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Transcript of marketing and analysis of credit rating products of sme rating agency
Marketing and Analysis of
Credit Rating Products
Of
SME Rating Agency
PROJECT REPORT
Submitted to Punjab Technical university of Jalandhar to partial fulfillment of
the requirement for the degree of
MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Submitted by
VIKAS BAGHLA
University rolls no 7116223134
BATCH (2007-09)
Under guidance of
Mr Dinesh Seth
Business Associate
SMERA Rating agency of India Ltd
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I sincerely feel that the guidance and support extended towards me by all the members of SME
RATING AGENCY OF INDIA LTD was more than I could expect I express our immense
gratitude towards all the members of this organization
They really made my learning experience the most memorable and respectable one It was a great
honor to be associated with a company as prestigious and socially dedicated as the SMERA
Enterprise
First of all I wish to express my profound gratitude and sincere thanks to Dr BS Bhatia (Dir
Gen RIMT-IMCT Mandi Gobindgarh)
I take the opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to Mr Dinesh Seth my project guide
without whose guidance and support I could not have completed my project
A special thanks to my parents and dear friends for her constant support and sustenance which
kept me motivated
I am grateful to all of them for providing a very favorable learning environment for me
Compiled By
Vikas Baghla
2
PREFACE
To manage the complex and sophisticated organizations in the rapidly changing and competing
environment a manager is supposed to have in depth knowledge of the latest management
techniques Therefore to cope up with the various industrial problems in an organization training
for executive at various hierarchical levels is must That is why various universities and institutions
are running Commerce courses and Management courses of which this vocational training is a part
During my summer training at SME RATING AGENCY OF INDIA LTD I concentrated on the
project lsquoSales Promotion of SMERA products in dist Ferozpur
I am very thankful to Ms DALBIR who gave me proper guidance in the completion of my project
report
3
Contents
Chapter Topics
The Background
Marketing Research
Chapter 1 Introduction of Title
Chapter 2 Introduction of credit rating
Chapter 3 Introduction of SMERA
Chapter4 The Study of Organization
Sources of data
Objectives
Scope of Study
Research Methodology
Chapter5 Finding and Results
Chapter 6 Learning Limitations and Conclusion
Annexure
Questionnaire
Bibliography
4
THE BACKGROUND
Marketing research is defined as the systematic and objective identification collection analysis
and dissemination of information for the purpose of assisting management in decision making
related to the identification and solution of problems (and opportunities) in marketing
1) Identification Involves defining the marketing research problem (or opportunity) and
determining the information that is needed to address it
2) Collection Data must be obtained from relevant sources
3) Analysis Data are analyzed interpreted and inferences are drawn
4) Dissemination of information The findings implications and recommendations are
provided in a format that makes this information actionable and directly useful as an
input into decision-making
5
Used to identify and define market opportunities and problems
Generate refine and evaluate marketing performance
Monitor marketing performance
Improve understanding of marketing as a process
Marketing Research
6
Marketing Research
Problem Identification Research
Problem Solving Research
Market Potential ResearchMarket Share ResearchMarket Characteristics ResearchSales Analysis ResearchForecasting ResearchBusiness Trends Research
Segmentation ResearchProduct ResearchPromotion ResearchDistribution Research
A Classification of Marketing Research
Steps involved in the marketing research process are -
1) Problem definition Defining the marketing research problem to be addressed is the most
important step because all other steps will be based on this definition
2) Developing an approach to the problem Development of a broad specification of how the
problem will be addressed allows the researcher to break the problem into salient issues and
manageable pieces
3) Research design formulation A framework for conducting the marketing research project that
specifies the procedures necessary for obtaining the required information It details the
statistical methodology needed to solve the problem and thus the data requirements needed
from data collection
4) Fieldwork or data collection A field force (personal interviewing phone mail or electronic
surveys) gathers project data Although seemingly trivial in nature to obtain meaningful
results field workers must be accurate and thorough in data collection
5) Data preparation and analysis The editing coding transcription and verification of data
allow researchers to derive meaning from the data
6) Report preparation and presentation The findings are communicated to the client The report
should address the specific research questions identified in the problem definition describe
the approach the research design data collection and the data analysis procedures adopted
and present the results and the major findings
Marketing research provides the information for decision makers at each step of the marketing
decision process It is the goal of marketing research to provide relevant accurate reliable valid
and current information to management in order to facilitate managerial decisions Each of these
characteristics can be defined for as
7
Information that is relevant addresses the problem or issue being investigated
Information that is accurate correct and precise
Information that is reliable and originates from competent trustworthy sources
Information that is valid and is applicable to the problem at hand
Information that is current is timely and up-to-date for both the industry and issue under
consideration
There are two types of market research suppliers
Internal suppliermdasha marketing research department located within the firm where all the
marketing research staff members are employees of the firm Most major corporations have
their own marketing research departments
External suppliermdashresearch suppliers that are not a part of the firm The external supplier may
offer the entire range of marketing services including problem definition developing an
approach questionnaire design sampling data collection data analysis interpretation and
report preparation and presentation
Services offered by a full-service marketing research supplier are
1) Syndicated services Offered by research organizations that provide information from a
common database to different firms that subscribe to their services
2) Standardized services Research studies conducted for different client firms but always in the
same way
3) Customized services Offer a wide variety of marketing research services Customized or
tailor-made to suit the specific needs of a particular client
4) Internet services Offered by firms that have specialized in conducting marketing research on
the Internet
8
Services offered by a limited-service marketing research supplier are
1) Coding and data entry services The supplier will take the administered questionnaires edit
them develop a coding scheme and transcribe the data onto diskettes or magnetic tapes for
input into the computer
2) Analytical services These services include questionnaire design and pre ndash testing determining
the best means of collecting data sampling plans and other aspects of the research design
3) Data analysis services Offer sophisticated data analysis using multivariate techniques
4) Branded product and services Consist of specialized data collection and analysis
procedures developed to address specific types of marketing research problems
9
CHAPTER
1
INTRODUCTION
OF
TITLE
10
INTRODUCTION
Sales promotions are activities that shape buying patterns attract new audiences or increase sales
Its garbage of a word that encompasses everything that falls outside advertising publicity and
direct marketing although these might be used to deliver your sales promotions
Most textbooks see sales promotion as interfacing with price - this writer believes sales promotions
are broader than this Too often people think discounts are synonymous with sales promotion - not
true Sales promotions can include the provision of sampling or learning opportunities joint
promotions or collaborations with third Party networks special events giveaways and
competitions discounts incentives value adding and rewards
In this section we will also look at distribution and display of promotional materials mainly
because there is nowhere else for them to go
Imaginatively and carefully planned sales promotions can deliver long-term benefits to your
organization Too often they are used as an afterthought to get people through the door Not
surprisingly they usually look like last minute panic measures and that can signal failure not
success
One well-planned far-reaching promotion is better than heaps of little one-offs that bear no relation
to your overall strategy The work involved in developing sales promotions can often outweigh the
apparent benefit - if you measure the results in the broadest possible context you just might find
you have successfully reached people outside the inner arts circle
As the term implies - the ultimate goal is sales or transactions However promotions can be
planned to increase sales over a long period within a specific market segment so it is not always
about immediate results
11
Why do it
Good sales promotions say something about your work and who you are They can be an
inexpensive way of increasing awareness of reaching new buyers or extending the buying choices
of existing audiences As inessential part of your campaign they should be planned from the
beginning While sales promotions can often be done cheaply there should always be a line item
for this activity in your budget no matter how small Because sales promotions often involve
working with other organizations they can open doors into the wider community By building
mutually beneficial relationships you could also be paving the way for sponsorship
Remember never devalue your product This is really easy to do if you are desperate which is why
the best sales promotions are usually planned well in advance
Follow our step-by-step guide Sales promotion how to do it
ANALYSE THE BENEFITS
When you are identifying possible sales promotions make sure that everyone involved including
the customer benefits
The benefits might be
1048698 access to communications channels such as lists clients or advertising
1048698 the feel good factor the association creates for clients or customers
1048698 reinforcement of the companys image
1048698 provision of rewards to clients or audiences
1048698 stimulation from working and learning from each other
1048698-increased sales
1048698 better seats priority booking private viewings cheaper prices learning opportunities and so on
12
IDENTIFY OUTLETS FOR YOUR PROMOTION
Distribution and display
The fliers are sitting in a nice pile in your office Now to the real point of print getting it into the
right hands
Tip Distribution and display
The media
Media are widely used to deliver sales promotions usually in the form of reader offers or
competitions
Tip Media promotions
Networks
Tapping into outside networks can be very cost effective and help you reach hundreds or thousands
of people These might include large employers credit card companies travel agencies
associations such as Rotary manufacturers of fast moving consumer goods such as milk and so on
There is a range of service organizations who communicate regularly with their members such as
The Writers Guild Australian Music Centre National Association of Visual Artists (NAVA)
Council- run community centers and many more
Tip Creating networks
Comment Extending your networks
Comment Cultural tourism
Events
An event can often be a form of sales promotion - if it is designed to reach new audiences or is
devised to encourage attendance at future events
Tip Using events
Comment The sports link
13
Establishing strategic alliances
Certain communities are large motivated and very well organized the gay and lesbian community
for example or some ethnic communities Work with them their publications and invite these
communities to become a part of your organization planning ways to produce mutual benefit
Approaches can range from artists residencies or going to their community centers to charity
appeals to discounted tickets it depends on the needs of the particular community
Sponsors
Sponsors can introduce you to new networks they are also often looking for ways to provide
benefits for their staff This is an excellent way to extend your reach and attract new audiences
Sponsor receptions often-bringin visitors who are new to the art form find ways to increase their
appreciation and enjoyment of the occasion beyond providing champagne and canapeacutes This could
be sending programs in advance or inviting the artist curator or theatre director to talk about the
production at the pre-performance reception Even a signed poster can be a treasured memento of
the occasion
DESIGNING THE RESPONSE AND THE FOLLOW UP
Sometimes promotions do not realize their full potential because the response mechanism is too
complicated or unclear It should be easy to respond by ticking a box picking up the phone
handing over the coupon and soon There is a risk in giving people too many choices as it can take
too long to work out what to do On the other hand customers like offers to be as flexible as
possible
PACKAGING PREMIUMS AND DISCOUNTS
Packages can range from subscription a concept most people are familiar with to
14
Premium packages
Dinner parking amp ticket which is sometimes called up-pricing premium pricing or adding value to
the evening It could be as simple as including a bottle or glass of champagne providing valet
parking or an opportunity to see the exhibition when the general public is not there
Membership schemes
Membership schemes encourage long term loyalty to an organization and offer special prices or
private rooms or exclusive events targeted at the interests and lifestyle of the membership These
schemes are becoming increasingly important to all kinds of arts organizations
Discount packages
1048698 2fers or buy one get one free these are best targeted at people who attendbuy infrequently
Money is rarely a deterrent to the more typical arts attender unless they are very frequent users
1048698 cross art form deals these recognize that many people are eclectic and want a range of arts
experiences It is hard to get these right and they seem to work best when packaged at one venue
under recognizable brand
1048698 Group bookings these encourage bulk purchase by providing a special price for groups The
heart-ofgoldgroup organizer is a dying breed so companies are now making it easier to get a
group together by reducing the party size from 20 to 10 or even 6
1048698 School bookings group packages also exist for schools Usually the teacher is given a free pass
and a ratio of pupils to teacher is often specified
1048698 Multi-tix special prices can be offered to people buying three or more events in a period for
example during a festival This is a hybrid of the subscription concept that aims to increase
transaction levels through price
15
Lifestyle packages
1048698 Babysitting packages where baby-sitting services or cregraveches are provided recognize the needs
of mothers families have greater pressures on their time and money and finding ways to make
it easier for them to be part of your organization will reap rewards
1048698 Sunday brunch afternoon tea sunset or late night events are designed to fit in with and enhance
peoples lifestyle
1048698 Youth offers like rush tickets special prices special drinks themed events and other features
recognize the lifestyle needs of young people interested in your work
Incentives
1048698 these can be gifts provided with the purchase of subscription or membership to an organization
eg key rings fridge magnets diaries calendars CDs There is little evidence that these
increase sales but they can generate loyalty and good will
1048698 large corporations are also looking for incentives to give to their staff or clients and arts
companies are well positioned to provide these (discounts should not apply)
This is just the teeny tip of a very large iceberg
16
CHAPTER-2
INTRODUCTION
OF
CREDIT
RATING
17
Credit rating
A credit rating assesses the credit worthiness of an individual corporation or even a country
Credit ratings are calculated from financial history and current assets and liabilities Typically a
credit rating tells a lender or investor the probability of the subject being able to pay back a loan
However in recent years credit ratings have also been used to adjust insurance premiums
determine employment eligibility and establish the amount of a utility or leasing deposit
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
Especially in context for sme earlier the which credit was done by the bank was not beneficial in
respect of sme because the prior credit rating includes analyses of few thing like past payment
record profit and loss account and another fact of balance sheet of three financial year so give the
all benefits earlier which was not given due to ignorance was avail by credit rating through by
credit ratings Third party rating has been gaining ground in our due to the fact that the lending
institutions have been asked to maintain adequate capital by the rbi as per Basel norms to maintain
the said adequacy the bank and finned to exhibit the classification of the units so that distinction
for good and bad units can be made and subsequently the provisioning for the said units can be
made accordingly
Credit rating agency
A credit rating agency (CRA) is a company that assigns credit ratings for issuers of certain types
of debt obligations as well as the debt instruments themselves In some cases the servicers of the
underlying debt are also given ratings In most cases the issuers of securities are companies
special purpose entities state and local governments non-profit organizations or national
governments issuing debt-like securities (ie bonds) that can be traded on a secondary market A
credit rating for an issuer takes into consideration the issuers credit worthiness (ie its ability to
pay back a loan) and affects the interest rate applied to the particular security being issued (In
contrast to CRAs a company that issues credit scores for individual credit-worthiness is generally
called a credit bureau or consumer credit reporting agency)
18
In respect of india there are many credit rating agancy few of them are as
shown below
1 Smera
2 Crisil
3 Care
4 Fitch
5 Onicra
6 Dampb
7 Icra
They provide credit rating evaluating the sme at different pramitter
Personal credit ratings
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
In the United States an individuals credit history is compiled and maintained by companies called
credit bureaus Credit worthiness is usually determined through a statistical analysis of the available
credit data A common form of this analysis is a 3-digit credit score provided by independent
financial service companies such as the FICO credit score (The term a registered trademark
comes from Fair Isaac Corporation which pioneered the credit rating concept in the late 1950s)
An individuals credit score along with his or her credit report affects his or her ability to borrow
money through financial institutions such as banks
In Canada the most common ratings are the North American Standard Account Ratings also
known as the R ratings which have a range between R0 and R9 R0 refers to a new account R1
refers to on-time payments R9 refers to bad debt
The factors which may influence a persons credit rating are
1) ability to pay a loan 2) interest 3)amount of credit used
4) saving patterns 5)spending patterns 6) debt
19
Corporate credit ratings
[The credit rating of a corporation is a financial indicator to potential investors of debt securities
such as bonds These are assigned by credit rating agencies such as Standard amp Poors Moodys or
Fitch Ratings and have letter designations such as AAA B CC The Standard amp Poors rating scale
is as follows AAA AA A BBB BB B CCC CC C D Anything lower than a BBB rating is
considered a speculative or junk bond The Moodys rating system is similar in concept but the
verbage is a little different
It is as follows
AAA
Aa1 Aa2 Aa3
A1 A2 A3
Baa1 Baa2 Baa3
Ba1 Ba2 Ba3
B1 B2 B3
Caa1 Caa2 Caa3
Ca
C
Sovereign credit
ratings
Cont Risk rankings
Least risky countries
Score out of 100
Rank
Previous Country Overall score
1 1 Luxembourg 9988
2 2 Norway 9747
3 3 Switzerland 9621
4 4 Denmark 9339
5 5 Sweden 9296
6 6 Ireland 9236
7 10 Austria 9225
8 9 Finland 9195
9 8 Netherlands 9195
10 7 United States 9127
20
A sovereign credit rating is the credit rating of a sovereign entity ie a country The sovereign
credit rating indicates the risk level of the investing environment of a country and is used by
investors looking to invest abroad It takes political risk into account
The table shows the ten least-risky countries for investment as of March 2008 Ratings are further
broken down into components including political risk economic risk Euromoneys bi-annual
country risk index Country risk surveymonitors the political and economic stability of 185
21
sovereign countries Results focus foremost on economics specifically sovereign default risk
andor payment default risk for exporters (aka trade credit risk)
Short term rating
A short term rating is a probability factor of an individual going into default within a year This is
in contrast to long-term rating which is evaluated over a long timeframe
Credit scores for individuals are assigned by credit bureaus (US UK credit reference agencies)
Credit ratings for corporations and sovereign debt are assigned by credit rating agencies
In the United States the main credit bureaus are Experian Equifax and TransUnion A relatively
new credit bureau in the US is Innovis
In the United Kingdom the main credit reference agencies for individuals are Experian Equifax
and Callcredit There is no universal credit rating as such rather each individual lender credit
scores based on its own wish-list of a perfect customer
In Canada the main credit bureaus for individuals are Equifax TransUnion and Northern Credit
Bureaus Experian
In India the main credit bureaus are CRISIL ICRA and Credit Registration Office (CRO)
The largest credit rating agencies (which tend to operate worldwide) are Moodys Standard and
Poors and Fitch Ratings
CREDIT RISK
Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either
the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
Faced by lenders to consumers
Most lenders employ their own models (Credit Scorecards) to rank potential and existing customers
according to risk and then apply appropriate strategies With products such as unsecured personal
loans or mortgages lenders charge a higher price for higher risk customers and vice versa With
22
revolving products such as credit cards and overdrafts risk is controlled through careful setting of
credit limits Some products also require security most commonly in the form of property
Faced by lenders to business
Lenders will trade off the costbenefits of a loan according to its risks and the interest charged But
interest rates are not the only method to compensate for risk Protective covenants are written into
loan agreements that allow the lender some controls These covenants may
limit the borrowers ability to weaken his balance sheet voluntarily eg by buying back shares
or paying dividends or borrowing further
allow for monitoring the debt requiring audits and monthly reports
allow the lender to decide when he can recall the loan based on specific events or when
financial ratios like debtequity or interest coverage deteriorate
A recent innovation to protect lenders and bond holders from the danger of default are credit
derivatives most commonly in the form of a credit default swap These financial contracts allow
companies to buy protection against defaults from a third party the protection seller The protection
seller receives a periodic fee (the credit spread) as compensation for the risk it takes and in return it
agrees to buy the debt should a credit event (default) occur
Faced by business
Companies carry credit risk when for example they do not demand up-front cash payment for
products or services By delivering the product or service first and billing the customer later - if its
a business customer the terms may be quoted as net 30 - the company is carrying a risk between the
delivery and payment
Significant resources and sophisticated programs are used to analyze and manage risk Some
companies run a credit risk department whose job is to assess the financial health of their
customers and extend credit (or not) accordingly They may use in house programs to advise on
avoiding reducing and transferring risk They also use third party provided intelligence
23
Companies like Standard amp Poors Moodys and Dun and Bradstreet provide such information for a
fee
For example a distributor selling its products to a troubled retailer may attempt to lessen credit risk
by tightening payment terms to net 15 or by actually selling fewer products on credit to the
retailer or even cutting off credit entirely and demanding payment in advance Such strategies
impact sales volume but reduce exposure to credit risk and subsequent payment defaults
Credit risk is not really manageable for very small companies (ie those with only one or two
customers) This makes these companies very vulnerable to defaults or even payment delays by
their customers
The use of a collection agency is not really a tool to manage credit risk rather it is an extreme
measure closer to a write down in that the creditor expects a below-agreed return after the
collection agency takes its share (if it is able to get anything at all)
Faced by individuals
Consumers may face credit risk in a direct form as depositors at banks or as investorslenders They
may also face credit risk when entering into standard commercial transactions by providing a
deposit to their counterparty eg for a large purchase or a real estate rental Employees of any firm
also depend on the firms ability to pay wages and are exposed to the credit risk of their employer
In some cases governments recognize that an individuals capacity to evaluate credit risk may be
limited and the risk may reduce economic efficiency governments may enact various legal
measures or mechanisms with the intention of protecting consumers against some of these risks
Bank deposits notably are insured in many countries (to some maximum amount) for individuals
