males with CAD compared to young Indian and Black male controls. A total of 290 subjects were recruited into this study which included 106 CAD patients (diagnosed on angiography, mean age 37.5, range 24–45 years), 100 Indian male controls (mean age 37.5, range 28–45 years), and 84 Black male controls (mean age 36.4, range 25–45). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) was used to genotype CAD patients and healthy controls. Data for clinical markers were obtained from pathology reports. There was a significant association between the 677 MTHFR variant (T) allele and CAD patients compared to the healthy Indian controls (p=0.0353, OR=2.105 95% CI 1.077–4.114). Indian controls presented with a higher frequency of the variant allele compared to Black controls (7% vs. 2% respectively, p=0.0515 OR=3.086 95% CI 0.9958–9.564). The MTHFR C677T SNP did not influence levels of total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, HbA1c or hsCRP. The higher frequency of the MTHFR 677 variant allele in South African Indians may be a contributing factor to the higher risk profile for the development of premature CAD in Indians.

Population screening for hypercholesterolemia as a risk factor for coronary heart disease in young Indians

Population screening for hypercholesterolemia as a risk factor for coronary heart disease in young Indians

152 The Prevalence of Early Repolarisation Pattern in Young Indian Population

Background The early repolarisation (ER) pattern has been associated with sudden cardiac death. The prevalence of this has not been described in the Indian population. Its prevalence varies in various ethnic groups. Aims and objectives The aim of this study was to look at the incidence of ER in healthy young Indian population and compare it with other ethnic origins. Methods ECGs were obtained from 554 apparently healthy Indian individuals attending cardiac screening. Participants completed a questionnaire stating symptoms, medical and family history, and physical activity (42% ≥ 10 hr./wk.). Individuals were aged from 12 to 35. Heart rate, QRS duration, QTc interval and voltage criteria for LVH was reported. The presence of ER was reported independently by three cardiologists (RN, GM, NK), with decisions by consensus. If required, a senior colleague (EB) adjudicated. ER was defined as J-point elevation of ≥0.1 mV in two consecutive inferior or lateral leads and classified as notched or slurred. ST segments were defined as rapidly ascending or horizontal/descending. Results ER was seen in 52 individuals, 48% in lateral, 42% in inferior and 21% in infero-lateral leads. J waves were notched in 56% and slurred in 62%. 90% of ER was associated with a rapidly ascending ST segment. The higher mean age was also seen in lateral (20.8 ± 5.8 vs 18.1 ± 4.8), inferior (22.2 ± 6.8 vs 18.6 ± 5.2), notched (22.6 ± 8.0 vs 18.5 ± 5.2) and up-sloping ST segment (21.4 ± 6.8 vs 17.9 ± 4.7) groups. 18–35 yr olds exercised more than under 18s (62.0% vs 31.2% ≥10 h/week). ER was associated with lower heart rate and shorter QTc. ER was more common in males and the one who were physically active. Conclusion ER is present in 9.4% of healthy young Indians. This is comparable to population studies although lower than in African Americans and athletic white Caucasians. The study population was young and active and prevalence was expected to be higher. Our study shows individuals with ER were older in contrast to previous studies that have associated ER with younger age. This may reflect the youth of our population, endocrine influences at puberty and higher exercise levels in 18–35 yr olds. There may therefore be a peak prevalence of ER in the late teenage years or early 20s. Larger studies are required.

Male baldness; association with coronary artery disease?

Male baldness; association with coronary artery disease?

Normal spirometric standards in young adult Indian population.

The appropriateness of spirometric reference value depends on all its features matching those of the person being assessed, like ethnicity, environment, nutrition, absence of disease, measurement protocol, as well as equipment used. The present study determines the lung function parameters in normal young healthy Indians and derives reliable prediction formulae for Indian population. Computerized spirometry was done in 298 nonsmoking medical students of both genders studying in MKCG Medical College, Berhampur. All the data were statistically analyzed, and prediction equations for the young Indian population were derived. All the lung parameters showed significant gender difference. Height showed the greatest effect on the predicted value of FEV1 and FVC in males and females. Height has the greatest effect on the predicted value of FEV1% in females, whereas weight has the least effect. We formulated univariate and multivariate regression models for prediction of lung parameters in the young Indian adults. The predicted values of pulmonary function parameters for men were 4%-17% higher than most studies, except for Kashmiri population where it was 9% lower. For females, lung parameters were 1%-29% higher in comparison to study groups in other Indian studies. The lung parameters for males were found to be lower than Iranian and Caucasian population study, but higher than Pakistani population. For females, lung parameters were 3%-8% lower than Iranian and Caucasian population, but higher in comparison to Pakistani population. The computed regression norms may be used to predict the spirometric values in young Indian population of similar age group as the study population.

