Abstract

Riding two wheelers by Indian women is still an urban phenomenon. Penetration of the vehicle is still in nascent stage. Cosmopolitan outlook, globalization are still having a weak psychological effect on Indian society. Driving two wheelers by the women is more than a compulsion rather than choice. Physical inability, traditional outlook, joint family are the conventional impediment that affect the purchase decision of two wheelers among Indian women. Initiative has been taken by few two wheeler marketing companies to break the myth of impossible task through innovative design. A large market is untapped as indicated by their survey. Little is happening. Under this backdrop this study is an initiative to convert the compulsion into choice after studying the mass opinion based on primary field survey. Three groups of women were chosen by purposive sampling namely working women, student and homemaker. It is indicating interesting result signaling choice disparity. Social value, Functional value, Epistemic value and Accessibility are the independent factors studied among the target population. The data so obtained and analysed using the software (STATA) significantly denotes the first factor effecting the decision of purchase of two wheeler by an Indian women is highly influenced by Functional value and Epistemic value of the purchase. Social value of the purchase is the third important factor that influences the motivation of purchasing a two wheeler. It is important to understand that, due to conventional practice, Indian women assume negativity towards the social value of driving two wheelers. Moreover, the interesting indication of negative effect of social value in the choice of two wheelers as opined by the female students denoting a social revolution depicting individualism. Epistemic value and accessibility is showing a co-linearity which is a matter of concern from the marketing perspective. However a psychological revolution is indicated by a group of Indian women. The effect is yet to observe and it is rather a challenge of the marketing companies to convert the chance into choice in future.

Keywords: Social value, Functional value, Epistemic value, Accessibility, Homemaker, Student, Working women