effectively limiting their credit risk to banks and increasing their willingness to use the banking
system
24
Credit history
Credit history or credit report is in many countries a record of an individuals or companys past
borrowing and repaying including information about late payments and bankruptcy The term
credit reputation can either be used synonymous to credit history or to credit score
In the US when a customer fills out an application for credit from a bank store or credit card
company their information is forwarded to a credit bureau The credit bureau matches the name
address and other identifying information on the credit applicant with information retained by the
bureau in its files
This information is used by lenders such as credit card companies to determine an individuals
credit worthiness that is determining an individuals willingness to repay a debt The willingness
to repay a debt is indicated by how timely past payments have been made to other lenders Lenders
like to see consumer debt obligations paid on a monthly basis
The other factor in determining whether a lender will provide a consumer credit or a loan is
dependent on income The higher the income all other things being equal the more credit the
consumer can access However lenders make credit granting decisions based on both ability to
repay a debt (income) and willingness (the credit report) as indicated in the past payment history
These factors help lenders determine whether to extend credit and on what terms With the
adoption of risk-based pricing on almost all lending in the financial services industry this report
has become even more important since it is usually the sole element used to choose the annual
percentage rate (APR) grace period and other contractual obligations of the credit card or loan
How credit rating is determined
Credit ratings are determined differently in each country but the factors are similar and may
include
Payment record - a record of bills being overdue generally being more than 30 days will lower
the credit rating
25
Control of debt - Lenders want to see that borrowers are not living beyond their means Experts
estimate that non-mortgage credit payments each month should not exceed more than 15
percent of the borrowers after tax income
Signs of responsibility and stability - Lenders perceive things such as longevity in the
borrowers home and job (at least two years) as signs of stability
Re-Aging - Through re-aging a credit history is re-written and you are given a fresh start on
that particular account This can dramatically improve the credit score In 2000 the Federal
Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFEIC) clarified guidelines on re-aging accounts
for delinquent borrowers
Credit outstanding--Lenders dont like to see the amount of credit owed bumping up against the
credit limit of a card Generally a good idea is to owe no more than one-third of your total
credit limit on a credit card
Credit inquiries ndash An inquiry is a notation on a credit history file There are several kinds of
notations that may or may not have an adverse effect on the credit score Soft pulls dont affect
the credit score and are characteristic of the following examples
A credit bureau may sell a persons contact information to an advertiser wanting to offer credit
cards loans and insurance based on certain criteria that the lender has established A creditor also
checks a persons credit periodically Or a credit counseling agency with the clients permission
can obtain a clients credit report with no adverse action Each of the preceding examples are
commonly referred to as a soft credit pull
However hard credit inquiries are made by lenders when consumers are seeking credit or a loan
Lenders when granted a permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act can
check a credit history for the purposes of extending credit to a consumer Hard inquiries from
lenders directly affect the borrowers credit score Keeping credit inquiries to a minimum can help a
persons credit rating A lender may perceive many inquiries over a short period of time on a
persons report as a signal that the person is in financial difficulty and is looking for loans and will
possibly consider that person a poor credit risk
26
Credit cards that are not used - Although it is believed that having too many credit cards can have
an adverse effect on a credit score closing these lines of credit will not improve your score The
credit rating formula looks at the difference between the amount of credit a person has and the
amount being used so closing one or more accounts will reduce your total available credit And the
lower the percentage of available credit the more the credit score will drop The credit formula also
factors in the length of time credit accounts have been open so closing an account with several
years of history is another avoidable credit mistake
Understanding credit reports and scores
The Government of Canada offers a free publication called Understanding Your Credit Report and
Credit Score This publication provides sample credit report and credit score documents with
explanations of the notations and codes that are used It also contains general information on how
to build or improve credit history and how to check for signs that identity theft has occurred The
publication is available online at httpwwwfcacgcca the site of the Financial Consumer Agency
of Canada Paper copies can also be ordered at no charge for residents of Canada
Credit History of Immigrants
Credit history usually applies to only one country Even within the same credit card network
information is not shared between different countries For example if a person has been living in
Canada for many years and then moves to the United States when they apply for credit cards or a
mortgage in the US they would usually not be approved because of a lack of credit history even
if they had an excellent credit rating in their home country and even if they had a very high salary
in their home country
An immigrant must establish a credit history from scratch in the new country Therefore it is
usually very difficult for immigrants to obtain credit cards and mortgages until after they have
worked in the new country with a stable income for several years
Adverse Credit
Adverse credit history also called sub-prime credit history non-status credit history
impaired credit history poor credit history and bad credit history is a negative credit rating
27
A negative credit rating is often considered undesirable to lenders and other extenders of credit for
the purposes of loaning money or capital
In the US a consumers credit history is compiled by credit rating agencies more commonly
referred to as consumer reporting agencies or credit bureaus The data reported to these agencies
are primarily provided to them by creditors and includes detailed records of the relationship a
person has with the lender Detailed account information including payment history credit limits
high and low balances and any aggressive actions taken to recover overdue debts are all reported
regularly (usually monthly) This information is reviewed by a lender to determine whether to
approve a loan and on what terms
As credit became more popular it became more difficult for lenders to evaluate and approve credit
card and loan applications in a timely and efficient manner To address this issue credit scoring
was adopted
Credit scoring is the process of using a proprietary mathematical algorithm to create a numerical
value that describes an applicants overall creditworthiness Scores frequently based on numbers
(ranging from 300-850 for consumers in the United States) statistically analyze a credit history in
comparison to other debtors and gauge the magnitude of financial risk Since lending money to a
person or company is a risk credit scoring offers a standardized way for lenders to assess that risk
rapidly and without prejudiceAll credit bureaus also offer credit scoring as a supplemental
service
Credit scores assess the likelihood that a borrower will repay a loan or other credit obligation The
higher the score the better the credit history and the higher the probability that the loan will be
repaid on time When creditors report an excessive number of late payments or trouble with
collecting payments the score suffers Similarly when adverse judgments and collection agency
activity are reported the score decreases even more Repeated delinquencies or public record
entries can lower the score and trigger what is called a negative credit rating or adverse credit
history
When a lender requests a credit score it can cause a small drop in the credit score That is because
as stated above a number of inquiries over a relatively short period of time can indicate the
consumer is in a financially difficult situation
28
Consequences
The information in a credit report is sold by credit agencies to organizations that are considering
whether to offer credit to individuals or companies It is also available to other entities with a
permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act The consequence of a negative
credit rating is typically a reduction in the likelihood that a lender will approve an application for
credit under favorable terms if at all Interest rates on loans are significantly affected by credit
historymdashthe higher the credit rating the lower the interest while the lower the credit rating the
higher the interest The increased interest is used to offset the higher rate of default within the low
credit rating group of individuals
In the United States in certain cases insurance housing and employment can also be denied based
on a negative credit rating
Note that is not the credit reporting agencies that decide whether a credit history is adverse It is
the individual lender or creditor which makes that decision each lender has its own policy on what
scores fall within their guidelines The specific scores that fall within a lenders guidelines are most
often NOT disclosed to the applicant due to competitive reasons In the United States a creditor is
required to give the reasons for denying credit to an applicant immediately and must also provide
the name and address of the credit reporting agency who provided data that was used to make the
decision
More than One Credit History Per Person
In some countries people can have more than one credit history For example in Canada although
most Canadians are not aware of it every person who applied for credit before obtaining a Social
Insurance Number has two separate credit histories one with SIN and one without SIN This is due
to the credit reporting structure in Canada This can lead to two completely separate parallel
histories and often leads to inconsistencies (although typically the person in question will never
notice the inconsistencies) because when a lender asks for someones credit report with SIN what
the lender gets is different from what he would have gotten if he asked the report without providing
the SIN This is because contrary to popular belief when someone gets a new SIN for whatever
reason the two credit files are never merged unless the person requests specifically As a result a
29
record with SIN zeroed out is kept separately from a record with SIN Note this happens without
the person even knowing it
Credit score
A credit score is a numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a persons credit files to
represent the creditworthiness of that person which is the perceived likelihood that the person will
pay debts in a timely manner A credit score is primarily based on credit report information
typically sourced from credit bureaus credit reference agencies
Lenders such as banks and credit card companies use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk
posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt Lenders use credit
scores to determine who qualifies for a loan at what interest rate and what credit limits The use of
credit or identity scoring prior to authorizing access or granting credit is an implementation of a
trusted system
Credit scoring is not limited to banks Other organizations such as mobile phone companies
insurance companies employers and government departments employ the same techniques Credit
scoring also has a lot of overlap with data mining which uses many similar techniques
30
CHAPTER- 3
INTRODUCTION
OF
SMERA
SMERA ndash AN INTRODUCTION
31
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I sincerely feel that the guidance and support extended towards me by all the members of SME
RATING AGENCY OF INDIA LTD was more than I could expect I express our immense
gratitude towards all the members of this organization
They really made my learning experience the most memorable and respectable one It was a great
honor to be associated with a company as prestigious and socially dedicated as the SMERA
Enterprise
First of all I wish to express my profound gratitude and sincere thanks to Dr BS Bhatia (Dir
Gen RIMT-IMCT Mandi Gobindgarh)
I take the opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to Mr Dinesh Seth my project guide
without whose guidance and support I could not have completed my project
A special thanks to my parents and dear friends for her constant support and sustenance which
kept me motivated
I am grateful to all of them for providing a very favorable learning environment for me
Compiled By
Vikas Baghla
2
PREFACE
To manage the complex and sophisticated organizations in the rapidly changing and competing
environment a manager is supposed to have in depth knowledge of the latest management
techniques Therefore to cope up with the various industrial problems in an organization training
for executive at various hierarchical levels is must That is why various universities and institutions
are running Commerce courses and Management courses of which this vocational training is a part
During my summer training at SME RATING AGENCY OF INDIA LTD I concentrated on the
project lsquoSales Promotion of SMERA products in dist Ferozpur
I am very thankful to Ms DALBIR who gave me proper guidance in the completion of my project
report
3
Contents
Chapter Topics
The Background
Marketing Research
Chapter 1 Introduction of Title
Chapter 2 Introduction of credit rating
Chapter 3 Introduction of SMERA
Chapter4 The Study of Organization
Sources of data
Objectives
Scope of Study
Research Methodology
Chapter5 Finding and Results
Chapter 6 Learning Limitations and Conclusion
Annexure
Questionnaire
Bibliography
4
THE BACKGROUND
Marketing research is defined as the systematic and objective identification collection analysis
and dissemination of information for the purpose of assisting management in decision making
related to the identification and solution of problems (and opportunities) in marketing
1) Identification Involves defining the marketing research problem (or opportunity) and
determining the information that is needed to address it
2) Collection Data must be obtained from relevant sources
3) Analysis Data are analyzed interpreted and inferences are drawn
4) Dissemination of information The findings implications and recommendations are
provided in a format that makes this information actionable and directly useful as an
input into decision-making
5
Used to identify and define market opportunities and problems
Generate refine and evaluate marketing performance
Monitor marketing performance
Improve understanding of marketing as a process
Marketing Research
6
Marketing Research
Problem Identification Research
Problem Solving Research
Market Potential ResearchMarket Share ResearchMarket Characteristics ResearchSales Analysis ResearchForecasting ResearchBusiness Trends Research
Segmentation ResearchProduct ResearchPromotion ResearchDistribution Research
A Classification of Marketing Research
Steps involved in the marketing research process are -
1) Problem definition Defining the marketing research problem to be addressed is the most
important step because all other steps will be based on this definition
2) Developing an approach to the problem Development of a broad specification of how the
problem will be addressed allows the researcher to break the problem into salient issues and
manageable pieces
3) Research design formulation A framework for conducting the marketing research project that
specifies the procedures necessary for obtaining the required information It details the
statistical methodology needed to solve the problem and thus the data requirements needed
from data collection
4) Fieldwork or data collection A field force (personal interviewing phone mail or electronic
surveys) gathers project data Although seemingly trivial in nature to obtain meaningful
results field workers must be accurate and thorough in data collection
5) Data preparation and analysis The editing coding transcription and verification of data
allow researchers to derive meaning from the data
6) Report preparation and presentation The findings are communicated to the client The report
should address the specific research questions identified in the problem definition describe
the approach the research design data collection and the data analysis procedures adopted
and present the results and the major findings
Marketing research provides the information for decision makers at each step of the marketing
decision process It is the goal of marketing research to provide relevant accurate reliable valid
and current information to management in order to facilitate managerial decisions Each of these
characteristics can be defined for as
7
Information that is relevant addresses the problem or issue being investigated
Information that is accurate correct and precise
Information that is reliable and originates from competent trustworthy sources
Information that is valid and is applicable to the problem at hand
Information that is current is timely and up-to-date for both the industry and issue under
consideration
There are two types of market research suppliers
Internal suppliermdasha marketing research department located within the firm where all the
marketing research staff members are employees of the firm Most major corporations have
their own marketing research departments
External suppliermdashresearch suppliers that are not a part of the firm The external supplier may
offer the entire range of marketing services including problem definition developing an
approach questionnaire design sampling data collection data analysis interpretation and
report preparation and presentation
Services offered by a full-service marketing research supplier are
1) Syndicated services Offered by research organizations that provide information from a
common database to different firms that subscribe to their services
2) Standardized services Research studies conducted for different client firms but always in the
same way
3) Customized services Offer a wide variety of marketing research services Customized or
tailor-made to suit the specific needs of a particular client
4) Internet services Offered by firms that have specialized in conducting marketing research on
the Internet
8
Services offered by a limited-service marketing research supplier are
1) Coding and data entry services The supplier will take the administered questionnaires edit
them develop a coding scheme and transcribe the data onto diskettes or magnetic tapes for
input into the computer
2) Analytical services These services include questionnaire design and pre ndash testing determining
the best means of collecting data sampling plans and other aspects of the research design
3) Data analysis services Offer sophisticated data analysis using multivariate techniques
4) Branded product and services Consist of specialized data collection and analysis
procedures developed to address specific types of marketing research problems
9
CHAPTER
1
INTRODUCTION
OF
TITLE
10
INTRODUCTION
Sales promotions are activities that shape buying patterns attract new audiences or increase sales
Its garbage of a word that encompasses everything that falls outside advertising publicity and
direct marketing although these might be used to deliver your sales promotions
Most textbooks see sales promotion as interfacing with price - this writer believes sales promotions
are broader than this Too often people think discounts are synonymous with sales promotion - not
true Sales promotions can include the provision of sampling or learning opportunities joint
promotions or collaborations with third Party networks special events giveaways and
competitions discounts incentives value adding and rewards
In this section we will also look at distribution and display of promotional materials mainly
because there is nowhere else for them to go
Imaginatively and carefully planned sales promotions can deliver long-term benefits to your
organization Too often they are used as an afterthought to get people through the door Not
surprisingly they usually look like last minute panic measures and that can signal failure not
success
One well-planned far-reaching promotion is better than heaps of little one-offs that bear no relation
to your overall strategy The work involved in developing sales promotions can often outweigh the
apparent benefit - if you measure the results in the broadest possible context you just might find
you have successfully reached people outside the inner arts circle
As the term implies - the ultimate goal is sales or transactions However promotions can be
planned to increase sales over a long period within a specific market segment so it is not always
about immediate results
11
Why do it
Good sales promotions say something about your work and who you are They can be an
inexpensive way of increasing awareness of reaching new buyers or extending the buying choices
of existing audiences As inessential part of your campaign they should be planned from the
beginning While sales promotions can often be done cheaply there should always be a line item
for this activity in your budget no matter how small Because sales promotions often involve
working with other organizations they can open doors into the wider community By building
mutually beneficial relationships you could also be paving the way for sponsorship
Remember never devalue your product This is really easy to do if you are desperate which is why
the best sales promotions are usually planned well in advance
Follow our step-by-step guide Sales promotion how to do it
ANALYSE THE BENEFITS
When you are identifying possible sales promotions make sure that everyone involved including
the customer benefits
The benefits might be
1048698 access to communications channels such as lists clients or advertising
1048698 the feel good factor the association creates for clients or customers
1048698 reinforcement of the companys image
1048698 provision of rewards to clients or audiences
1048698 stimulation from working and learning from each other
1048698-increased sales
1048698 better seats priority booking private viewings cheaper prices learning opportunities and so on
12
IDENTIFY OUTLETS FOR YOUR PROMOTION
Distribution and display
The fliers are sitting in a nice pile in your office Now to the real point of print getting it into the
right hands
Tip Distribution and display
The media
Media are widely used to deliver sales promotions usually in the form of reader offers or
competitions
Tip Media promotions
Networks
Tapping into outside networks can be very cost effective and help you reach hundreds or thousands
of people These might include large employers credit card companies travel agencies
associations such as Rotary manufacturers of fast moving consumer goods such as milk and so on
There is a range of service organizations who communicate regularly with their members such as
The Writers Guild Australian Music Centre National Association of Visual Artists (NAVA)
Council- run community centers and many more
Tip Creating networks
Comment Extending your networks
Comment Cultural tourism
Events
An event can often be a form of sales promotion - if it is designed to reach new audiences or is
devised to encourage attendance at future events
Tip Using events
Comment The sports link
13
Establishing strategic alliances
Certain communities are large motivated and very well organized the gay and lesbian community
for example or some ethnic communities Work with them their publications and invite these
communities to become a part of your organization planning ways to produce mutual benefit
Approaches can range from artists residencies or going to their community centers to charity
appeals to discounted tickets it depends on the needs of the particular community
Sponsors
Sponsors can introduce you to new networks they are also often looking for ways to provide
benefits for their staff This is an excellent way to extend your reach and attract new audiences
Sponsor receptions often-bringin visitors who are new to the art form find ways to increase their
appreciation and enjoyment of the occasion beyond providing champagne and canapeacutes This could
be sending programs in advance or inviting the artist curator or theatre director to talk about the
production at the pre-performance reception Even a signed poster can be a treasured memento of
the occasion
DESIGNING THE RESPONSE AND THE FOLLOW UP
Sometimes promotions do not realize their full potential because the response mechanism is too
complicated or unclear It should be easy to respond by ticking a box picking up the phone
handing over the coupon and soon There is a risk in giving people too many choices as it can take
too long to work out what to do On the other hand customers like offers to be as flexible as
possible
PACKAGING PREMIUMS AND DISCOUNTS
Packages can range from subscription a concept most people are familiar with to
14
Premium packages
Dinner parking amp ticket which is sometimes called up-pricing premium pricing or adding value to
the evening It could be as simple as including a bottle or glass of champagne providing valet
parking or an opportunity to see the exhibition when the general public is not there
Membership schemes
Membership schemes encourage long term loyalty to an organization and offer special prices or
private rooms or exclusive events targeted at the interests and lifestyle of the membership These
schemes are becoming increasingly important to all kinds of arts organizations
Discount packages
1048698 2fers or buy one get one free these are best targeted at people who attendbuy infrequently
Money is rarely a deterrent to the more typical arts attender unless they are very frequent users
1048698 cross art form deals these recognize that many people are eclectic and want a range of arts
experiences It is hard to get these right and they seem to work best when packaged at one venue
under recognizable brand
1048698 Group bookings these encourage bulk purchase by providing a special price for groups The
heart-ofgoldgroup organizer is a dying breed so companies are now making it easier to get a