Indie-(an) Music

Local English-language adaptations of western rock are performed in India primarily for consumption by young, western-influenced, and English-speaking middle-class Indians. As Indian rock is predominantly a live rather than a recorded practice, venues are of particular import within the Indian rock scene. However, little formal research upon live Indian popular music has been undertaken. Between September and December 2013, the author undertook research in Delhi investigating live popular music. This article uses an ethnographic approach to investigate and contextualise the music-culture of a music venue, Café 27, within the Indian rock scene in Delhi. The article finds that the venue in question has a two-fold purpose: it provides a space for performance of local adaptations of popular music genres permitting Delhi-ite musicians to earn a living, and it provides a space for the western-influenced middle- and upper-classes to define their identity.

Brand Loyalty and Switching: An Empirical Study on Mobile Phone Usage Among Young Indian Adults

Mobile phones are emerging like a boon quench for providing facilities, which are beyond the common man's imagination. The mobile phone industry is growing at an incredible pace with no sign of a slowdown, and the Indian mobile market is one of the fastest growing markets in the world. Cell phones are a pervasive new communication technology, especially among young people. The youth have a unique behaviour compared to the older generations, with research showing that a lot of what they purchase represents their self-expression. Mobile devices are a part of their personal selves and are a vital component which connects them with the world and the people around them. The present study focused on the brand switching tendencies of young Indians and effectively analyzed the impact of different demographic variables on brand loyalty. A total number of 600 young adults comprising of both students and working professionals from various reputed colleges and companies in Bangalore were surveyed and their responses were analyzed using SPSS 20. The study indicated that Apple has the most loyal base of customers, though Samsung is the most popular brand, and among the various demographic factors, only age had an impact on brand loyalty. Technical incompatibility and new technical and value added features are the primary reasons for switching to a new handset.

Towards Enhancing Employability of Young Indians

This paper analyses the needs, strategies, opportunities, and challenges of developing employability of young Indians (i.e. those in the age group of 14-35 years). Capacity building programmes are strategically essential for enhancing their marketable vocational skills and developing personality. They form about 65% of the total population. Scope of enhancing their employability through existing formal system of imparting technical, professional and management education at the graduate and post-graduate level is limited. Therefore, there is a need for creating more infrastructure and academic facilities to impart vocational skill training. The need for creating the cadre of employable young workforce is not only to meet the human resource requirement of the country, but also meet the increasing global demands for employing low-cost but rich Indian talents in the near future. There is a felt need for doubling the existing training capacity to increase the formally trained workforce by 150 percent. The paper discusses various strategic actions involving government and private institutions through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) to realize the mission of creating a human capital with 200 million graduates and 500 million skilled people in India by 2022. A SWOT analysis of Odisha, an economically poor state with low human development index, is made to understand the importance of enhancing employability for economic development. Strategic initiatives of National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and National Council on Vocational Training (NCVT) of India through PPP projects, various issues and challenges faced by the key stakeholders in the process of implementation of skill development programmes have been discussed in detail. A model defining road map for success of enhancing employability of young Indians is suggested with short-term and long-term measures. Creation of employment opportunities and employable workforce should go hand in hand. Otherwise, it can create more problems of unemployment. The skill development alone cannot ensure employability of a person unless other competencies such as communication, interpersonal relations and positive attitude towards work and people are developed as per the requirement of different employers. Therefore, vocationalisation of mainstream education needs to be emphasized rather than vocational education. To achieve this, there is need for a hybrid model with a new mindset, a new skill-set and a new DNA of employable human capital.

