BMBAB306

Sales & Retail Management in Agribusiness

L-T-P3-0-0 Credits3 Session2025-26 TypeTheory
Appears in 1 semester

MBA Agribusiness Management · Sem 3 (Core)

Syllabus

5 units · 40 lecture hours
Unit1

Unit 1: Introduction to Sales in Agribusiness

4 hrs

Role of selling in agribusiness marketing; Personal selling for agricultural inputs and produce; Types of sales personnel in agribusiness sector (rural sales agents, cooperative sales force, dealers); Characteristics of successful agribusiness salespersons; Process of effective selling in rural and agricultural contexts

Unit2

Unit 2: Negotiation and Bargaining in Agricultural Markets

7 hrs

Negotiation strategies suited for farmers, traders, and agribusiness firms; Conflict resolution in rural and commodity markets; Stages of negotiation in farm input supply and produce marketing; Listening and emotional control in agribusiness sales; Persuasion techniques, ethics, and building trust in rural markets; Bargaining and closing sales in agricultural transactions

Unit3

Unit 3: Building and Leading Agribusiness Sales Organizations

9 hrs

Types of sales organizations in agribusiness (cooperatives, agri-input companies, commodity aggregators); Functions and responsibilities of agribusiness sales personnel; Recruitment, training, and development for rural sales teams; Motivation and compensation strategies tailored to rural sales challenges; Sales forecasting, budgeting, quota setting, and territory management for agribusiness; Sales performance monitoring and appraisal in agricultural markets

Unit4

Unit 4: Retailing in Agribusiness Context

10 hrs

Factors influencing retailing of agricultural inputs and processed products; Strategic retail planning for rural and semi-urban markets; Retail organization models relevant to agribusiness (input dealers, farmer service centers, rural retail chains); Modern retail formats in agri-food sector and their growth in India; Site selection and store location analysis in rural areas; Store design principles suited for agricultural products

Unit5

Unit 5: Retail Operations and Customer Management in Agribusiness

10 hrs

Store layout, space planning, and visual merchandising for agri-inputs and products; Inventory control and loss prevention in rural retail outlets; Managing logistics, warehousing, and transportation in agricultural retailing; Responsibilities of store managers in agribusiness retail; Promotion, CRM, and brand management focused on farmer and rural customers; Agricultural Value Chain Analysis

Course Outcomes (COs)5 outcomes

After completion of the course student will be able to:

  1. CO1Explain the sales process and personal selling techniques relevant to agribusiness and rural contexts. – UnderstandingK2
  2. CO2Apply negotiation and persuasion strategies to manage agricultural market interactions. – ApplyingK3
  3. CO3Build and manage effective agribusiness sales organisations, including recruitment and performance monitoring. – CreatingK6
  4. CO4Analyse retail structures, planning methods, and operational models suited to the agri-retail sector. – AnalysingK4
  5. CO5Evaluate customer relationship management, brand positioning, and value chain strategies in agricultural retail. – EvaluatingK5

Suggested Readings

  1. Johnston, M. W., & Marshall, G. W. (2021). Sales force management: Leadership, innovation, technology (14th ed.). Routledge.
  2. Berman, B., & Evans, J. R. (2018). Retail management: A strategic approach (13th ed.). Pearson Education.
  3. Acharya, S. S., & Agarwal, N. L. (2011). Agricultural marketing in India (5th ed.). Oxford and IBH Publishing.
  4. Sontakki, C. N. (2010). Marketing management (Revised ed.). Kalyani Publishers.
  5. Singh, S. (2019). Retail management in India: Text and cases. Vikas Publishing House.

Official AKTU syllabus

This subject is on page 14, 15 of the original AKTU PDF.

Official AKTU syllabus PDF ↗