group together by reducing the party size from 20 to 10 or even 6
1048698 School bookings group packages also exist for schools Usually the teacher is given a free pass
and a ratio of pupils to teacher is often specified
1048698 Multi-tix special prices can be offered to people buying three or more events in a period for
example during a festival This is a hybrid of the subscription concept that aims to increase
transaction levels through price
15
Lifestyle packages
1048698 Babysitting packages where baby-sitting services or cregraveches are provided recognize the needs
of mothers families have greater pressures on their time and money and finding ways to make
it easier for them to be part of your organization will reap rewards
1048698 Sunday brunch afternoon tea sunset or late night events are designed to fit in with and enhance
peoples lifestyle
1048698 Youth offers like rush tickets special prices special drinks themed events and other features
recognize the lifestyle needs of young people interested in your work
Incentives
1048698 these can be gifts provided with the purchase of subscription or membership to an organization
eg key rings fridge magnets diaries calendars CDs There is little evidence that these
increase sales but they can generate loyalty and good will
1048698 large corporations are also looking for incentives to give to their staff or clients and arts
companies are well positioned to provide these (discounts should not apply)
This is just the teeny tip of a very large iceberg
16
CHAPTER-2
INTRODUCTION
OF
CREDIT
RATING
17
Credit rating
A credit rating assesses the credit worthiness of an individual corporation or even a country
Credit ratings are calculated from financial history and current assets and liabilities Typically a
credit rating tells a lender or investor the probability of the subject being able to pay back a loan
However in recent years credit ratings have also been used to adjust insurance premiums
determine employment eligibility and establish the amount of a utility or leasing deposit
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
Especially in context for sme earlier the which credit was done by the bank was not beneficial in
respect of sme because the prior credit rating includes analyses of few thing like past payment
record profit and loss account and another fact of balance sheet of three financial year so give the
all benefits earlier which was not given due to ignorance was avail by credit rating through by
credit ratings Third party rating has been gaining ground in our due to the fact that the lending
institutions have been asked to maintain adequate capital by the rbi as per Basel norms to maintain
the said adequacy the bank and finned to exhibit the classification of the units so that distinction
for good and bad units can be made and subsequently the provisioning for the said units can be
made accordingly
Credit rating agency
A credit rating agency (CRA) is a company that assigns credit ratings for issuers of certain types
of debt obligations as well as the debt instruments themselves In some cases the servicers of the
underlying debt are also given ratings In most cases the issuers of securities are companies
special purpose entities state and local governments non-profit organizations or national
governments issuing debt-like securities (ie bonds) that can be traded on a secondary market A
credit rating for an issuer takes into consideration the issuers credit worthiness (ie its ability to
pay back a loan) and affects the interest rate applied to the particular security being issued (In
contrast to CRAs a company that issues credit scores for individual credit-worthiness is generally
called a credit bureau or consumer credit reporting agency)
18
In respect of india there are many credit rating agancy few of them are as
shown below
1 Smera
2 Crisil
3 Care
4 Fitch
5 Onicra
6 Dampb
7 Icra
They provide credit rating evaluating the sme at different pramitter
Personal credit ratings
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
In the United States an individuals credit history is compiled and maintained by companies called
credit bureaus Credit worthiness is usually determined through a statistical analysis of the available
credit data A common form of this analysis is a 3-digit credit score provided by independent
financial service companies such as the FICO credit score (The term a registered trademark
comes from Fair Isaac Corporation which pioneered the credit rating concept in the late 1950s)
An individuals credit score along with his or her credit report affects his or her ability to borrow
money through financial institutions such as banks
In Canada the most common ratings are the North American Standard Account Ratings also
known as the R ratings which have a range between R0 and R9 R0 refers to a new account R1
refers to on-time payments R9 refers to bad debt
The factors which may influence a persons credit rating are
1) ability to pay a loan 2) interest 3)amount of credit used
4) saving patterns 5)spending patterns 6) debt
19
Corporate credit ratings
[The credit rating of a corporation is a financial indicator to potential investors of debt securities
such as bonds These are assigned by credit rating agencies such as Standard amp Poors Moodys or
Fitch Ratings and have letter designations such as AAA B CC The Standard amp Poors rating scale
is as follows AAA AA A BBB BB B CCC CC C D Anything lower than a BBB rating is
considered a speculative or junk bond The Moodys rating system is similar in concept but the
verbage is a little different
It is as follows
AAA
Aa1 Aa2 Aa3
A1 A2 A3
Baa1 Baa2 Baa3
Ba1 Ba2 Ba3
B1 B2 B3
Caa1 Caa2 Caa3
Ca
C
Sovereign credit
ratings
Cont Risk rankings
Least risky countries
Score out of 100
Rank
Previous Country Overall score
1 1 Luxembourg 9988
2 2 Norway 9747
3 3 Switzerland 9621
4 4 Denmark 9339
5 5 Sweden 9296
6 6 Ireland 9236
7 10 Austria 9225
8 9 Finland 9195
9 8 Netherlands 9195
10 7 United States 9127
20
A sovereign credit rating is the credit rating of a sovereign entity ie a country The sovereign
credit rating indicates the risk level of the investing environment of a country and is used by
investors looking to invest abroad It takes political risk into account
The table shows the ten least-risky countries for investment as of March 2008 Ratings are further
broken down into components including political risk economic risk Euromoneys bi-annual
country risk index Country risk surveymonitors the political and economic stability of 185
21
sovereign countries Results focus foremost on economics specifically sovereign default risk
andor payment default risk for exporters (aka trade credit risk)
Short term rating
A short term rating is a probability factor of an individual going into default within a year This is
in contrast to long-term rating which is evaluated over a long timeframe
Credit scores for individuals are assigned by credit bureaus (US UK credit reference agencies)
Credit ratings for corporations and sovereign debt are assigned by credit rating agencies
In the United States the main credit bureaus are Experian Equifax and TransUnion A relatively
new credit bureau in the US is Innovis
In the United Kingdom the main credit reference agencies for individuals are Experian Equifax
and Callcredit There is no universal credit rating as such rather each individual lender credit
scores based on its own wish-list of a perfect customer
In Canada the main credit bureaus for individuals are Equifax TransUnion and Northern Credit
Bureaus Experian
In India the main credit bureaus are CRISIL ICRA and Credit Registration Office (CRO)
The largest credit rating agencies (which tend to operate worldwide) are Moodys Standard and
Poors and Fitch Ratings
CREDIT RISK
Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either
the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
Faced by lenders to consumers
Most lenders employ their own models (Credit Scorecards) to rank potential and existing customers
according to risk and then apply appropriate strategies With products such as unsecured personal
loans or mortgages lenders charge a higher price for higher risk customers and vice versa With
22
revolving products such as credit cards and overdrafts risk is controlled through careful setting of
credit limits Some products also require security most commonly in the form of property
Faced by lenders to business
Lenders will trade off the costbenefits of a loan according to its risks and the interest charged But
interest rates are not the only method to compensate for risk Protective covenants are written into
loan agreements that allow the lender some controls These covenants may
limit the borrowers ability to weaken his balance sheet voluntarily eg by buying back shares
or paying dividends or borrowing further
allow for monitoring the debt requiring audits and monthly reports
allow the lender to decide when he can recall the loan based on specific events or when
financial ratios like debtequity or interest coverage deteriorate
A recent innovation to protect lenders and bond holders from the danger of default are credit
derivatives most commonly in the form of a credit default swap These financial contracts allow
companies to buy protection against defaults from a third party the protection seller The protection
seller receives a periodic fee (the credit spread) as compensation for the risk it takes and in return it
agrees to buy the debt should a credit event (default) occur
Faced by business
Companies carry credit risk when for example they do not demand up-front cash payment for
products or services By delivering the product or service first and billing the customer later - if its
a business customer the terms may be quoted as net 30 - the company is carrying a risk between the
delivery and payment
Significant resources and sophisticated programs are used to analyze and manage risk Some
companies run a credit risk department whose job is to assess the financial health of their
customers and extend credit (or not) accordingly They may use in house programs to advise on
avoiding reducing and transferring risk They also use third party provided intelligence
23
Companies like Standard amp Poors Moodys and Dun and Bradstreet provide such information for a
fee
For example a distributor selling its products to a troubled retailer may attempt to lessen credit risk
by tightening payment terms to net 15 or by actually selling fewer products on credit to the
retailer or even cutting off credit entirely and demanding payment in advance Such strategies
impact sales volume but reduce exposure to credit risk and subsequent payment defaults
Credit risk is not really manageable for very small companies (ie those with only one or two
customers) This makes these companies very vulnerable to defaults or even payment delays by
their customers
The use of a collection agency is not really a tool to manage credit risk rather it is an extreme
measure closer to a write down in that the creditor expects a below-agreed return after the
collection agency takes its share (if it is able to get anything at all)
Faced by individuals
Consumers may face credit risk in a direct form as depositors at banks or as investorslenders They
may also face credit risk when entering into standard commercial transactions by providing a
deposit to their counterparty eg for a large purchase or a real estate rental Employees of any firm
also depend on the firms ability to pay wages and are exposed to the credit risk of their employer
In some cases governments recognize that an individuals capacity to evaluate credit risk may be
limited and the risk may reduce economic efficiency governments may enact various legal
measures or mechanisms with the intention of protecting consumers against some of these risks
Bank deposits notably are insured in many countries (to some maximum amount) for individuals
effectively limiting their credit risk to banks and increasing their willingness to use the banking
system
24
Credit history
Credit history or credit report is in many countries a record of an individuals or companys past
borrowing and repaying including information about late payments and bankruptcy The term
credit reputation can either be used synonymous to credit history or to credit score
In the US when a customer fills out an application for credit from a bank store or credit card
company their information is forwarded to a credit bureau The credit bureau matches the name
address and other identifying information on the credit applicant with information retained by the
bureau in its files
This information is used by lenders such as credit card companies to determine an individuals
credit worthiness that is determining an individuals willingness to repay a debt The willingness
to repay a debt is indicated by how timely past payments have been made to other lenders Lenders
like to see consumer debt obligations paid on a monthly basis
The other factor in determining whether a lender will provide a consumer credit or a loan is
dependent on income The higher the income all other things being equal the more credit the
consumer can access However lenders make credit granting decisions based on both ability to
repay a debt (income) and willingness (the credit report) as indicated in the past payment history
These factors help lenders determine whether to extend credit and on what terms With the
adoption of risk-based pricing on almost all lending in the financial services industry this report
has become even more important since it is usually the sole element used to choose the annual
percentage rate (APR) grace period and other contractual obligations of the credit card or loan
How credit rating is determined
Credit ratings are determined differently in each country but the factors are similar and may
include
Payment record - a record of bills being overdue generally being more than 30 days will lower
the credit rating
25
Control of debt - Lenders want to see that borrowers are not living beyond their means Experts
estimate that non-mortgage credit payments each month should not exceed more than 15
percent of the borrowers after tax income
Signs of responsibility and stability - Lenders perceive things such as longevity in the
borrowers home and job (at least two years) as signs of stability
Re-Aging - Through re-aging a credit history is re-written and you are given a fresh start on
that particular account This can dramatically improve the credit score In 2000 the Federal
Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFEIC) clarified guidelines on re-aging accounts
for delinquent borrowers
Credit outstanding--Lenders dont like to see the amount of credit owed bumping up against the
credit limit of a card Generally a good idea is to owe no more than one-third of your total
credit limit on a credit card
Credit inquiries ndash An inquiry is a notation on a credit history file There are several kinds of
notations that may or may not have an adverse effect on the credit score Soft pulls dont affect
the credit score and are characteristic of the following examples
A credit bureau may sell a persons contact information to an advertiser wanting to offer credit
cards loans and insurance based on certain criteria that the lender has established A creditor also
checks a persons credit periodically Or a credit counseling agency with the clients permission
can obtain a clients credit report with no adverse action Each of the preceding examples are
commonly referred to as a soft credit pull
However hard credit inquiries are made by lenders when consumers are seeking credit or a loan
Lenders when granted a permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act can
check a credit history for the purposes of extending credit to a consumer Hard inquiries from
lenders directly affect the borrowers credit score Keeping credit inquiries to a minimum can help a
persons credit rating A lender may perceive many inquiries over a short period of time on a
persons report as a signal that the person is in financial difficulty and is looking for loans and will
possibly consider that person a poor credit risk
26
Credit cards that are not used - Although it is believed that having too many credit cards can have
an adverse effect on a credit score closing these lines of credit will not improve your score The
credit rating formula looks at the difference between the amount of credit a person has and the
amount being used so closing one or more accounts will reduce your total available credit And the
lower the percentage of available credit the more the credit score will drop The credit formula also
factors in the length of time credit accounts have been open so closing an account with several
years of history is another avoidable credit mistake
Understanding credit reports and scores
The Government of Canada offers a free publication called Understanding Your Credit Report and
Credit Score This publication provides sample credit report and credit score documents with
explanations of the notations and codes that are used It also contains general information on how
to build or improve credit history and how to check for signs that identity theft has occurred The
publication is available online at httpwwwfcacgcca the site of the Financial Consumer Agency
of Canada Paper copies can also be ordered at no charge for residents of Canada
Credit History of Immigrants
Credit history usually applies to only one country Even within the same credit card network
information is not shared between different countries For example if a person has been living in
Canada for many years and then moves to the United States when they apply for credit cards or a
mortgage in the US they would usually not be approved because of a lack of credit history even
if they had an excellent credit rating in their home country and even if they had a very high salary
in their home country
An immigrant must establish a credit history from scratch in the new country Therefore it is
usually very difficult for immigrants to obtain credit cards and mortgages until after they have
worked in the new country with a stable income for several years
Adverse Credit
Adverse credit history also called sub-prime credit history non-status credit history
impaired credit history poor credit history and bad credit history is a negative credit rating
27
A negative credit rating is often considered undesirable to lenders and other extenders of credit for
the purposes of loaning money or capital
In the US a consumers credit history is compiled by credit rating agencies more commonly
referred to as consumer reporting agencies or credit bureaus The data reported to these agencies
are primarily provided to them by creditors and includes detailed records of the relationship a
person has with the lender Detailed account information including payment history credit limits
high and low balances and any aggressive actions taken to recover overdue debts are all reported
regularly (usually monthly) This information is reviewed by a lender to determine whether to
approve a loan and on what terms
As credit became more popular it became more difficult for lenders to evaluate and approve credit
card and loan applications in a timely and efficient manner To address this issue credit scoring
was adopted
Credit scoring is the process of using a proprietary mathematical algorithm to create a numerical
value that describes an applicants overall creditworthiness Scores frequently based on numbers
(ranging from 300-850 for consumers in the United States) statistically analyze a credit history in
comparison to other debtors and gauge the magnitude of financial risk Since lending money to a
person or company is a risk credit scoring offers a standardized way for lenders to assess that risk
rapidly and without prejudiceAll credit bureaus also offer credit scoring as a supplemental
service
Credit scores assess the likelihood that a borrower will repay a loan or other credit obligation The
higher the score the better the credit history and the higher the probability that the loan will be
repaid on time When creditors report an excessive number of late payments or trouble with
collecting payments the score suffers Similarly when adverse judgments and collection agency
activity are reported the score decreases even more Repeated delinquencies or public record
entries can lower the score and trigger what is called a negative credit rating or adverse credit
history
When a lender requests a credit score it can cause a small drop in the credit score That is because
as stated above a number of inquiries over a relatively short period of time can indicate the
consumer is in a financially difficult situation
28
Consequences
The information in a credit report is sold by credit agencies to organizations that are considering
whether to offer credit to individuals or companies It is also available to other entities with a
permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act The consequence of a negative
credit rating is typically a reduction in the likelihood that a lender will approve an application for
credit under favorable terms if at all Interest rates on loans are significantly affected by credit
historymdashthe higher the credit rating the lower the interest while the lower the credit rating the
higher the interest The increased interest is used to offset the higher rate of default within the low
credit rating group of individuals
In the United States in certain cases insurance housing and employment can also be denied based
on a negative credit rating
Note that is not the credit reporting agencies that decide whether a credit history is adverse It is
the individual lender or creditor which makes that decision each lender has its own policy on what
scores fall within their guidelines The specific scores that fall within a lenders guidelines are most
often NOT disclosed to the applicant due to competitive reasons In the United States a creditor is
required to give the reasons for denying credit to an applicant immediately and must also provide
the name and address of the credit reporting agency who provided data that was used to make the
decision
More than One Credit History Per Person
In some countries people can have more than one credit history For example in Canada although
most Canadians are not aware of it every person who applied for credit before obtaining a Social
Insurance Number has two separate credit histories one with SIN and one without SIN This is due
to the credit reporting structure in Canada This can lead to two completely separate parallel
histories and often leads to inconsistencies (although typically the person in question will never
notice the inconsistencies) because when a lender asks for someones credit report with SIN what
the lender gets is different from what he would have gotten if he asked the report without providing
the SIN This is because contrary to popular belief when someone gets a new SIN for whatever
reason the two credit files are never merged unless the person requests specifically As a result a
29
record with SIN zeroed out is kept separately from a record with SIN Note this happens without
the person even knowing it
Credit score
A credit score is a numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a persons credit files to
represent the creditworthiness of that person which is the perceived likelihood that the person will
pay debts in a timely manner A credit score is primarily based on credit report information
typically sourced from credit bureaus credit reference agencies
Lenders such as banks and credit card companies use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk
posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt Lenders use credit
scores to determine who qualifies for a loan at what interest rate and what credit limits The use of
credit or identity scoring prior to authorizing access or granting credit is an implementation of a
trusted system
Credit scoring is not limited to banks Other organizations such as mobile phone companies
insurance companies employers and government departments employ the same techniques Credit
scoring also has a lot of overlap with data mining which uses many similar techniques
30
CHAPTER- 3
INTRODUCTION
OF
SMERA
SMERA ndash AN INTRODUCTION
31
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
PREFACE
To manage the complex and sophisticated organizations in the rapidly changing and competing
environment a manager is supposed to have in depth knowledge of the latest management
techniques Therefore to cope up with the various industrial problems in an organization training
for executive at various hierarchical levels is must That is why various universities and institutions
are running Commerce courses and Management courses of which this vocational training is a part
During my summer training at SME RATING AGENCY OF INDIA LTD I concentrated on the
project lsquoSales Promotion of SMERA products in dist Ferozpur
I am very thankful to Ms DALBIR who gave me proper guidance in the completion of my project
report
3
Contents
Chapter Topics
The Background
Marketing Research
Chapter 1 Introduction of Title
Chapter 2 Introduction of credit rating
Chapter 3 Introduction of SMERA
Chapter4 The Study of Organization
Sources of data
Objectives
Scope of Study
Research Methodology
Chapter5 Finding and Results
Chapter 6 Learning Limitations and Conclusion
Annexure
Questionnaire
Bibliography
4
THE BACKGROUND
Marketing research is defined as the systematic and objective identification collection analysis
and dissemination of information for the purpose of assisting management in decision making
related to the identification and solution of problems (and opportunities) in marketing
1) Identification Involves defining the marketing research problem (or opportunity) and
determining the information that is needed to address it
2) Collection Data must be obtained from relevant sources
3) Analysis Data are analyzed interpreted and inferences are drawn
4) Dissemination of information The findings implications and recommendations are
provided in a format that makes this information actionable and directly useful as an
input into decision-making
5
Used to identify and define market opportunities and problems
Generate refine and evaluate marketing performance
Monitor marketing performance
Improve understanding of marketing as a process
Marketing Research
6
Marketing Research
Problem Identification Research
Problem Solving Research
Market Potential ResearchMarket Share ResearchMarket Characteristics ResearchSales Analysis ResearchForecasting ResearchBusiness Trends Research
Segmentation ResearchProduct ResearchPromotion ResearchDistribution Research
A Classification of Marketing Research
Steps involved in the marketing research process are -
1) Problem definition Defining the marketing research problem to be addressed is the most