Million Dollar Arm by Tom McCarthy

Reviewed by: Million Dollar Arm by Tom McCarthy Ron Briley Tom McCarthy. Million Dollar Arm. Directed by Craig Gillespie. Burbank, ca: Walt Disney Pictures, 2014. 124 min. The 2014 summer-film box office was dominated by evil fairies, mutant super-heroes, and a fire-breathing prehistoric monster. Amid these loud cinematic depictions of violence and fantasy, Walt Disney Pictures released a rather modest baseball film based on a 2007 true story, Million Dollar Arm. The picture, which depicts Hollywood’s nostalgic rendering of the sport as the embodiment of the American dream, opened to mixed reviews and moderate commercial success, earning $10.5 million in its opening weekend up against the blockbuster Godzilla. The reality of the story portrayed in the film, however, raises some serious questions about the American dream that were essentially ignored by the filmmakers. Million Dollar Arm focuses on the career of sports agent J. B. Bernstein (Jon Hamm), who represented such stars as Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants and Barry Sanders of the Detroit Lions. In the film, Bernstein’s business is struggling; and he and his partner, Ash Vasudevan (Aasif Mandvi), seize on the idea of finding new baseball talent on the untapped Indian subcontinent. Bernstein assumes that with cricket being so popular in India, there must be bowlers who could throw a baseball. Securing the financial backing of an Asian sports investor named Chang (Tzi Ma), Bernstein develops a contest called Million Dollar Arm in which the winner would receive one hundred thousand dollars, with an opportunity to win a million dollars in the United States and perhaps earn a tryout with a major-league club. Bernstein is assisted in his efforts to find local talent by Amrit Rohan (Pitobash Tripathy), an Indian with a passion for baseball and a desire to coach in the game. Also joining the talent search is aging legendary baseball scout Ray Poitevint (Alan Arkin), who seems to spend most of his time sleeping. The curmudgeonly Poitevint, however, wakes when he hears a fastball pop a catcher’s mitt [End Page 196] at around ninety miles an hour. Poitevint is old-school; and with the exception of a radar gun, he eschews technology and statistical analysis. He knows talent when he sees it and is quite similar to the fictional scout Gus Lobel, portrayed by Clint Eastwood in Trouble with the Curve (2012). After considerable difficulty and some cultural misunderstanding, Bernstein and his team discover two young men with arms that might be compatible with major-league standards. The winner of the contest was the left-handed throwing Rinku Singh (Suraj Sharma), who was one of nine children and the son of an impoverished truck driver. The young man did not play cricket, but Singh was a junior national medalist with the javelin. Finishing second to Singh was the right-handed Dinesh Patel (Madhur Mittal), whose background was similar in that he threw the javelin rather than having been a cricket bowler and in that he came from a poor family in rural India. Bernstein then returns to the United States with his two pitching discoveries and with baseball enthusiast Rohan as an interpreter and chaperone. The agent assigns Singh and Patel to former major-league pitcher and coach Tom House (Bill Paxton), who, with his advanced degree in sports psychology and experience as a coach at the University of Southern California, was expected to teach the young men to play the sport of baseball. Meanwhile, Bernstein, depicted as driving a sports car and enjoying the single lifestyle with numerous attractive women, has his personal life disrupted by the young Indians struggling to deal with a new culture. Unable to leave Singh, Patel, and Rohan in a hotel, where they seem incapable of coping with such modern devices as an elevator, Bernstein is forced to take the Indians into his home, introducing them to such staples of the American diet as pizza. The young men also admire Brenda Fenwick (Lake Bell), a nurse who is renting a guesthouse from Bernstein and eventually becomes a romantic interest for the sports agent. Thus, the Disney film suggests the formation of a family to which Bernstein is initially resistant...

Jovens indígenas nas universidades brasileiras: alguns aspectos históricos e interculturais

This paper aims to discuss some historical and intercultural features regarding the access of young Indians (Native Brazilians) to higher education in Brazil. A brief historical overview of the presence of indigenous individuals, their ethnic belonging and their fight for citizenship in the country, is presented with a focus on education. Studies analyzing the condition of Indian students in college institutions are reviewed and the current struggle of such students to remain in the public university is pointed out. Such struggle prompts the discussion about both the social and formative role of that institution and the need for the systematization of policies aimed at meeting the demands of those new students from an intercultural perspective.

Suicide and Its Public Health Importance in India

Suicide is best understood as a multidimensional, multifactorial malaise and is emerging as an important publichealth problem globally as well as in India. Currently, health system is not to addressing this issue at all. The publichealth approach is required to address this complex issue of suicide in the community, more particularly focusing on vulnerable, ignored and stigmatized groups. The paper draws together researchers, clinicians, societies, politicians, policy makers, volunteers and survivors in a concerted action to adopt proactive and leadership roles in suicide prevention and save the lives of thousands of young Indians.

Correlation of Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and coronary artery disease in young Indians

Correlation of Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and coronary artery disease in young Indians

Suicide in Indian country: The continuing epidemic in rural Native American communities.

Suicide continues to be an epidemic in Indian Country, especially among young American Indians and Alaska Native (AI/AN) individuals. In Indian Country, suicide must be seen within the context of how historical and ongoing present-day trauma has impacted Native communities. The disparities in health, education, and employment opportunities, coupled with the high prevalence of violence and substance abuse, serve to both exacerbate mental health problems and disconnect Native youth from their community and culture. The combination of these stressors contributes to the alarmingly high rate of youth suicides in Indian Country. This article provides an overview of the nature of suicide in Indian Country and introduces promising practices of suicide intervention programs utilized within Indian Country. Additionally, recommendations for the future development of AI/AN suicide prevention programs are provided.