important step because all other steps will be based on this definition
2) Developing an approach to the problem Development of a broad specification of how the
problem will be addressed allows the researcher to break the problem into salient issues and
manageable pieces
3) Research design formulation A framework for conducting the marketing research project that
specifies the procedures necessary for obtaining the required information It details the
statistical methodology needed to solve the problem and thus the data requirements needed
from data collection
4) Fieldwork or data collection A field force (personal interviewing phone mail or electronic
surveys) gathers project data Although seemingly trivial in nature to obtain meaningful
results field workers must be accurate and thorough in data collection
5) Data preparation and analysis The editing coding transcription and verification of data
allow researchers to derive meaning from the data
6) Report preparation and presentation The findings are communicated to the client The report
should address the specific research questions identified in the problem definition describe
the approach the research design data collection and the data analysis procedures adopted
and present the results and the major findings
Marketing research provides the information for decision makers at each step of the marketing
decision process It is the goal of marketing research to provide relevant accurate reliable valid
and current information to management in order to facilitate managerial decisions Each of these
characteristics can be defined for as
7
Information that is relevant addresses the problem or issue being investigated
Information that is accurate correct and precise
Information that is reliable and originates from competent trustworthy sources
Information that is valid and is applicable to the problem at hand
Information that is current is timely and up-to-date for both the industry and issue under
consideration
There are two types of market research suppliers
Internal suppliermdasha marketing research department located within the firm where all the
marketing research staff members are employees of the firm Most major corporations have
their own marketing research departments
External suppliermdashresearch suppliers that are not a part of the firm The external supplier may
offer the entire range of marketing services including problem definition developing an
approach questionnaire design sampling data collection data analysis interpretation and
report preparation and presentation
Services offered by a full-service marketing research supplier are
1) Syndicated services Offered by research organizations that provide information from a
common database to different firms that subscribe to their services
2) Standardized services Research studies conducted for different client firms but always in the
same way
3) Customized services Offer a wide variety of marketing research services Customized or
tailor-made to suit the specific needs of a particular client
4) Internet services Offered by firms that have specialized in conducting marketing research on
the Internet
8
Services offered by a limited-service marketing research supplier are
1) Coding and data entry services The supplier will take the administered questionnaires edit
them develop a coding scheme and transcribe the data onto diskettes or magnetic tapes for
input into the computer
2) Analytical services These services include questionnaire design and pre ndash testing determining
the best means of collecting data sampling plans and other aspects of the research design
3) Data analysis services Offer sophisticated data analysis using multivariate techniques
4) Branded product and services Consist of specialized data collection and analysis
procedures developed to address specific types of marketing research problems
9
CHAPTER
1
INTRODUCTION
OF
TITLE
10
INTRODUCTION
Sales promotions are activities that shape buying patterns attract new audiences or increase sales
Its garbage of a word that encompasses everything that falls outside advertising publicity and
direct marketing although these might be used to deliver your sales promotions
Most textbooks see sales promotion as interfacing with price - this writer believes sales promotions
are broader than this Too often people think discounts are synonymous with sales promotion - not
true Sales promotions can include the provision of sampling or learning opportunities joint
promotions or collaborations with third Party networks special events giveaways and
competitions discounts incentives value adding and rewards
In this section we will also look at distribution and display of promotional materials mainly
because there is nowhere else for them to go
Imaginatively and carefully planned sales promotions can deliver long-term benefits to your
organization Too often they are used as an afterthought to get people through the door Not
surprisingly they usually look like last minute panic measures and that can signal failure not
success
One well-planned far-reaching promotion is better than heaps of little one-offs that bear no relation
to your overall strategy The work involved in developing sales promotions can often outweigh the
apparent benefit - if you measure the results in the broadest possible context you just might find
you have successfully reached people outside the inner arts circle
As the term implies - the ultimate goal is sales or transactions However promotions can be
planned to increase sales over a long period within a specific market segment so it is not always
about immediate results
11
Why do it
Good sales promotions say something about your work and who you are They can be an
inexpensive way of increasing awareness of reaching new buyers or extending the buying choices
of existing audiences As inessential part of your campaign they should be planned from the
beginning While sales promotions can often be done cheaply there should always be a line item
for this activity in your budget no matter how small Because sales promotions often involve
working with other organizations they can open doors into the wider community By building
mutually beneficial relationships you could also be paving the way for sponsorship
Remember never devalue your product This is really easy to do if you are desperate which is why
the best sales promotions are usually planned well in advance
Follow our step-by-step guide Sales promotion how to do it
ANALYSE THE BENEFITS
When you are identifying possible sales promotions make sure that everyone involved including
the customer benefits
The benefits might be
1048698 access to communications channels such as lists clients or advertising
1048698 the feel good factor the association creates for clients or customers
1048698 reinforcement of the companys image
1048698 provision of rewards to clients or audiences
1048698 stimulation from working and learning from each other
1048698-increased sales
1048698 better seats priority booking private viewings cheaper prices learning opportunities and so on
12
IDENTIFY OUTLETS FOR YOUR PROMOTION
Distribution and display
The fliers are sitting in a nice pile in your office Now to the real point of print getting it into the
right hands
Tip Distribution and display
The media
Media are widely used to deliver sales promotions usually in the form of reader offers or
competitions
Tip Media promotions
Networks
Tapping into outside networks can be very cost effective and help you reach hundreds or thousands
of people These might include large employers credit card companies travel agencies
associations such as Rotary manufacturers of fast moving consumer goods such as milk and so on
There is a range of service organizations who communicate regularly with their members such as
The Writers Guild Australian Music Centre National Association of Visual Artists (NAVA)
Council- run community centers and many more
Tip Creating networks
Comment Extending your networks
Comment Cultural tourism
Events
An event can often be a form of sales promotion - if it is designed to reach new audiences or is
devised to encourage attendance at future events
Tip Using events
Comment The sports link
13
Establishing strategic alliances
Certain communities are large motivated and very well organized the gay and lesbian community
for example or some ethnic communities Work with them their publications and invite these
communities to become a part of your organization planning ways to produce mutual benefit
Approaches can range from artists residencies or going to their community centers to charity
appeals to discounted tickets it depends on the needs of the particular community
Sponsors
Sponsors can introduce you to new networks they are also often looking for ways to provide
benefits for their staff This is an excellent way to extend your reach and attract new audiences
Sponsor receptions often-bringin visitors who are new to the art form find ways to increase their
appreciation and enjoyment of the occasion beyond providing champagne and canapeacutes This could
be sending programs in advance or inviting the artist curator or theatre director to talk about the
production at the pre-performance reception Even a signed poster can be a treasured memento of
the occasion
DESIGNING THE RESPONSE AND THE FOLLOW UP
Sometimes promotions do not realize their full potential because the response mechanism is too
complicated or unclear It should be easy to respond by ticking a box picking up the phone
handing over the coupon and soon There is a risk in giving people too many choices as it can take
too long to work out what to do On the other hand customers like offers to be as flexible as
possible
PACKAGING PREMIUMS AND DISCOUNTS
Packages can range from subscription a concept most people are familiar with to
14
Premium packages
Dinner parking amp ticket which is sometimes called up-pricing premium pricing or adding value to
the evening It could be as simple as including a bottle or glass of champagne providing valet
parking or an opportunity to see the exhibition when the general public is not there
Membership schemes
Membership schemes encourage long term loyalty to an organization and offer special prices or
private rooms or exclusive events targeted at the interests and lifestyle of the membership These
schemes are becoming increasingly important to all kinds of arts organizations
Discount packages
1048698 2fers or buy one get one free these are best targeted at people who attendbuy infrequently
Money is rarely a deterrent to the more typical arts attender unless they are very frequent users
1048698 cross art form deals these recognize that many people are eclectic and want a range of arts
experiences It is hard to get these right and they seem to work best when packaged at one venue
under recognizable brand
1048698 Group bookings these encourage bulk purchase by providing a special price for groups The
heart-ofgoldgroup organizer is a dying breed so companies are now making it easier to get a
group together by reducing the party size from 20 to 10 or even 6
1048698 School bookings group packages also exist for schools Usually the teacher is given a free pass
and a ratio of pupils to teacher is often specified
1048698 Multi-tix special prices can be offered to people buying three or more events in a period for
example during a festival This is a hybrid of the subscription concept that aims to increase
transaction levels through price
15
Lifestyle packages
1048698 Babysitting packages where baby-sitting services or cregraveches are provided recognize the needs
of mothers families have greater pressures on their time and money and finding ways to make
it easier for them to be part of your organization will reap rewards
1048698 Sunday brunch afternoon tea sunset or late night events are designed to fit in with and enhance
peoples lifestyle
1048698 Youth offers like rush tickets special prices special drinks themed events and other features
recognize the lifestyle needs of young people interested in your work
Incentives
1048698 these can be gifts provided with the purchase of subscription or membership to an organization
eg key rings fridge magnets diaries calendars CDs There is little evidence that these
increase sales but they can generate loyalty and good will
1048698 large corporations are also looking for incentives to give to their staff or clients and arts
companies are well positioned to provide these (discounts should not apply)
This is just the teeny tip of a very large iceberg
16
CHAPTER-2
INTRODUCTION
OF
CREDIT
RATING
17
Credit rating
A credit rating assesses the credit worthiness of an individual corporation or even a country
Credit ratings are calculated from financial history and current assets and liabilities Typically a
credit rating tells a lender or investor the probability of the subject being able to pay back a loan
However in recent years credit ratings have also been used to adjust insurance premiums
determine employment eligibility and establish the amount of a utility or leasing deposit
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
Especially in context for sme earlier the which credit was done by the bank was not beneficial in
respect of sme because the prior credit rating includes analyses of few thing like past payment
record profit and loss account and another fact of balance sheet of three financial year so give the
all benefits earlier which was not given due to ignorance was avail by credit rating through by
credit ratings Third party rating has been gaining ground in our due to the fact that the lending
institutions have been asked to maintain adequate capital by the rbi as per Basel norms to maintain
the said adequacy the bank and finned to exhibit the classification of the units so that distinction
for good and bad units can be made and subsequently the provisioning for the said units can be
made accordingly
Credit rating agency
A credit rating agency (CRA) is a company that assigns credit ratings for issuers of certain types
of debt obligations as well as the debt instruments themselves In some cases the servicers of the
underlying debt are also given ratings In most cases the issuers of securities are companies
special purpose entities state and local governments non-profit organizations or national
governments issuing debt-like securities (ie bonds) that can be traded on a secondary market A
credit rating for an issuer takes into consideration the issuers credit worthiness (ie its ability to
pay back a loan) and affects the interest rate applied to the particular security being issued (In
contrast to CRAs a company that issues credit scores for individual credit-worthiness is generally
called a credit bureau or consumer credit reporting agency)
18
In respect of india there are many credit rating agancy few of them are as
shown below
1 Smera
2 Crisil
3 Care
4 Fitch
5 Onicra
6 Dampb
7 Icra
They provide credit rating evaluating the sme at different pramitter
Personal credit ratings
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
In the United States an individuals credit history is compiled and maintained by companies called
credit bureaus Credit worthiness is usually determined through a statistical analysis of the available
credit data A common form of this analysis is a 3-digit credit score provided by independent
financial service companies such as the FICO credit score (The term a registered trademark
comes from Fair Isaac Corporation which pioneered the credit rating concept in the late 1950s)
An individuals credit score along with his or her credit report affects his or her ability to borrow
money through financial institutions such as banks
In Canada the most common ratings are the North American Standard Account Ratings also
known as the R ratings which have a range between R0 and R9 R0 refers to a new account R1
refers to on-time payments R9 refers to bad debt
The factors which may influence a persons credit rating are
1) ability to pay a loan 2) interest 3)amount of credit used
4) saving patterns 5)spending patterns 6) debt
19
Corporate credit ratings
[The credit rating of a corporation is a financial indicator to potential investors of debt securities
such as bonds These are assigned by credit rating agencies such as Standard amp Poors Moodys or
Fitch Ratings and have letter designations such as AAA B CC The Standard amp Poors rating scale
is as follows AAA AA A BBB BB B CCC CC C D Anything lower than a BBB rating is
considered a speculative or junk bond The Moodys rating system is similar in concept but the
verbage is a little different
It is as follows
AAA
Aa1 Aa2 Aa3
A1 A2 A3
Baa1 Baa2 Baa3
Ba1 Ba2 Ba3
B1 B2 B3
Caa1 Caa2 Caa3
Ca
C
Sovereign credit
ratings
Cont Risk rankings
Least risky countries
Score out of 100
Rank
Previous Country Overall score
1 1 Luxembourg 9988
2 2 Norway 9747
3 3 Switzerland 9621
4 4 Denmark 9339
5 5 Sweden 9296
6 6 Ireland 9236
7 10 Austria 9225
8 9 Finland 9195
9 8 Netherlands 9195
10 7 United States 9127
20
A sovereign credit rating is the credit rating of a sovereign entity ie a country The sovereign
credit rating indicates the risk level of the investing environment of a country and is used by
investors looking to invest abroad It takes political risk into account
The table shows the ten least-risky countries for investment as of March 2008 Ratings are further
broken down into components including political risk economic risk Euromoneys bi-annual
country risk index Country risk surveymonitors the political and economic stability of 185
21
sovereign countries Results focus foremost on economics specifically sovereign default risk
andor payment default risk for exporters (aka trade credit risk)
Short term rating
A short term rating is a probability factor of an individual going into default within a year This is
in contrast to long-term rating which is evaluated over a long timeframe
Credit scores for individuals are assigned by credit bureaus (US UK credit reference agencies)
Credit ratings for corporations and sovereign debt are assigned by credit rating agencies
In the United States the main credit bureaus are Experian Equifax and TransUnion A relatively
new credit bureau in the US is Innovis
In the United Kingdom the main credit reference agencies for individuals are Experian Equifax
and Callcredit There is no universal credit rating as such rather each individual lender credit
scores based on its own wish-list of a perfect customer
In Canada the main credit bureaus for individuals are Equifax TransUnion and Northern Credit
Bureaus Experian
In India the main credit bureaus are CRISIL ICRA and Credit Registration Office (CRO)
The largest credit rating agencies (which tend to operate worldwide) are Moodys Standard and
Poors and Fitch Ratings
CREDIT RISK
Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either
the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
Faced by lenders to consumers
Most lenders employ their own models (Credit Scorecards) to rank potential and existing customers
according to risk and then apply appropriate strategies With products such as unsecured personal
loans or mortgages lenders charge a higher price for higher risk customers and vice versa With
22
revolving products such as credit cards and overdrafts risk is controlled through careful setting of
credit limits Some products also require security most commonly in the form of property
Faced by lenders to business
Lenders will trade off the costbenefits of a loan according to its risks and the interest charged But
interest rates are not the only method to compensate for risk Protective covenants are written into
loan agreements that allow the lender some controls These covenants may
limit the borrowers ability to weaken his balance sheet voluntarily eg by buying back shares
or paying dividends or borrowing further
allow for monitoring the debt requiring audits and monthly reports
allow the lender to decide when he can recall the loan based on specific events or when
financial ratios like debtequity or interest coverage deteriorate
A recent innovation to protect lenders and bond holders from the danger of default are credit
derivatives most commonly in the form of a credit default swap These financial contracts allow
companies to buy protection against defaults from a third party the protection seller The protection
seller receives a periodic fee (the credit spread) as compensation for the risk it takes and in return it
agrees to buy the debt should a credit event (default) occur
Faced by business
Companies carry credit risk when for example they do not demand up-front cash payment for
products or services By delivering the product or service first and billing the customer later - if its
a business customer the terms may be quoted as net 30 - the company is carrying a risk between the
delivery and payment
Significant resources and sophisticated programs are used to analyze and manage risk Some
companies run a credit risk department whose job is to assess the financial health of their
customers and extend credit (or not) accordingly They may use in house programs to advise on
avoiding reducing and transferring risk They also use third party provided intelligence
23
Companies like Standard amp Poors Moodys and Dun and Bradstreet provide such information for a
fee
For example a distributor selling its products to a troubled retailer may attempt to lessen credit risk
by tightening payment terms to net 15 or by actually selling fewer products on credit to the
retailer or even cutting off credit entirely and demanding payment in advance Such strategies
impact sales volume but reduce exposure to credit risk and subsequent payment defaults
Credit risk is not really manageable for very small companies (ie those with only one or two
customers) This makes these companies very vulnerable to defaults or even payment delays by
their customers
The use of a collection agency is not really a tool to manage credit risk rather it is an extreme
measure closer to a write down in that the creditor expects a below-agreed return after the
collection agency takes its share (if it is able to get anything at all)
Faced by individuals
Consumers may face credit risk in a direct form as depositors at banks or as investorslenders They
may also face credit risk when entering into standard commercial transactions by providing a
deposit to their counterparty eg for a large purchase or a real estate rental Employees of any firm
also depend on the firms ability to pay wages and are exposed to the credit risk of their employer
In some cases governments recognize that an individuals capacity to evaluate credit risk may be
limited and the risk may reduce economic efficiency governments may enact various legal
measures or mechanisms with the intention of protecting consumers against some of these risks
Bank deposits notably are insured in many countries (to some maximum amount) for individuals
effectively limiting their credit risk to banks and increasing their willingness to use the banking
system
24
Credit history
Credit history or credit report is in many countries a record of an individuals or companys past
borrowing and repaying including information about late payments and bankruptcy The term
credit reputation can either be used synonymous to credit history or to credit score
In the US when a customer fills out an application for credit from a bank store or credit card
company their information is forwarded to a credit bureau The credit bureau matches the name
address and other identifying information on the credit applicant with information retained by the
bureau in its files
This information is used by lenders such as credit card companies to determine an individuals
credit worthiness that is determining an individuals willingness to repay a debt The willingness
to repay a debt is indicated by how timely past payments have been made to other lenders Lenders
like to see consumer debt obligations paid on a monthly basis
The other factor in determining whether a lender will provide a consumer credit or a loan is
dependent on income The higher the income all other things being equal the more credit the
consumer can access However lenders make credit granting decisions based on both ability to
repay a debt (income) and willingness (the credit report) as indicated in the past payment history
These factors help lenders determine whether to extend credit and on what terms With the
adoption of risk-based pricing on almost all lending in the financial services industry this report
has become even more important since it is usually the sole element used to choose the annual
percentage rate (APR) grace period and other contractual obligations of the credit card or loan
How credit rating is determined
Credit ratings are determined differently in each country but the factors are similar and may
include
Payment record - a record of bills being overdue generally being more than 30 days will lower
the credit rating
25
Control of debt - Lenders want to see that borrowers are not living beyond their means Experts
estimate that non-mortgage credit payments each month should not exceed more than 15
percent of the borrowers after tax income
Signs of responsibility and stability - Lenders perceive things such as longevity in the
borrowers home and job (at least two years) as signs of stability
Re-Aging - Through re-aging a credit history is re-written and you are given a fresh start on
that particular account This can dramatically improve the credit score In 2000 the Federal
Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFEIC) clarified guidelines on re-aging accounts
for delinquent borrowers
Credit outstanding--Lenders dont like to see the amount of credit owed bumping up against the
credit limit of a card Generally a good idea is to owe no more than one-third of your total
credit limit on a credit card
Credit inquiries ndash An inquiry is a notation on a credit history file There are several kinds of
notations that may or may not have an adverse effect on the credit score Soft pulls dont affect
the credit score and are characteristic of the following examples
A credit bureau may sell a persons contact information to an advertiser wanting to offer credit
cards loans and insurance based on certain criteria that the lender has established A creditor also
checks a persons credit periodically Or a credit counseling agency with the clients permission
can obtain a clients credit report with no adverse action Each of the preceding examples are
commonly referred to as a soft credit pull
However hard credit inquiries are made by lenders when consumers are seeking credit or a loan
Lenders when granted a permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act can
check a credit history for the purposes of extending credit to a consumer Hard inquiries from
lenders directly affect the borrowers credit score Keeping credit inquiries to a minimum can help a
persons credit rating A lender may perceive many inquiries over a short period of time on a
persons report as a signal that the person is in financial difficulty and is looking for loans and will
possibly consider that person a poor credit risk
26
Credit cards that are not used - Although it is believed that having too many credit cards can have
an adverse effect on a credit score closing these lines of credit will not improve your score The
credit rating formula looks at the difference between the amount of credit a person has and the
amount being used so closing one or more accounts will reduce your total available credit And the
lower the percentage of available credit the more the credit score will drop The credit formula also
factors in the length of time credit accounts have been open so closing an account with several
years of history is another avoidable credit mistake
Understanding credit reports and scores
The Government of Canada offers a free publication called Understanding Your Credit Report and
Credit Score This publication provides sample credit report and credit score documents with
explanations of the notations and codes that are used It also contains general information on how
to build or improve credit history and how to check for signs that identity theft has occurred The
publication is available online at httpwwwfcacgcca the site of the Financial Consumer Agency
of Canada Paper copies can also be ordered at no charge for residents of Canada
Credit History of Immigrants
Credit history usually applies to only one country Even within the same credit card network
information is not shared between different countries For example if a person has been living in
Canada for many years and then moves to the United States when they apply for credit cards or a
mortgage in the US they would usually not be approved because of a lack of credit history even
if they had an excellent credit rating in their home country and even if they had a very high salary
in their home country
An immigrant must establish a credit history from scratch in the new country Therefore it is
usually very difficult for immigrants to obtain credit cards and mortgages until after they have
worked in the new country with a stable income for several years
Adverse Credit
Adverse credit history also called sub-prime credit history non-status credit history
impaired credit history poor credit history and bad credit history is a negative credit rating
27
A negative credit rating is often considered undesirable to lenders and other extenders of credit for
the purposes of loaning money or capital
In the US a consumers credit history is compiled by credit rating agencies more commonly
referred to as consumer reporting agencies or credit bureaus The data reported to these agencies
are primarily provided to them by creditors and includes detailed records of the relationship a
person has with the lender Detailed account information including payment history credit limits
high and low balances and any aggressive actions taken to recover overdue debts are all reported
regularly (usually monthly) This information is reviewed by a lender to determine whether to
approve a loan and on what terms
As credit became more popular it became more difficult for lenders to evaluate and approve credit
card and loan applications in a timely and efficient manner To address this issue credit scoring
was adopted
Credit scoring is the process of using a proprietary mathematical algorithm to create a numerical
value that describes an applicants overall creditworthiness Scores frequently based on numbers
(ranging from 300-850 for consumers in the United States) statistically analyze a credit history in
comparison to other debtors and gauge the magnitude of financial risk Since lending money to a
person or company is a risk credit scoring offers a standardized way for lenders to assess that risk
rapidly and without prejudiceAll credit bureaus also offer credit scoring as a supplemental
service
Credit scores assess the likelihood that a borrower will repay a loan or other credit obligation The
higher the score the better the credit history and the higher the probability that the loan will be
repaid on time When creditors report an excessive number of late payments or trouble with
collecting payments the score suffers Similarly when adverse judgments and collection agency
activity are reported the score decreases even more Repeated delinquencies or public record
entries can lower the score and trigger what is called a negative credit rating or adverse credit
history
When a lender requests a credit score it can cause a small drop in the credit score That is because
as stated above a number of inquiries over a relatively short period of time can indicate the
consumer is in a financially difficult situation
28
Consequences
The information in a credit report is sold by credit agencies to organizations that are considering
whether to offer credit to individuals or companies It is also available to other entities with a
permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act The consequence of a negative
credit rating is typically a reduction in the likelihood that a lender will approve an application for
credit under favorable terms if at all Interest rates on loans are significantly affected by credit
historymdashthe higher the credit rating the lower the interest while the lower the credit rating the
higher the interest The increased interest is used to offset the higher rate of default within the low
credit rating group of individuals
In the United States in certain cases insurance housing and employment can also be denied based
on a negative credit rating
Note that is not the credit reporting agencies that decide whether a credit history is adverse It is
the individual lender or creditor which makes that decision each lender has its own policy on what
scores fall within their guidelines The specific scores that fall within a lenders guidelines are most
often NOT disclosed to the applicant due to competitive reasons In the United States a creditor is
required to give the reasons for denying credit to an applicant immediately and must also provide
the name and address of the credit reporting agency who provided data that was used to make the
decision
More than One Credit History Per Person
In some countries people can have more than one credit history For example in Canada although
most Canadians are not aware of it every person who applied for credit before obtaining a Social
Insurance Number has two separate credit histories one with SIN and one without SIN This is due
to the credit reporting structure in Canada This can lead to two completely separate parallel
histories and often leads to inconsistencies (although typically the person in question will never
notice the inconsistencies) because when a lender asks for someones credit report with SIN what
the lender gets is different from what he would have gotten if he asked the report without providing
the SIN This is because contrary to popular belief when someone gets a new SIN for whatever
reason the two credit files are never merged unless the person requests specifically As a result a
29
record with SIN zeroed out is kept separately from a record with SIN Note this happens without
the person even knowing it
Credit score
A credit score is a numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a persons credit files to
represent the creditworthiness of that person which is the perceived likelihood that the person will
pay debts in a timely manner A credit score is primarily based on credit report information
typically sourced from credit bureaus credit reference agencies
Lenders such as banks and credit card companies use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk
posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt Lenders use credit
scores to determine who qualifies for a loan at what interest rate and what credit limits The use of
credit or identity scoring prior to authorizing access or granting credit is an implementation of a
trusted system
Credit scoring is not limited to banks Other organizations such as mobile phone companies
insurance companies employers and government departments employ the same techniques Credit
scoring also has a lot of overlap with data mining which uses many similar techniques
30
CHAPTER- 3
INTRODUCTION
OF
SMERA
SMERA ndash AN INTRODUCTION
31
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Contents
Chapter Topics
The Background
Marketing Research
Chapter 1 Introduction of Title
Chapter 2 Introduction of credit rating
Chapter 3 Introduction of SMERA
Chapter4 The Study of Organization
Sources of data
Objectives
Scope of Study
Research Methodology
Chapter5 Finding and Results
Chapter 6 Learning Limitations and Conclusion
Annexure
Questionnaire
Bibliography
4
THE BACKGROUND
Marketing research is defined as the systematic and objective identification collection analysis
and dissemination of information for the purpose of assisting management in decision making
related to the identification and solution of problems (and opportunities) in marketing
1) Identification Involves defining the marketing research problem (or opportunity) and
determining the information that is needed to address it
2) Collection Data must be obtained from relevant sources
3) Analysis Data are analyzed interpreted and inferences are drawn
4) Dissemination of information The findings implications and recommendations are
provided in a format that makes this information actionable and directly useful as an
input into decision-making
5
Used to identify and define market opportunities and problems
Generate refine and evaluate marketing performance
Monitor marketing performance
Improve understanding of marketing as a process
Marketing Research
6
Marketing Research
Problem Identification Research
Problem Solving Research
Market Potential ResearchMarket Share ResearchMarket Characteristics ResearchSales Analysis ResearchForecasting ResearchBusiness Trends Research
Segmentation ResearchProduct ResearchPromotion ResearchDistribution Research
A Classification of Marketing Research
Steps involved in the marketing research process are -
1) Problem definition Defining the marketing research problem to be addressed is the most
important step because all other steps will be based on this definition
2) Developing an approach to the problem Development of a broad specification of how the
problem will be addressed allows the researcher to break the problem into salient issues and
manageable pieces
3) Research design formulation A framework for conducting the marketing research project that
specifies the procedures necessary for obtaining the required information It details the
statistical methodology needed to solve the problem and thus the data requirements needed
from data collection
4) Fieldwork or data collection A field force (personal interviewing phone mail or electronic
surveys) gathers project data Although seemingly trivial in nature to obtain meaningful
results field workers must be accurate and thorough in data collection
5) Data preparation and analysis The editing coding transcription and verification of data
allow researchers to derive meaning from the data
6) Report preparation and presentation The findings are communicated to the client The report
should address the specific research questions identified in the problem definition describe
the approach the research design data collection and the data analysis procedures adopted
and present the results and the major findings
Marketing research provides the information for decision makers at each step of the marketing
decision process It is the goal of marketing research to provide relevant accurate reliable valid
and current information to management in order to facilitate managerial decisions Each of these
characteristics can be defined for as
7
Information that is relevant addresses the problem or issue being investigated
Information that is accurate correct and precise
Information that is reliable and originates from competent trustworthy sources
Information that is valid and is applicable to the problem at hand
Information that is current is timely and up-to-date for both the industry and issue under
consideration
There are two types of market research suppliers
Internal suppliermdasha marketing research department located within the firm where all the
marketing research staff members are employees of the firm Most major corporations have
their own marketing research departments
External suppliermdashresearch suppliers that are not a part of the firm The external supplier may
offer the entire range of marketing services including problem definition developing an
approach questionnaire design sampling data collection data analysis interpretation and
report preparation and presentation
Services offered by a full-service marketing research supplier are
1) Syndicated services Offered by research organizations that provide information from a
common database to different firms that subscribe to their services
2) Standardized services Research studies conducted for different client firms but always in the
same way
3) Customized services Offer a wide variety of marketing research services Customized or
tailor-made to suit the specific needs of a particular client
4) Internet services Offered by firms that have specialized in conducting marketing research on
the Internet
8
Services offered by a limited-service marketing research supplier are
1) Coding and data entry services The supplier will take the administered questionnaires edit
them develop a coding scheme and transcribe the data onto diskettes or magnetic tapes for
input into the computer
2) Analytical services These services include questionnaire design and pre ndash testing determining
the best means of collecting data sampling plans and other aspects of the research design
3) Data analysis services Offer sophisticated data analysis using multivariate techniques
4) Branded product and services Consist of specialized data collection and analysis
procedures developed to address specific types of marketing research problems
9
CHAPTER
1
INTRODUCTION
OF
TITLE
10
INTRODUCTION
Sales promotions are activities that shape buying patterns attract new audiences or increase sales
Its garbage of a word that encompasses everything that falls outside advertising publicity and
direct marketing although these might be used to deliver your sales promotions
Most textbooks see sales promotion as interfacing with price - this writer believes sales promotions
are broader than this Too often people think discounts are synonymous with sales promotion - not
true Sales promotions can include the provision of sampling or learning opportunities joint
promotions or collaborations with third Party networks special events giveaways and
competitions discounts incentives value adding and rewards
In this section we will also look at distribution and display of promotional materials mainly
because there is nowhere else for them to go
Imaginatively and carefully planned sales promotions can deliver long-term benefits to your
organization Too often they are used as an afterthought to get people through the door Not
surprisingly they usually look like last minute panic measures and that can signal failure not
success
One well-planned far-reaching promotion is better than heaps of little one-offs that bear no relation
to your overall strategy The work involved in developing sales promotions can often outweigh the
apparent benefit - if you measure the results in the broadest possible context you just might find
you have successfully reached people outside the inner arts circle
As the term implies - the ultimate goal is sales or transactions However promotions can be
planned to increase sales over a long period within a specific market segment so it is not always
about immediate results
11
Why do it
Good sales promotions say something about your work and who you are They can be an
inexpensive way of increasing awareness of reaching new buyers or extending the buying choices
of existing audiences As inessential part of your campaign they should be planned from the
beginning While sales promotions can often be done cheaply there should always be a line item
for this activity in your budget no matter how small Because sales promotions often involve
working with other organizations they can open doors into the wider community By building
mutually beneficial relationships you could also be paving the way for sponsorship
Remember never devalue your product This is really easy to do if you are desperate which is why
the best sales promotions are usually planned well in advance
Follow our step-by-step guide Sales promotion how to do it
ANALYSE THE BENEFITS
When you are identifying possible sales promotions make sure that everyone involved including
the customer benefits
The benefits might be
1048698 access to communications channels such as lists clients or advertising
1048698 the feel good factor the association creates for clients or customers
1048698 reinforcement of the companys image
1048698 provision of rewards to clients or audiences
1048698 stimulation from working and learning from each other
1048698-increased sales
1048698 better seats priority booking private viewings cheaper prices learning opportunities and so on
12
IDENTIFY OUTLETS FOR YOUR PROMOTION
Distribution and display
The fliers are sitting in a nice pile in your office Now to the real point of print getting it into the
right hands
Tip Distribution and display
The media
Media are widely used to deliver sales promotions usually in the form of reader offers or
competitions
Tip Media promotions
Networks
Tapping into outside networks can be very cost effective and help you reach hundreds or thousands
of people These might include large employers credit card companies travel agencies
associations such as Rotary manufacturers of fast moving consumer goods such as milk and so on
There is a range of service organizations who communicate regularly with their members such as
The Writers Guild Australian Music Centre National Association of Visual Artists (NAVA)
Council- run community centers and many more
Tip Creating networks
Comment Extending your networks
Comment Cultural tourism
Events
An event can often be a form of sales promotion - if it is designed to reach new audiences or is
devised to encourage attendance at future events
Tip Using events
Comment The sports link
13
Establishing strategic alliances
Certain communities are large motivated and very well organized the gay and lesbian community
for example or some ethnic communities Work with them their publications and invite these
communities to become a part of your organization planning ways to produce mutual benefit
Approaches can range from artists residencies or going to their community centers to charity
appeals to discounted tickets it depends on the needs of the particular community
Sponsors
Sponsors can introduce you to new networks they are also often looking for ways to provide
benefits for their staff This is an excellent way to extend your reach and attract new audiences
Sponsor receptions often-bringin visitors who are new to the art form find ways to increase their
appreciation and enjoyment of the occasion beyond providing champagne and canapeacutes This could
be sending programs in advance or inviting the artist curator or theatre director to talk about the
production at the pre-performance reception Even a signed poster can be a treasured memento of
the occasion
DESIGNING THE RESPONSE AND THE FOLLOW UP
Sometimes promotions do not realize their full potential because the response mechanism is too
complicated or unclear It should be easy to respond by ticking a box picking up the phone
handing over the coupon and soon There is a risk in giving people too many choices as it can take
too long to work out what to do On the other hand customers like offers to be as flexible as
possible
PACKAGING PREMIUMS AND DISCOUNTS
Packages can range from subscription a concept most people are familiar with to
14
Premium packages
Dinner parking amp ticket which is sometimes called up-pricing premium pricing or adding value to
the evening It could be as simple as including a bottle or glass of champagne providing valet
parking or an opportunity to see the exhibition when the general public is not there
Membership schemes
Membership schemes encourage long term loyalty to an organization and offer special prices or
private rooms or exclusive events targeted at the interests and lifestyle of the membership These
schemes are becoming increasingly important to all kinds of arts organizations
Discount packages
1048698 2fers or buy one get one free these are best targeted at people who attendbuy infrequently
Money is rarely a deterrent to the more typical arts attender unless they are very frequent users
1048698 cross art form deals these recognize that many people are eclectic and want a range of arts
experiences It is hard to get these right and they seem to work best when packaged at one venue
under recognizable brand
1048698 Group bookings these encourage bulk purchase by providing a special price for groups The
heart-ofgoldgroup organizer is a dying breed so companies are now making it easier to get a
group together by reducing the party size from 20 to 10 or even 6
1048698 School bookings group packages also exist for schools Usually the teacher is given a free pass
and a ratio of pupils to teacher is often specified
1048698 Multi-tix special prices can be offered to people buying three or more events in a period for
example during a festival This is a hybrid of the subscription concept that aims to increase
transaction levels through price
15
Lifestyle packages
1048698 Babysitting packages where baby-sitting services or cregraveches are provided recognize the needs
of mothers families have greater pressures on their time and money and finding ways to make
it easier for them to be part of your organization will reap rewards
1048698 Sunday brunch afternoon tea sunset or late night events are designed to fit in with and enhance
peoples lifestyle
1048698 Youth offers like rush tickets special prices special drinks themed events and other features
recognize the lifestyle needs of young people interested in your work
Incentives
1048698 these can be gifts provided with the purchase of subscription or membership to an organization
eg key rings fridge magnets diaries calendars CDs There is little evidence that these
increase sales but they can generate loyalty and good will
1048698 large corporations are also looking for incentives to give to their staff or clients and arts
companies are well positioned to provide these (discounts should not apply)
This is just the teeny tip of a very large iceberg
16
CHAPTER-2
INTRODUCTION
OF
CREDIT
RATING
17
Credit rating
A credit rating assesses the credit worthiness of an individual corporation or even a country
Credit ratings are calculated from financial history and current assets and liabilities Typically a
credit rating tells a lender or investor the probability of the subject being able to pay back a loan
However in recent years credit ratings have also been used to adjust insurance premiums
determine employment eligibility and establish the amount of a utility or leasing deposit
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
Especially in context for sme earlier the which credit was done by the bank was not beneficial in
respect of sme because the prior credit rating includes analyses of few thing like past payment
record profit and loss account and another fact of balance sheet of three financial year so give the
all benefits earlier which was not given due to ignorance was avail by credit rating through by
credit ratings Third party rating has been gaining ground in our due to the fact that the lending
institutions have been asked to maintain adequate capital by the rbi as per Basel norms to maintain
the said adequacy the bank and finned to exhibit the classification of the units so that distinction
for good and bad units can be made and subsequently the provisioning for the said units can be
made accordingly
Credit rating agency
A credit rating agency (CRA) is a company that assigns credit ratings for issuers of certain types
of debt obligations as well as the debt instruments themselves In some cases the servicers of the
underlying debt are also given ratings In most cases the issuers of securities are companies
special purpose entities state and local governments non-profit organizations or national
governments issuing debt-like securities (ie bonds) that can be traded on a secondary market A
credit rating for an issuer takes into consideration the issuers credit worthiness (ie its ability to
pay back a loan) and affects the interest rate applied to the particular security being issued (In
contrast to CRAs a company that issues credit scores for individual credit-worthiness is generally
called a credit bureau or consumer credit reporting agency)
18
In respect of india there are many credit rating agancy few of them are as
shown below
1 Smera
2 Crisil
3 Care
4 Fitch
5 Onicra
6 Dampb
7 Icra
They provide credit rating evaluating the sme at different pramitter
Personal credit ratings
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
In the United States an individuals credit history is compiled and maintained by companies called
credit bureaus Credit worthiness is usually determined through a statistical analysis of the available
credit data A common form of this analysis is a 3-digit credit score provided by independent
financial service companies such as the FICO credit score (The term a registered trademark
comes from Fair Isaac Corporation which pioneered the credit rating concept in the late 1950s)
An individuals credit score along with his or her credit report affects his or her ability to borrow
money through financial institutions such as banks
In Canada the most common ratings are the North American Standard Account Ratings also
known as the R ratings which have a range between R0 and R9 R0 refers to a new account R1
refers to on-time payments R9 refers to bad debt
The factors which may influence a persons credit rating are
1) ability to pay a loan 2) interest 3)amount of credit used
4) saving patterns 5)spending patterns 6) debt
19
Corporate credit ratings
[The credit rating of a corporation is a financial indicator to potential investors of debt securities
such as bonds These are assigned by credit rating agencies such as Standard amp Poors Moodys or
Fitch Ratings and have letter designations such as AAA B CC The Standard amp Poors rating scale
is as follows AAA AA A BBB BB B CCC CC C D Anything lower than a BBB rating is
considered a speculative or junk bond The Moodys rating system is similar in concept but the
verbage is a little different
It is as follows
AAA
Aa1 Aa2 Aa3
A1 A2 A3
Baa1 Baa2 Baa3
Ba1 Ba2 Ba3
B1 B2 B3
Caa1 Caa2 Caa3
Ca
C
Sovereign credit
ratings
Cont Risk rankings
Least risky countries