Dynamics of Young Indian Consumers’ Buying Behaviour Towards Branded Apparels: Gender Perspective

Consumer market for fashion apparel has become more varied by in surge of designer brands, store brands, personalization and advertisements in the global market place of today. There is an increase in positive attitude towards western brands. Over the past decade, the fashion industry has gone through some major structural changes. This study examines the insights of gender perspective and throws light on shopping habits, brand awareness, brand preference of young consumers in the apparels segment. It focusses on the differences in the shopping orientations of male and female shoppers with respect to the various buying behaviour dimensions divided into five attributes i.e. Store Attributes, Product attributes, Reference Groups, Consumer characteristics and Promotional factors.The results gathered can be a useful ingredient for the marketer to strategize on the basis of gender perspective.

Subjective response to alcohol and ADH polymorphisms in a select sample of young adult male East Indians and Africans in Trinidad and Tobago.

Level of response to alcohol has been associated with risk of alcohol dependence in a number of ethnic groups. In the present study, subjective and objective responses to alcohol were evaluated in Indo-Trinidadians (Indo-T) and Afro-Trinidadians (Afro-T). Associations of alcohol dehydrogenase polymorphisms with response to alcohol, using the Subjective High Assessment Scale (SHAS), and breath alcohol concentrations (BrAC) were tested. Regular male drinkers without alcohol dependence (n = 112) ages 18-25 years participated in alcohol challenge sessions consisting of placebo and two doses of alcohol (target BrAC: 0 g/dl for placebo, .04 g/dl low dose, and .08 g/dl high dose) and genotyped for variants in ADH1B*3 and ADH1C*2. Indo-T had significantly higher BrAC, pulse rates, and cortisol levels when compared with Afro-T but did not have significantly higher SHAS values. Higher responses on the SHAS items muddle/confused and nauseated were significantly associated with the presence of at least one ADH1B*3 allele following the high dose of alcohol in Afro-T. Indo-T with at least one ADH1C*2 allele displayed significantly different Drug × Time interactions for the SHAS item effects of alcohol at the low dose and for the SHAS items clumsy, muddle/confused, effects of alcohol, floating, drunk, and total at the high dose from Indo-T with two ADH1C*1 alleles. This is the first study that has investigated individual sensitivity to alcohol in a Caribbean population and in people of East Indian descent. Indo-T with at least one ADH1C*2 allele may be at higher risk for heavy drinking by feeling less of the effects of alcohol, including nausea. In Afro-T, having at least one ADH1B*3 allele appears to exert a protective effect by enhancing the unpleasant effects of alcohol, such as nausea and confusion.

An Empirical Study of Attitude Toward Cause Related Marketing Programs Among Young Indian Consumers

Cause related marketing (CRM) has become an accepted marketing promotional tool and ,therefore, organizations from different parts of the world have started using it. The attitude of consumers toward CRM plays a significant role in the success and effectiveness of cause related marketing programs (CRMPs). Not enough research has been done in India to understand the attitude of consumers toward CRMPs and the implications they have for marketers, though some studies have been done in Western countries. This study is a pioneering empirical research to understand the attitude toward CRMPs among young Indian consumers and the implications for marketers. The study found that the overall attitude of young Indian consumers toward CRMPs was very positive and ,therefore, young Indian consumers can certainly be a good market segment to be targeted by the marketers. Another important finding showed that the attitude of young Indian consumers toward the products associated with CRM was very positive and ,therefore, products used by young consumers can be selected by marketers for CRMPs. However, the findings provided two important cautions for marketers. The marketers should not charge higher prices for the products associated with CRM as it was found that a majority of the young consumers were not willing to pay a higher price for products associated with CRM. It was also found that the young consumers were skeptical toward the advertisements related to CRMPs and ,therefore, marketers should understand that only genuine intent and commitment for a cause can make CRMPs successful and effective.

A Rare Case of Fibrolamellar Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Unusual Presentation in a Young Indian Female- a case report

Fibrolamellar carcinoma (FLC) is a rare subtype of Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) comprising Approx 1% of HCC. This variant of HCC commonly metastasizes to regional lymph nodes (celiac, gastric, para aortic). But metastasis to cervical lymph nodes is very rare. It is also very rare in Asian population. We are reporting a case of a rare cervical lymph node metastasis from FLC in an Indian female. Patient was a 20 yrs female presented with a cervical lymph node enlargement. USG and CT revealed lesion in liver and massive lymphadenopathy involving regional and para aortic group of lymph nodes. Diagnosis was made on histopathological examination of cervical lymph node biopsy.