Score out of 100
Rank
Previous Country Overall score
1 1 Luxembourg 9988
2 2 Norway 9747
3 3 Switzerland 9621
4 4 Denmark 9339
5 5 Sweden 9296
6 6 Ireland 9236
7 10 Austria 9225
8 9 Finland 9195
9 8 Netherlands 9195
10 7 United States 9127
20
A sovereign credit rating is the credit rating of a sovereign entity ie a country The sovereign
credit rating indicates the risk level of the investing environment of a country and is used by
investors looking to invest abroad It takes political risk into account
The table shows the ten least-risky countries for investment as of March 2008 Ratings are further
broken down into components including political risk economic risk Euromoneys bi-annual
country risk index Country risk surveymonitors the political and economic stability of 185
21
sovereign countries Results focus foremost on economics specifically sovereign default risk
andor payment default risk for exporters (aka trade credit risk)
Short term rating
A short term rating is a probability factor of an individual going into default within a year This is
in contrast to long-term rating which is evaluated over a long timeframe
Credit scores for individuals are assigned by credit bureaus (US UK credit reference agencies)
Credit ratings for corporations and sovereign debt are assigned by credit rating agencies
In the United States the main credit bureaus are Experian Equifax and TransUnion A relatively
new credit bureau in the US is Innovis
In the United Kingdom the main credit reference agencies for individuals are Experian Equifax
and Callcredit There is no universal credit rating as such rather each individual lender credit
scores based on its own wish-list of a perfect customer
In Canada the main credit bureaus for individuals are Equifax TransUnion and Northern Credit
Bureaus Experian
In India the main credit bureaus are CRISIL ICRA and Credit Registration Office (CRO)
The largest credit rating agencies (which tend to operate worldwide) are Moodys Standard and
Poors and Fitch Ratings
CREDIT RISK
Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either
the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
Faced by lenders to consumers
Most lenders employ their own models (Credit Scorecards) to rank potential and existing customers
according to risk and then apply appropriate strategies With products such as unsecured personal
loans or mortgages lenders charge a higher price for higher risk customers and vice versa With
22
revolving products such as credit cards and overdrafts risk is controlled through careful setting of
credit limits Some products also require security most commonly in the form of property
Faced by lenders to business
Lenders will trade off the costbenefits of a loan according to its risks and the interest charged But
interest rates are not the only method to compensate for risk Protective covenants are written into
loan agreements that allow the lender some controls These covenants may
limit the borrowers ability to weaken his balance sheet voluntarily eg by buying back shares
or paying dividends or borrowing further
allow for monitoring the debt requiring audits and monthly reports
allow the lender to decide when he can recall the loan based on specific events or when
financial ratios like debtequity or interest coverage deteriorate
A recent innovation to protect lenders and bond holders from the danger of default are credit
derivatives most commonly in the form of a credit default swap These financial contracts allow
companies to buy protection against defaults from a third party the protection seller The protection
seller receives a periodic fee (the credit spread) as compensation for the risk it takes and in return it
agrees to buy the debt should a credit event (default) occur
Faced by business
Companies carry credit risk when for example they do not demand up-front cash payment for
products or services By delivering the product or service first and billing the customer later - if its
a business customer the terms may be quoted as net 30 - the company is carrying a risk between the
delivery and payment
Significant resources and sophisticated programs are used to analyze and manage risk Some
companies run a credit risk department whose job is to assess the financial health of their
customers and extend credit (or not) accordingly They may use in house programs to advise on
avoiding reducing and transferring risk They also use third party provided intelligence
23
Companies like Standard amp Poors Moodys and Dun and Bradstreet provide such information for a
fee
For example a distributor selling its products to a troubled retailer may attempt to lessen credit risk
by tightening payment terms to net 15 or by actually selling fewer products on credit to the
retailer or even cutting off credit entirely and demanding payment in advance Such strategies
impact sales volume but reduce exposure to credit risk and subsequent payment defaults
Credit risk is not really manageable for very small companies (ie those with only one or two
customers) This makes these companies very vulnerable to defaults or even payment delays by
their customers
The use of a collection agency is not really a tool to manage credit risk rather it is an extreme
measure closer to a write down in that the creditor expects a below-agreed return after the
collection agency takes its share (if it is able to get anything at all)
Faced by individuals
Consumers may face credit risk in a direct form as depositors at banks or as investorslenders They
may also face credit risk when entering into standard commercial transactions by providing a
deposit to their counterparty eg for a large purchase or a real estate rental Employees of any firm
also depend on the firms ability to pay wages and are exposed to the credit risk of their employer
In some cases governments recognize that an individuals capacity to evaluate credit risk may be
limited and the risk may reduce economic efficiency governments may enact various legal
measures or mechanisms with the intention of protecting consumers against some of these risks
Bank deposits notably are insured in many countries (to some maximum amount) for individuals
effectively limiting their credit risk to banks and increasing their willingness to use the banking
system
24
Credit history
Credit history or credit report is in many countries a record of an individuals or companys past
borrowing and repaying including information about late payments and bankruptcy The term
credit reputation can either be used synonymous to credit history or to credit score
In the US when a customer fills out an application for credit from a bank store or credit card
company their information is forwarded to a credit bureau The credit bureau matches the name
address and other identifying information on the credit applicant with information retained by the
bureau in its files
This information is used by lenders such as credit card companies to determine an individuals
credit worthiness that is determining an individuals willingness to repay a debt The willingness
to repay a debt is indicated by how timely past payments have been made to other lenders Lenders
like to see consumer debt obligations paid on a monthly basis
The other factor in determining whether a lender will provide a consumer credit or a loan is
dependent on income The higher the income all other things being equal the more credit the
consumer can access However lenders make credit granting decisions based on both ability to
repay a debt (income) and willingness (the credit report) as indicated in the past payment history
These factors help lenders determine whether to extend credit and on what terms With the
adoption of risk-based pricing on almost all lending in the financial services industry this report
has become even more important since it is usually the sole element used to choose the annual
percentage rate (APR) grace period and other contractual obligations of the credit card or loan
How credit rating is determined
Credit ratings are determined differently in each country but the factors are similar and may
include
Payment record - a record of bills being overdue generally being more than 30 days will lower
the credit rating
25
Control of debt - Lenders want to see that borrowers are not living beyond their means Experts
estimate that non-mortgage credit payments each month should not exceed more than 15
percent of the borrowers after tax income
Signs of responsibility and stability - Lenders perceive things such as longevity in the
borrowers home and job (at least two years) as signs of stability
Re-Aging - Through re-aging a credit history is re-written and you are given a fresh start on
that particular account This can dramatically improve the credit score In 2000 the Federal
Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFEIC) clarified guidelines on re-aging accounts
for delinquent borrowers
Credit outstanding--Lenders dont like to see the amount of credit owed bumping up against the
credit limit of a card Generally a good idea is to owe no more than one-third of your total
credit limit on a credit card
Credit inquiries ndash An inquiry is a notation on a credit history file There are several kinds of
notations that may or may not have an adverse effect on the credit score Soft pulls dont affect
the credit score and are characteristic of the following examples
A credit bureau may sell a persons contact information to an advertiser wanting to offer credit
cards loans and insurance based on certain criteria that the lender has established A creditor also
checks a persons credit periodically Or a credit counseling agency with the clients permission
can obtain a clients credit report with no adverse action Each of the preceding examples are
commonly referred to as a soft credit pull
However hard credit inquiries are made by lenders when consumers are seeking credit or a loan
Lenders when granted a permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act can
check a credit history for the purposes of extending credit to a consumer Hard inquiries from
lenders directly affect the borrowers credit score Keeping credit inquiries to a minimum can help a
persons credit rating A lender may perceive many inquiries over a short period of time on a
persons report as a signal that the person is in financial difficulty and is looking for loans and will
possibly consider that person a poor credit risk
26
Credit cards that are not used - Although it is believed that having too many credit cards can have
an adverse effect on a credit score closing these lines of credit will not improve your score The
credit rating formula looks at the difference between the amount of credit a person has and the
amount being used so closing one or more accounts will reduce your total available credit And the
lower the percentage of available credit the more the credit score will drop The credit formula also
factors in the length of time credit accounts have been open so closing an account with several
years of history is another avoidable credit mistake
Understanding credit reports and scores
The Government of Canada offers a free publication called Understanding Your Credit Report and
Credit Score This publication provides sample credit report and credit score documents with
explanations of the notations and codes that are used It also contains general information on how
to build or improve credit history and how to check for signs that identity theft has occurred The
publication is available online at httpwwwfcacgcca the site of the Financial Consumer Agency
of Canada Paper copies can also be ordered at no charge for residents of Canada
Credit History of Immigrants
Credit history usually applies to only one country Even within the same credit card network
information is not shared between different countries For example if a person has been living in
Canada for many years and then moves to the United States when they apply for credit cards or a
mortgage in the US they would usually not be approved because of a lack of credit history even
if they had an excellent credit rating in their home country and even if they had a very high salary
in their home country
An immigrant must establish a credit history from scratch in the new country Therefore it is
usually very difficult for immigrants to obtain credit cards and mortgages until after they have
worked in the new country with a stable income for several years
Adverse Credit
Adverse credit history also called sub-prime credit history non-status credit history
impaired credit history poor credit history and bad credit history is a negative credit rating
27
A negative credit rating is often considered undesirable to lenders and other extenders of credit for
the purposes of loaning money or capital
In the US a consumers credit history is compiled by credit rating agencies more commonly
referred to as consumer reporting agencies or credit bureaus The data reported to these agencies
are primarily provided to them by creditors and includes detailed records of the relationship a
person has with the lender Detailed account information including payment history credit limits
high and low balances and any aggressive actions taken to recover overdue debts are all reported
regularly (usually monthly) This information is reviewed by a lender to determine whether to
approve a loan and on what terms
As credit became more popular it became more difficult for lenders to evaluate and approve credit
card and loan applications in a timely and efficient manner To address this issue credit scoring
was adopted
Credit scoring is the process of using a proprietary mathematical algorithm to create a numerical
value that describes an applicants overall creditworthiness Scores frequently based on numbers
(ranging from 300-850 for consumers in the United States) statistically analyze a credit history in
comparison to other debtors and gauge the magnitude of financial risk Since lending money to a
person or company is a risk credit scoring offers a standardized way for lenders to assess that risk
rapidly and without prejudiceAll credit bureaus also offer credit scoring as a supplemental
service
Credit scores assess the likelihood that a borrower will repay a loan or other credit obligation The
higher the score the better the credit history and the higher the probability that the loan will be
repaid on time When creditors report an excessive number of late payments or trouble with
collecting payments the score suffers Similarly when adverse judgments and collection agency
activity are reported the score decreases even more Repeated delinquencies or public record
entries can lower the score and trigger what is called a negative credit rating or adverse credit
history
When a lender requests a credit score it can cause a small drop in the credit score That is because
as stated above a number of inquiries over a relatively short period of time can indicate the
consumer is in a financially difficult situation
28
Consequences
The information in a credit report is sold by credit agencies to organizations that are considering
whether to offer credit to individuals or companies It is also available to other entities with a
permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act The consequence of a negative
credit rating is typically a reduction in the likelihood that a lender will approve an application for
credit under favorable terms if at all Interest rates on loans are significantly affected by credit
historymdashthe higher the credit rating the lower the interest while the lower the credit rating the
higher the interest The increased interest is used to offset the higher rate of default within the low
credit rating group of individuals
In the United States in certain cases insurance housing and employment can also be denied based
on a negative credit rating
Note that is not the credit reporting agencies that decide whether a credit history is adverse It is
the individual lender or creditor which makes that decision each lender has its own policy on what
scores fall within their guidelines The specific scores that fall within a lenders guidelines are most
often NOT disclosed to the applicant due to competitive reasons In the United States a creditor is
required to give the reasons for denying credit to an applicant immediately and must also provide
the name and address of the credit reporting agency who provided data that was used to make the
decision
More than One Credit History Per Person
In some countries people can have more than one credit history For example in Canada although
most Canadians are not aware of it every person who applied for credit before obtaining a Social
Insurance Number has two separate credit histories one with SIN and one without SIN This is due
to the credit reporting structure in Canada This can lead to two completely separate parallel
histories and often leads to inconsistencies (although typically the person in question will never
notice the inconsistencies) because when a lender asks for someones credit report with SIN what
the lender gets is different from what he would have gotten if he asked the report without providing
the SIN This is because contrary to popular belief when someone gets a new SIN for whatever
reason the two credit files are never merged unless the person requests specifically As a result a
29
record with SIN zeroed out is kept separately from a record with SIN Note this happens without
the person even knowing it
Credit score
A credit score is a numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a persons credit files to
represent the creditworthiness of that person which is the perceived likelihood that the person will
pay debts in a timely manner A credit score is primarily based on credit report information
typically sourced from credit bureaus credit reference agencies
Lenders such as banks and credit card companies use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk
posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt Lenders use credit
scores to determine who qualifies for a loan at what interest rate and what credit limits The use of
credit or identity scoring prior to authorizing access or granting credit is an implementation of a
trusted system
Credit scoring is not limited to banks Other organizations such as mobile phone companies
insurance companies employers and government departments employ the same techniques Credit
scoring also has a lot of overlap with data mining which uses many similar techniques
30
CHAPTER- 3
INTRODUCTION
OF
SMERA
SMERA ndash AN INTRODUCTION
31
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
THE BACKGROUND
Marketing research is defined as the systematic and objective identification collection analysis
and dissemination of information for the purpose of assisting management in decision making
related to the identification and solution of problems (and opportunities) in marketing
1) Identification Involves defining the marketing research problem (or opportunity) and
determining the information that is needed to address it
2) Collection Data must be obtained from relevant sources
3) Analysis Data are analyzed interpreted and inferences are drawn
4) Dissemination of information The findings implications and recommendations are
provided in a format that makes this information actionable and directly useful as an
input into decision-making
5
Used to identify and define market opportunities and problems
Generate refine and evaluate marketing performance
Monitor marketing performance
Improve understanding of marketing as a process
Marketing Research
6
Marketing Research
Problem Identification Research
Problem Solving Research
Market Potential ResearchMarket Share ResearchMarket Characteristics ResearchSales Analysis ResearchForecasting ResearchBusiness Trends Research
Segmentation ResearchProduct ResearchPromotion ResearchDistribution Research
A Classification of Marketing Research
Steps involved in the marketing research process are -
1) Problem definition Defining the marketing research problem to be addressed is the most
important step because all other steps will be based on this definition
2) Developing an approach to the problem Development of a broad specification of how the
problem will be addressed allows the researcher to break the problem into salient issues and
manageable pieces
3) Research design formulation A framework for conducting the marketing research project that
specifies the procedures necessary for obtaining the required information It details the
statistical methodology needed to solve the problem and thus the data requirements needed
from data collection
4) Fieldwork or data collection A field force (personal interviewing phone mail or electronic
surveys) gathers project data Although seemingly trivial in nature to obtain meaningful
results field workers must be accurate and thorough in data collection
5) Data preparation and analysis The editing coding transcription and verification of data
allow researchers to derive meaning from the data
6) Report preparation and presentation The findings are communicated to the client The report
should address the specific research questions identified in the problem definition describe
the approach the research design data collection and the data analysis procedures adopted
and present the results and the major findings
Marketing research provides the information for decision makers at each step of the marketing
decision process It is the goal of marketing research to provide relevant accurate reliable valid
and current information to management in order to facilitate managerial decisions Each of these
characteristics can be defined for as
7
Information that is relevant addresses the problem or issue being investigated
Information that is accurate correct and precise
Information that is reliable and originates from competent trustworthy sources
Information that is valid and is applicable to the problem at hand
Information that is current is timely and up-to-date for both the industry and issue under
consideration
There are two types of market research suppliers
Internal suppliermdasha marketing research department located within the firm where all the
marketing research staff members are employees of the firm Most major corporations have
their own marketing research departments
External suppliermdashresearch suppliers that are not a part of the firm The external supplier may
offer the entire range of marketing services including problem definition developing an
approach questionnaire design sampling data collection data analysis interpretation and
report preparation and presentation
Services offered by a full-service marketing research supplier are
1) Syndicated services Offered by research organizations that provide information from a
common database to different firms that subscribe to their services
2) Standardized services Research studies conducted for different client firms but always in the
same way
3) Customized services Offer a wide variety of marketing research services Customized or
tailor-made to suit the specific needs of a particular client
4) Internet services Offered by firms that have specialized in conducting marketing research on
the Internet
8
Services offered by a limited-service marketing research supplier are
1) Coding and data entry services The supplier will take the administered questionnaires edit
them develop a coding scheme and transcribe the data onto diskettes or magnetic tapes for
input into the computer
2) Analytical services These services include questionnaire design and pre ndash testing determining
the best means of collecting data sampling plans and other aspects of the research design
3) Data analysis services Offer sophisticated data analysis using multivariate techniques
4) Branded product and services Consist of specialized data collection and analysis
procedures developed to address specific types of marketing research problems
9
CHAPTER
1
INTRODUCTION
OF
TITLE
10
INTRODUCTION
Sales promotions are activities that shape buying patterns attract new audiences or increase sales
Its garbage of a word that encompasses everything that falls outside advertising publicity and
direct marketing although these might be used to deliver your sales promotions
Most textbooks see sales promotion as interfacing with price - this writer believes sales promotions
are broader than this Too often people think discounts are synonymous with sales promotion - not
true Sales promotions can include the provision of sampling or learning opportunities joint
promotions or collaborations with third Party networks special events giveaways and
competitions discounts incentives value adding and rewards
In this section we will also look at distribution and display of promotional materials mainly
because there is nowhere else for them to go
Imaginatively and carefully planned sales promotions can deliver long-term benefits to your
organization Too often they are used as an afterthought to get people through the door Not
surprisingly they usually look like last minute panic measures and that can signal failure not
success
One well-planned far-reaching promotion is better than heaps of little one-offs that bear no relation
to your overall strategy The work involved in developing sales promotions can often outweigh the
apparent benefit - if you measure the results in the broadest possible context you just might find
you have successfully reached people outside the inner arts circle
As the term implies - the ultimate goal is sales or transactions However promotions can be
planned to increase sales over a long period within a specific market segment so it is not always
about immediate results
11
Why do it
Good sales promotions say something about your work and who you are They can be an
inexpensive way of increasing awareness of reaching new buyers or extending the buying choices
of existing audiences As inessential part of your campaign they should be planned from the
beginning While sales promotions can often be done cheaply there should always be a line item
for this activity in your budget no matter how small Because sales promotions often involve
working with other organizations they can open doors into the wider community By building
mutually beneficial relationships you could also be paving the way for sponsorship
Remember never devalue your product This is really easy to do if you are desperate which is why
the best sales promotions are usually planned well in advance
Follow our step-by-step guide Sales promotion how to do it
ANALYSE THE BENEFITS
When you are identifying possible sales promotions make sure that everyone involved including
the customer benefits
The benefits might be
1048698 access to communications channels such as lists clients or advertising
1048698 the feel good factor the association creates for clients or customers
1048698 reinforcement of the companys image
1048698 provision of rewards to clients or audiences
1048698 stimulation from working and learning from each other
1048698-increased sales
1048698 better seats priority booking private viewings cheaper prices learning opportunities and so on
12
IDENTIFY OUTLETS FOR YOUR PROMOTION
Distribution and display
The fliers are sitting in a nice pile in your office Now to the real point of print getting it into the
right hands
Tip Distribution and display
The media
Media are widely used to deliver sales promotions usually in the form of reader offers or
competitions
Tip Media promotions
Networks
Tapping into outside networks can be very cost effective and help you reach hundreds or thousands
of people These might include large employers credit card companies travel agencies
associations such as Rotary manufacturers of fast moving consumer goods such as milk and so on
There is a range of service organizations who communicate regularly with their members such as
The Writers Guild Australian Music Centre National Association of Visual Artists (NAVA)
Council- run community centers and many more
Tip Creating networks
Comment Extending your networks
Comment Cultural tourism
Events
An event can often be a form of sales promotion - if it is designed to reach new audiences or is
devised to encourage attendance at future events
Tip Using events
Comment The sports link
13
Establishing strategic alliances
Certain communities are large motivated and very well organized the gay and lesbian community
for example or some ethnic communities Work with them their publications and invite these
communities to become a part of your organization planning ways to produce mutual benefit
Approaches can range from artists residencies or going to their community centers to charity
appeals to discounted tickets it depends on the needs of the particular community
Sponsors
Sponsors can introduce you to new networks they are also often looking for ways to provide
benefits for their staff This is an excellent way to extend your reach and attract new audiences
Sponsor receptions often-bringin visitors who are new to the art form find ways to increase their
appreciation and enjoyment of the occasion beyond providing champagne and canapeacutes This could
be sending programs in advance or inviting the artist curator or theatre director to talk about the
production at the pre-performance reception Even a signed poster can be a treasured memento of
the occasion
DESIGNING THE RESPONSE AND THE FOLLOW UP
Sometimes promotions do not realize their full potential because the response mechanism is too
complicated or unclear It should be easy to respond by ticking a box picking up the phone
handing over the coupon and soon There is a risk in giving people too many choices as it can take
too long to work out what to do On the other hand customers like offers to be as flexible as
possible
PACKAGING PREMIUMS AND DISCOUNTS
Packages can range from subscription a concept most people are familiar with to
14
Premium packages
Dinner parking amp ticket which is sometimes called up-pricing premium pricing or adding value to
the evening It could be as simple as including a bottle or glass of champagne providing valet
parking or an opportunity to see the exhibition when the general public is not there
Membership schemes
Membership schemes encourage long term loyalty to an organization and offer special prices or
private rooms or exclusive events targeted at the interests and lifestyle of the membership These
schemes are becoming increasingly important to all kinds of arts organizations
Discount packages
1048698 2fers or buy one get one free these are best targeted at people who attendbuy infrequently
Money is rarely a deterrent to the more typical arts attender unless they are very frequent users
1048698 cross art form deals these recognize that many people are eclectic and want a range of arts
experiences It is hard to get these right and they seem to work best when packaged at one venue
under recognizable brand
1048698 Group bookings these encourage bulk purchase by providing a special price for groups The
heart-ofgoldgroup organizer is a dying breed so companies are now making it easier to get a
group together by reducing the party size from 20 to 10 or even 6
1048698 School bookings group packages also exist for schools Usually the teacher is given a free pass
and a ratio of pupils to teacher is often specified
1048698 Multi-tix special prices can be offered to people buying three or more events in a period for
example during a festival This is a hybrid of the subscription concept that aims to increase
transaction levels through price
15
Lifestyle packages
1048698 Babysitting packages where baby-sitting services or cregraveches are provided recognize the needs
of mothers families have greater pressures on their time and money and finding ways to make
it easier for them to be part of your organization will reap rewards
1048698 Sunday brunch afternoon tea sunset or late night events are designed to fit in with and enhance
peoples lifestyle
1048698 Youth offers like rush tickets special prices special drinks themed events and other features
recognize the lifestyle needs of young people interested in your work
Incentives
1048698 these can be gifts provided with the purchase of subscription or membership to an organization
eg key rings fridge magnets diaries calendars CDs There is little evidence that these
increase sales but they can generate loyalty and good will
1048698 large corporations are also looking for incentives to give to their staff or clients and arts
companies are well positioned to provide these (discounts should not apply)
This is just the teeny tip of a very large iceberg
16
CHAPTER-2
INTRODUCTION
OF
CREDIT
RATING
17
Credit rating
A credit rating assesses the credit worthiness of an individual corporation or even a country
Credit ratings are calculated from financial history and current assets and liabilities Typically a
credit rating tells a lender or investor the probability of the subject being able to pay back a loan
However in recent years credit ratings have also been used to adjust insurance premiums
determine employment eligibility and establish the amount of a utility or leasing deposit
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
Especially in context for sme earlier the which credit was done by the bank was not beneficial in
respect of sme because the prior credit rating includes analyses of few thing like past payment
record profit and loss account and another fact of balance sheet of three financial year so give the
all benefits earlier which was not given due to ignorance was avail by credit rating through by
credit ratings Third party rating has been gaining ground in our due to the fact that the lending
institutions have been asked to maintain adequate capital by the rbi as per Basel norms to maintain
the said adequacy the bank and finned to exhibit the classification of the units so that distinction
for good and bad units can be made and subsequently the provisioning for the said units can be
made accordingly
Credit rating agency
A credit rating agency (CRA) is a company that assigns credit ratings for issuers of certain types
of debt obligations as well as the debt instruments themselves In some cases the servicers of the
underlying debt are also given ratings In most cases the issuers of securities are companies
special purpose entities state and local governments non-profit organizations or national
governments issuing debt-like securities (ie bonds) that can be traded on a secondary market A
credit rating for an issuer takes into consideration the issuers credit worthiness (ie its ability to
pay back a loan) and affects the interest rate applied to the particular security being issued (In
contrast to CRAs a company that issues credit scores for individual credit-worthiness is generally
called a credit bureau or consumer credit reporting agency)
18
In respect of india there are many credit rating agancy few of them are as
shown below
1 Smera
2 Crisil
3 Care
4 Fitch
5 Onicra
6 Dampb
7 Icra
They provide credit rating evaluating the sme at different pramitter
Personal credit ratings
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
In the United States an individuals credit history is compiled and maintained by companies called
credit bureaus Credit worthiness is usually determined through a statistical analysis of the available
credit data A common form of this analysis is a 3-digit credit score provided by independent
financial service companies such as the FICO credit score (The term a registered trademark
comes from Fair Isaac Corporation which pioneered the credit rating concept in the late 1950s)
An individuals credit score along with his or her credit report affects his or her ability to borrow
money through financial institutions such as banks
In Canada the most common ratings are the North American Standard Account Ratings also
known as the R ratings which have a range between R0 and R9 R0 refers to a new account R1
refers to on-time payments R9 refers to bad debt
The factors which may influence a persons credit rating are
1) ability to pay a loan 2) interest 3)amount of credit used
4) saving patterns 5)spending patterns 6) debt
19
Corporate credit ratings
[The credit rating of a corporation is a financial indicator to potential investors of debt securities
such as bonds These are assigned by credit rating agencies such as Standard amp Poors Moodys or
Fitch Ratings and have letter designations such as AAA B CC The Standard amp Poors rating scale
is as follows AAA AA A BBB BB B CCC CC C D Anything lower than a BBB rating is
considered a speculative or junk bond The Moodys rating system is similar in concept but the
verbage is a little different
It is as follows
AAA
Aa1 Aa2 Aa3
A1 A2 A3
Baa1 Baa2 Baa3
Ba1 Ba2 Ba3
B1 B2 B3
Caa1 Caa2 Caa3
Ca
C
Sovereign credit
ratings
Cont Risk rankings
Least risky countries
Score out of 100
Rank
Previous Country Overall score
1 1 Luxembourg 9988
2 2 Norway 9747
3 3 Switzerland 9621
4 4 Denmark 9339
5 5 Sweden 9296
6 6 Ireland 9236
7 10 Austria 9225
8 9 Finland 9195
9 8 Netherlands 9195
10 7 United States 9127
20
A sovereign credit rating is the credit rating of a sovereign entity ie a country The sovereign
credit rating indicates the risk level of the investing environment of a country and is used by
investors looking to invest abroad It takes political risk into account
The table shows the ten least-risky countries for investment as of March 2008 Ratings are further
broken down into components including political risk economic risk Euromoneys bi-annual
country risk index Country risk surveymonitors the political and economic stability of 185
21
sovereign countries Results focus foremost on economics specifically sovereign default risk
andor payment default risk for exporters (aka trade credit risk)
Short term rating
A short term rating is a probability factor of an individual going into default within a year This is
in contrast to long-term rating which is evaluated over a long timeframe
Credit scores for individuals are assigned by credit bureaus (US UK credit reference agencies)
Credit ratings for corporations and sovereign debt are assigned by credit rating agencies
In the United States the main credit bureaus are Experian Equifax and TransUnion A relatively
new credit bureau in the US is Innovis
In the United Kingdom the main credit reference agencies for individuals are Experian Equifax
and Callcredit There is no universal credit rating as such rather each individual lender credit
scores based on its own wish-list of a perfect customer
In Canada the main credit bureaus for individuals are Equifax TransUnion and Northern Credit
Bureaus Experian
In India the main credit bureaus are CRISIL ICRA and Credit Registration Office (CRO)
The largest credit rating agencies (which tend to operate worldwide) are Moodys Standard and
Poors and Fitch Ratings
CREDIT RISK
Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either
the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
Faced by lenders to consumers
Most lenders employ their own models (Credit Scorecards) to rank potential and existing customers
according to risk and then apply appropriate strategies With products such as unsecured personal
loans or mortgages lenders charge a higher price for higher risk customers and vice versa With
22
revolving products such as credit cards and overdrafts risk is controlled through careful setting of
credit limits Some products also require security most commonly in the form of property
Faced by lenders to business
Lenders will trade off the costbenefits of a loan according to its risks and the interest charged But
interest rates are not the only method to compensate for risk Protective covenants are written into
loan agreements that allow the lender some controls These covenants may
limit the borrowers ability to weaken his balance sheet voluntarily eg by buying back shares
or paying dividends or borrowing further
allow for monitoring the debt requiring audits and monthly reports
allow the lender to decide when he can recall the loan based on specific events or when
financial ratios like debtequity or interest coverage deteriorate
A recent innovation to protect lenders and bond holders from the danger of default are credit
derivatives most commonly in the form of a credit default swap These financial contracts allow
companies to buy protection against defaults from a third party the protection seller The protection
seller receives a periodic fee (the credit spread) as compensation for the risk it takes and in return it
agrees to buy the debt should a credit event (default) occur
Faced by business
Companies carry credit risk when for example they do not demand up-front cash payment for
products or services By delivering the product or service first and billing the customer later - if its
a business customer the terms may be quoted as net 30 - the company is carrying a risk between the
delivery and payment
Significant resources and sophisticated programs are used to analyze and manage risk Some
companies run a credit risk department whose job is to assess the financial health of their
customers and extend credit (or not) accordingly They may use in house programs to advise on
avoiding reducing and transferring risk They also use third party provided intelligence
23
Companies like Standard amp Poors Moodys and Dun and Bradstreet provide such information for a
fee
For example a distributor selling its products to a troubled retailer may attempt to lessen credit risk
by tightening payment terms to net 15 or by actually selling fewer products on credit to the
retailer or even cutting off credit entirely and demanding payment in advance Such strategies
impact sales volume but reduce exposure to credit risk and subsequent payment defaults
Credit risk is not really manageable for very small companies (ie those with only one or two
customers) This makes these companies very vulnerable to defaults or even payment delays by
their customers
The use of a collection agency is not really a tool to manage credit risk rather it is an extreme
measure closer to a write down in that the creditor expects a below-agreed return after the
collection agency takes its share (if it is able to get anything at all)
Faced by individuals
Consumers may face credit risk in a direct form as depositors at banks or as investorslenders They
may also face credit risk when entering into standard commercial transactions by providing a
deposit to their counterparty eg for a large purchase or a real estate rental Employees of any firm
also depend on the firms ability to pay wages and are exposed to the credit risk of their employer
In some cases governments recognize that an individuals capacity to evaluate credit risk may be
limited and the risk may reduce economic efficiency governments may enact various legal
measures or mechanisms with the intention of protecting consumers against some of these risks
Bank deposits notably are insured in many countries (to some maximum amount) for individuals
effectively limiting their credit risk to banks and increasing their willingness to use the banking
system
24
Credit history
Credit history or credit report is in many countries a record of an individuals or companys past
borrowing and repaying including information about late payments and bankruptcy The term
credit reputation can either be used synonymous to credit history or to credit score
In the US when a customer fills out an application for credit from a bank store or credit card
company their information is forwarded to a credit bureau The credit bureau matches the name
address and other identifying information on the credit applicant with information retained by the
bureau in its files
This information is used by lenders such as credit card companies to determine an individuals
credit worthiness that is determining an individuals willingness to repay a debt The willingness
to repay a debt is indicated by how timely past payments have been made to other lenders Lenders
like to see consumer debt obligations paid on a monthly basis
The other factor in determining whether a lender will provide a consumer credit or a loan is
dependent on income The higher the income all other things being equal the more credit the
consumer can access However lenders make credit granting decisions based on both ability to
repay a debt (income) and willingness (the credit report) as indicated in the past payment history
These factors help lenders determine whether to extend credit and on what terms With the
adoption of risk-based pricing on almost all lending in the financial services industry this report
has become even more important since it is usually the sole element used to choose the annual
percentage rate (APR) grace period and other contractual obligations of the credit card or loan
How credit rating is determined
Credit ratings are determined differently in each country but the factors are similar and may
include
Payment record - a record of bills being overdue generally being more than 30 days will lower
the credit rating
25
Control of debt - Lenders want to see that borrowers are not living beyond their means Experts
estimate that non-mortgage credit payments each month should not exceed more than 15
percent of the borrowers after tax income
Signs of responsibility and stability - Lenders perceive things such as longevity in the
borrowers home and job (at least two years) as signs of stability
Re-Aging - Through re-aging a credit history is re-written and you are given a fresh start on
that particular account This can dramatically improve the credit score In 2000 the Federal
Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFEIC) clarified guidelines on re-aging accounts
for delinquent borrowers
Credit outstanding--Lenders dont like to see the amount of credit owed bumping up against the
credit limit of a card Generally a good idea is to owe no more than one-third of your total
credit limit on a credit card
Credit inquiries ndash An inquiry is a notation on a credit history file There are several kinds of
notations that may or may not have an adverse effect on the credit score Soft pulls dont affect
the credit score and are characteristic of the following examples
A credit bureau may sell a persons contact information to an advertiser wanting to offer credit
cards loans and insurance based on certain criteria that the lender has established A creditor also
checks a persons credit periodically Or a credit counseling agency with the clients permission
can obtain a clients credit report with no adverse action Each of the preceding examples are
commonly referred to as a soft credit pull
However hard credit inquiries are made by lenders when consumers are seeking credit or a loan
Lenders when granted a permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act can
check a credit history for the purposes of extending credit to a consumer Hard inquiries from
lenders directly affect the borrowers credit score Keeping credit inquiries to a minimum can help a
persons credit rating A lender may perceive many inquiries over a short period of time on a
persons report as a signal that the person is in financial difficulty and is looking for loans and will
possibly consider that person a poor credit risk
26
Credit cards that are not used - Although it is believed that having too many credit cards can have
an adverse effect on a credit score closing these lines of credit will not improve your score The
credit rating formula looks at the difference between the amount of credit a person has and the
amount being used so closing one or more accounts will reduce your total available credit And the
lower the percentage of available credit the more the credit score will drop The credit formula also
factors in the length of time credit accounts have been open so closing an account with several
years of history is another avoidable credit mistake
Understanding credit reports and scores
The Government of Canada offers a free publication called Understanding Your Credit Report and
Credit Score This publication provides sample credit report and credit score documents with
explanations of the notations and codes that are used It also contains general information on how
to build or improve credit history and how to check for signs that identity theft has occurred The
publication is available online at httpwwwfcacgcca the site of the Financial Consumer Agency
of Canada Paper copies can also be ordered at no charge for residents of Canada
Credit History of Immigrants
Credit history usually applies to only one country Even within the same credit card network
information is not shared between different countries For example if a person has been living in
Canada for many years and then moves to the United States when they apply for credit cards or a
mortgage in the US they would usually not be approved because of a lack of credit history even
if they had an excellent credit rating in their home country and even if they had a very high salary
in their home country
An immigrant must establish a credit history from scratch in the new country Therefore it is
usually very difficult for immigrants to obtain credit cards and mortgages until after they have
worked in the new country with a stable income for several years
Adverse Credit
Adverse credit history also called sub-prime credit history non-status credit history
impaired credit history poor credit history and bad credit history is a negative credit rating
27
A negative credit rating is often considered undesirable to lenders and other extenders of credit for
the purposes of loaning money or capital
In the US a consumers credit history is compiled by credit rating agencies more commonly
referred to as consumer reporting agencies or credit bureaus The data reported to these agencies
are primarily provided to them by creditors and includes detailed records of the relationship a
person has with the lender Detailed account information including payment history credit limits
high and low balances and any aggressive actions taken to recover overdue debts are all reported
regularly (usually monthly) This information is reviewed by a lender to determine whether to
approve a loan and on what terms
As credit became more popular it became more difficult for lenders to evaluate and approve credit
card and loan applications in a timely and efficient manner To address this issue credit scoring
was adopted
Credit scoring is the process of using a proprietary mathematical algorithm to create a numerical
value that describes an applicants overall creditworthiness Scores frequently based on numbers
(ranging from 300-850 for consumers in the United States) statistically analyze a credit history in
comparison to other debtors and gauge the magnitude of financial risk Since lending money to a
person or company is a risk credit scoring offers a standardized way for lenders to assess that risk
rapidly and without prejudiceAll credit bureaus also offer credit scoring as a supplemental
service
Credit scores assess the likelihood that a borrower will repay a loan or other credit obligation The
higher the score the better the credit history and the higher the probability that the loan will be
repaid on time When creditors report an excessive number of late payments or trouble with
collecting payments the score suffers Similarly when adverse judgments and collection agency
activity are reported the score decreases even more Repeated delinquencies or public record
entries can lower the score and trigger what is called a negative credit rating or adverse credit
history
When a lender requests a credit score it can cause a small drop in the credit score That is because
as stated above a number of inquiries over a relatively short period of time can indicate the
consumer is in a financially difficult situation
28
Consequences
The information in a credit report is sold by credit agencies to organizations that are considering
whether to offer credit to individuals or companies It is also available to other entities with a
permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act The consequence of a negative
credit rating is typically a reduction in the likelihood that a lender will approve an application for
credit under favorable terms if at all Interest rates on loans are significantly affected by credit
historymdashthe higher the credit rating the lower the interest while the lower the credit rating the
higher the interest The increased interest is used to offset the higher rate of default within the low
credit rating group of individuals
In the United States in certain cases insurance housing and employment can also be denied based
on a negative credit rating
Note that is not the credit reporting agencies that decide whether a credit history is adverse It is
the individual lender or creditor which makes that decision each lender has its own policy on what
scores fall within their guidelines The specific scores that fall within a lenders guidelines are most
often NOT disclosed to the applicant due to competitive reasons In the United States a creditor is
required to give the reasons for denying credit to an applicant immediately and must also provide
the name and address of the credit reporting agency who provided data that was used to make the
decision
More than One Credit History Per Person
In some countries people can have more than one credit history For example in Canada although
most Canadians are not aware of it every person who applied for credit before obtaining a Social
Insurance Number has two separate credit histories one with SIN and one without SIN This is due
to the credit reporting structure in Canada This can lead to two completely separate parallel
histories and often leads to inconsistencies (although typically the person in question will never
notice the inconsistencies) because when a lender asks for someones credit report with SIN what
the lender gets is different from what he would have gotten if he asked the report without providing
the SIN This is because contrary to popular belief when someone gets a new SIN for whatever
reason the two credit files are never merged unless the person requests specifically As a result a
29
record with SIN zeroed out is kept separately from a record with SIN Note this happens without
the person even knowing it
Credit score
A credit score is a numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a persons credit files to
represent the creditworthiness of that person which is the perceived likelihood that the person will
pay debts in a timely manner A credit score is primarily based on credit report information
typically sourced from credit bureaus credit reference agencies
Lenders such as banks and credit card companies use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk
posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt Lenders use credit
scores to determine who qualifies for a loan at what interest rate and what credit limits The use of
credit or identity scoring prior to authorizing access or granting credit is an implementation of a
trusted system
Credit scoring is not limited to banks Other organizations such as mobile phone companies
insurance companies employers and government departments employ the same techniques Credit
scoring also has a lot of overlap with data mining which uses many similar techniques
30
CHAPTER- 3
INTRODUCTION
OF
SMERA
SMERA ndash AN INTRODUCTION
31
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
6
Marketing Research
Problem Identification Research
Problem Solving Research
Market Potential ResearchMarket Share ResearchMarket Characteristics ResearchSales Analysis ResearchForecasting ResearchBusiness Trends Research
Segmentation ResearchProduct ResearchPromotion ResearchDistribution Research
A Classification of Marketing Research
Steps involved in the marketing research process are -
1) Problem definition Defining the marketing research problem to be addressed is the most
important step because all other steps will be based on this definition
2) Developing an approach to the problem Development of a broad specification of how the
problem will be addressed allows the researcher to break the problem into salient issues and
manageable pieces
3) Research design formulation A framework for conducting the marketing research project that
specifies the procedures necessary for obtaining the required information It details the
statistical methodology needed to solve the problem and thus the data requirements needed
from data collection
4) Fieldwork or data collection A field force (personal interviewing phone mail or electronic
surveys) gathers project data Although seemingly trivial in nature to obtain meaningful
results field workers must be accurate and thorough in data collection
5) Data preparation and analysis The editing coding transcription and verification of data
allow researchers to derive meaning from the data
6) Report preparation and presentation The findings are communicated to the client The report
should address the specific research questions identified in the problem definition describe
the approach the research design data collection and the data analysis procedures adopted
and present the results and the major findings
Marketing research provides the information for decision makers at each step of the marketing
decision process It is the goal of marketing research to provide relevant accurate reliable valid
and current information to management in order to facilitate managerial decisions Each of these
characteristics can be defined for as
7
Information that is relevant addresses the problem or issue being investigated
Information that is accurate correct and precise
Information that is reliable and originates from competent trustworthy sources
Information that is valid and is applicable to the problem at hand
Information that is current is timely and up-to-date for both the industry and issue under
consideration
There are two types of market research suppliers
Internal suppliermdasha marketing research department located within the firm where all the
marketing research staff members are employees of the firm Most major corporations have
their own marketing research departments
External suppliermdashresearch suppliers that are not a part of the firm The external supplier may
offer the entire range of marketing services including problem definition developing an
approach questionnaire design sampling data collection data analysis interpretation and
report preparation and presentation
Services offered by a full-service marketing research supplier are
1) Syndicated services Offered by research organizations that provide information from a
common database to different firms that subscribe to their services
2) Standardized services Research studies conducted for different client firms but always in the
same way
3) Customized services Offer a wide variety of marketing research services Customized or
tailor-made to suit the specific needs of a particular client
4) Internet services Offered by firms that have specialized in conducting marketing research on
the Internet
8
Services offered by a limited-service marketing research supplier are
1) Coding and data entry services The supplier will take the administered questionnaires edit
them develop a coding scheme and transcribe the data onto diskettes or magnetic tapes for
input into the computer
2) Analytical services These services include questionnaire design and pre ndash testing determining
the best means of collecting data sampling plans and other aspects of the research design
3) Data analysis services Offer sophisticated data analysis using multivariate techniques
4) Branded product and services Consist of specialized data collection and analysis
procedures developed to address specific types of marketing research problems
9
CHAPTER
1
INTRODUCTION
OF
TITLE
10
INTRODUCTION
Sales promotions are activities that shape buying patterns attract new audiences or increase sales
Its garbage of a word that encompasses everything that falls outside advertising publicity and
direct marketing although these might be used to deliver your sales promotions
Most textbooks see sales promotion as interfacing with price - this writer believes sales promotions
are broader than this Too often people think discounts are synonymous with sales promotion - not
true Sales promotions can include the provision of sampling or learning opportunities joint
promotions or collaborations with third Party networks special events giveaways and
competitions discounts incentives value adding and rewards
In this section we will also look at distribution and display of promotional materials mainly
because there is nowhere else for them to go
Imaginatively and carefully planned sales promotions can deliver long-term benefits to your
organization Too often they are used as an afterthought to get people through the door Not
surprisingly they usually look like last minute panic measures and that can signal failure not
success
One well-planned far-reaching promotion is better than heaps of little one-offs that bear no relation
to your overall strategy The work involved in developing sales promotions can often outweigh the
apparent benefit - if you measure the results in the broadest possible context you just might find
you have successfully reached people outside the inner arts circle
As the term implies - the ultimate goal is sales or transactions However promotions can be
planned to increase sales over a long period within a specific market segment so it is not always
about immediate results
11
Why do it
Good sales promotions say something about your work and who you are They can be an
inexpensive way of increasing awareness of reaching new buyers or extending the buying choices
of existing audiences As inessential part of your campaign they should be planned from the
beginning While sales promotions can often be done cheaply there should always be a line item
for this activity in your budget no matter how small Because sales promotions often involve
working with other organizations they can open doors into the wider community By building
mutually beneficial relationships you could also be paving the way for sponsorship
Remember never devalue your product This is really easy to do if you are desperate which is why
the best sales promotions are usually planned well in advance
Follow our step-by-step guide Sales promotion how to do it
ANALYSE THE BENEFITS
When you are identifying possible sales promotions make sure that everyone involved including
the customer benefits
The benefits might be
1048698 access to communications channels such as lists clients or advertising
1048698 the feel good factor the association creates for clients or customers
1048698 reinforcement of the companys image
1048698 provision of rewards to clients or audiences
1048698 stimulation from working and learning from each other
1048698-increased sales
1048698 better seats priority booking private viewings cheaper prices learning opportunities and so on
12
IDENTIFY OUTLETS FOR YOUR PROMOTION
Distribution and display
The fliers are sitting in a nice pile in your office Now to the real point of print getting it into the
right hands
Tip Distribution and display
The media
Media are widely used to deliver sales promotions usually in the form of reader offers or
competitions
Tip Media promotions
Networks
Tapping into outside networks can be very cost effective and help you reach hundreds or thousands
of people These might include large employers credit card companies travel agencies
associations such as Rotary manufacturers of fast moving consumer goods such as milk and so on
There is a range of service organizations who communicate regularly with their members such as
The Writers Guild Australian Music Centre National Association of Visual Artists (NAVA)
Council- run community centers and many more
Tip Creating networks
Comment Extending your networks
Comment Cultural tourism
Events
An event can often be a form of sales promotion - if it is designed to reach new audiences or is
devised to encourage attendance at future events
Tip Using events
Comment The sports link
13
Establishing strategic alliances
Certain communities are large motivated and very well organized the gay and lesbian community
for example or some ethnic communities Work with them their publications and invite these
communities to become a part of your organization planning ways to produce mutual benefit
Approaches can range from artists residencies or going to their community centers to charity
appeals to discounted tickets it depends on the needs of the particular community
Sponsors
Sponsors can introduce you to new networks they are also often looking for ways to provide
benefits for their staff This is an excellent way to extend your reach and attract new audiences
Sponsor receptions often-bringin visitors who are new to the art form find ways to increase their
appreciation and enjoyment of the occasion beyond providing champagne and canapeacutes This could
be sending programs in advance or inviting the artist curator or theatre director to talk about the
production at the pre-performance reception Even a signed poster can be a treasured memento of
the occasion
DESIGNING THE RESPONSE AND THE FOLLOW UP
Sometimes promotions do not realize their full potential because the response mechanism is too
complicated or unclear It should be easy to respond by ticking a box picking up the phone
handing over the coupon and soon There is a risk in giving people too many choices as it can take
too long to work out what to do On the other hand customers like offers to be as flexible as
possible
PACKAGING PREMIUMS AND DISCOUNTS
Packages can range from subscription a concept most people are familiar with to
14
Premium packages
Dinner parking amp ticket which is sometimes called up-pricing premium pricing or adding value to
the evening It could be as simple as including a bottle or glass of champagne providing valet
parking or an opportunity to see the exhibition when the general public is not there
Membership schemes
Membership schemes encourage long term loyalty to an organization and offer special prices or
private rooms or exclusive events targeted at the interests and lifestyle of the membership These
schemes are becoming increasingly important to all kinds of arts organizations
Discount packages
1048698 2fers or buy one get one free these are best targeted at people who attendbuy infrequently
Money is rarely a deterrent to the more typical arts attender unless they are very frequent users
1048698 cross art form deals these recognize that many people are eclectic and want a range of arts
experiences It is hard to get these right and they seem to work best when packaged at one venue
under recognizable brand
1048698 Group bookings these encourage bulk purchase by providing a special price for groups The
heart-ofgoldgroup organizer is a dying breed so companies are now making it easier to get a
group together by reducing the party size from 20 to 10 or even 6
1048698 School bookings group packages also exist for schools Usually the teacher is given a free pass
and a ratio of pupils to teacher is often specified
1048698 Multi-tix special prices can be offered to people buying three or more events in a period for
example during a festival This is a hybrid of the subscription concept that aims to increase
transaction levels through price
15
Lifestyle packages
1048698 Babysitting packages where baby-sitting services or cregraveches are provided recognize the needs
of mothers families have greater pressures on their time and money and finding ways to make
it easier for them to be part of your organization will reap rewards
1048698 Sunday brunch afternoon tea sunset or late night events are designed to fit in with and enhance
peoples lifestyle
1048698 Youth offers like rush tickets special prices special drinks themed events and other features
recognize the lifestyle needs of young people interested in your work
Incentives
1048698 these can be gifts provided with the purchase of subscription or membership to an organization
eg key rings fridge magnets diaries calendars CDs There is little evidence that these
increase sales but they can generate loyalty and good will
1048698 large corporations are also looking for incentives to give to their staff or clients and arts
companies are well positioned to provide these (discounts should not apply)
This is just the teeny tip of a very large iceberg
16
CHAPTER-2
INTRODUCTION
OF
CREDIT
RATING
17
Credit rating
A credit rating assesses the credit worthiness of an individual corporation or even a country
Credit ratings are calculated from financial history and current assets and liabilities Typically a
credit rating tells a lender or investor the probability of the subject being able to pay back a loan
However in recent years credit ratings have also been used to adjust insurance premiums
determine employment eligibility and establish the amount of a utility or leasing deposit
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
Especially in context for sme earlier the which credit was done by the bank was not beneficial in
respect of sme because the prior credit rating includes analyses of few thing like past payment
record profit and loss account and another fact of balance sheet of three financial year so give the
all benefits earlier which was not given due to ignorance was avail by credit rating through by
credit ratings Third party rating has been gaining ground in our due to the fact that the lending
institutions have been asked to maintain adequate capital by the rbi as per Basel norms to maintain
the said adequacy the bank and finned to exhibit the classification of the units so that distinction
for good and bad units can be made and subsequently the provisioning for the said units can be
made accordingly
Credit rating agency
A credit rating agency (CRA) is a company that assigns credit ratings for issuers of certain types
of debt obligations as well as the debt instruments themselves In some cases the servicers of the
underlying debt are also given ratings In most cases the issuers of securities are companies
special purpose entities state and local governments non-profit organizations or national
governments issuing debt-like securities (ie bonds) that can be traded on a secondary market A
credit rating for an issuer takes into consideration the issuers credit worthiness (ie its ability to
pay back a loan) and affects the interest rate applied to the particular security being issued (In
contrast to CRAs a company that issues credit scores for individual credit-worthiness is generally
called a credit bureau or consumer credit reporting agency)
18
In respect of india there are many credit rating agancy few of them are as
shown below
1 Smera
2 Crisil
3 Care
4 Fitch
5 Onicra
6 Dampb
7 Icra
They provide credit rating evaluating the sme at different pramitter
Personal credit ratings
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
In the United States an individuals credit history is compiled and maintained by companies called
credit bureaus Credit worthiness is usually determined through a statistical analysis of the available
credit data A common form of this analysis is a 3-digit credit score provided by independent
financial service companies such as the FICO credit score (The term a registered trademark
comes from Fair Isaac Corporation which pioneered the credit rating concept in the late 1950s)
An individuals credit score along with his or her credit report affects his or her ability to borrow
money through financial institutions such as banks
In Canada the most common ratings are the North American Standard Account Ratings also
known as the R ratings which have a range between R0 and R9 R0 refers to a new account R1
refers to on-time payments R9 refers to bad debt
The factors which may influence a persons credit rating are
1) ability to pay a loan 2) interest 3)amount of credit used
4) saving patterns 5)spending patterns 6) debt
19
Corporate credit ratings
[The credit rating of a corporation is a financial indicator to potential investors of debt securities
such as bonds These are assigned by credit rating agencies such as Standard amp Poors Moodys or
Fitch Ratings and have letter designations such as AAA B CC The Standard amp Poors rating scale
is as follows AAA AA A BBB BB B CCC CC C D Anything lower than a BBB rating is
considered a speculative or junk bond The Moodys rating system is similar in concept but the
verbage is a little different
It is as follows
AAA
Aa1 Aa2 Aa3
A1 A2 A3
Baa1 Baa2 Baa3
Ba1 Ba2 Ba3
B1 B2 B3
Caa1 Caa2 Caa3
Ca
C
Sovereign credit
ratings
Cont Risk rankings
Least risky countries
Score out of 100
Rank
Previous Country Overall score
1 1 Luxembourg 9988
2 2 Norway 9747
3 3 Switzerland 9621
4 4 Denmark 9339
5 5 Sweden 9296
6 6 Ireland 9236
7 10 Austria 9225
8 9 Finland 9195
9 8 Netherlands 9195
10 7 United States 9127
20
A sovereign credit rating is the credit rating of a sovereign entity ie a country The sovereign
credit rating indicates the risk level of the investing environment of a country and is used by
investors looking to invest abroad It takes political risk into account
The table shows the ten least-risky countries for investment as of March 2008 Ratings are further
broken down into components including political risk economic risk Euromoneys bi-annual
country risk index Country risk surveymonitors the political and economic stability of 185
21
sovereign countries Results focus foremost on economics specifically sovereign default risk
andor payment default risk for exporters (aka trade credit risk)
Short term rating
A short term rating is a probability factor of an individual going into default within a year This is
in contrast to long-term rating which is evaluated over a long timeframe
Credit scores for individuals are assigned by credit bureaus (US UK credit reference agencies)
Credit ratings for corporations and sovereign debt are assigned by credit rating agencies
In the United States the main credit bureaus are Experian Equifax and TransUnion A relatively
new credit bureau in the US is Innovis
In the United Kingdom the main credit reference agencies for individuals are Experian Equifax
and Callcredit There is no universal credit rating as such rather each individual lender credit
scores based on its own wish-list of a perfect customer
In Canada the main credit bureaus for individuals are Equifax TransUnion and Northern Credit
Bureaus Experian
In India the main credit bureaus are CRISIL ICRA and Credit Registration Office (CRO)
The largest credit rating agencies (which tend to operate worldwide) are Moodys Standard and
Poors and Fitch Ratings
CREDIT RISK
Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either
the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
Faced by lenders to consumers
Most lenders employ their own models (Credit Scorecards) to rank potential and existing customers
according to risk and then apply appropriate strategies With products such as unsecured personal
loans or mortgages lenders charge a higher price for higher risk customers and vice versa With
22
revolving products such as credit cards and overdrafts risk is controlled through careful setting of
credit limits Some products also require security most commonly in the form of property
Faced by lenders to business
Lenders will trade off the costbenefits of a loan according to its risks and the interest charged But
interest rates are not the only method to compensate for risk Protective covenants are written into
loan agreements that allow the lender some controls These covenants may
limit the borrowers ability to weaken his balance sheet voluntarily eg by buying back shares
or paying dividends or borrowing further
allow for monitoring the debt requiring audits and monthly reports
allow the lender to decide when he can recall the loan based on specific events or when
financial ratios like debtequity or interest coverage deteriorate
A recent innovation to protect lenders and bond holders from the danger of default are credit
derivatives most commonly in the form of a credit default swap These financial contracts allow
companies to buy protection against defaults from a third party the protection seller The protection
seller receives a periodic fee (the credit spread) as compensation for the risk it takes and in return it
agrees to buy the debt should a credit event (default) occur
Faced by business
Companies carry credit risk when for example they do not demand up-front cash payment for
products or services By delivering the product or service first and billing the customer later - if its
a business customer the terms may be quoted as net 30 - the company is carrying a risk between the
delivery and payment
Significant resources and sophisticated programs are used to analyze and manage risk Some
companies run a credit risk department whose job is to assess the financial health of their
customers and extend credit (or not) accordingly They may use in house programs to advise on
avoiding reducing and transferring risk They also use third party provided intelligence
23
Companies like Standard amp Poors Moodys and Dun and Bradstreet provide such information for a
fee
For example a distributor selling its products to a troubled retailer may attempt to lessen credit risk
by tightening payment terms to net 15 or by actually selling fewer products on credit to the
retailer or even cutting off credit entirely and demanding payment in advance Such strategies
impact sales volume but reduce exposure to credit risk and subsequent payment defaults
Credit risk is not really manageable for very small companies (ie those with only one or two
customers) This makes these companies very vulnerable to defaults or even payment delays by
their customers
The use of a collection agency is not really a tool to manage credit risk rather it is an extreme
measure closer to a write down in that the creditor expects a below-agreed return after the
collection agency takes its share (if it is able to get anything at all)
Faced by individuals
Consumers may face credit risk in a direct form as depositors at banks or as investorslenders They
may also face credit risk when entering into standard commercial transactions by providing a
deposit to their counterparty eg for a large purchase or a real estate rental Employees of any firm
also depend on the firms ability to pay wages and are exposed to the credit risk of their employer
In some cases governments recognize that an individuals capacity to evaluate credit risk may be
limited and the risk may reduce economic efficiency governments may enact various legal
measures or mechanisms with the intention of protecting consumers against some of these risks
Bank deposits notably are insured in many countries (to some maximum amount) for individuals
effectively limiting their credit risk to banks and increasing their willingness to use the banking
system
24
Credit history
Credit history or credit report is in many countries a record of an individuals or companys past
borrowing and repaying including information about late payments and bankruptcy The term
credit reputation can either be used synonymous to credit history or to credit score
In the US when a customer fills out an application for credit from a bank store or credit card
company their information is forwarded to a credit bureau The credit bureau matches the name
address and other identifying information on the credit applicant with information retained by the
bureau in its files
This information is used by lenders such as credit card companies to determine an individuals
credit worthiness that is determining an individuals willingness to repay a debt The willingness
to repay a debt is indicated by how timely past payments have been made to other lenders Lenders
like to see consumer debt obligations paid on a monthly basis
The other factor in determining whether a lender will provide a consumer credit or a loan is
dependent on income The higher the income all other things being equal the more credit the
consumer can access However lenders make credit granting decisions based on both ability to
repay a debt (income) and willingness (the credit report) as indicated in the past payment history
These factors help lenders determine whether to extend credit and on what terms With the
adoption of risk-based pricing on almost all lending in the financial services industry this report
has become even more important since it is usually the sole element used to choose the annual
percentage rate (APR) grace period and other contractual obligations of the credit card or loan
How credit rating is determined
Credit ratings are determined differently in each country but the factors are similar and may
include
Payment record - a record of bills being overdue generally being more than 30 days will lower
the credit rating
25
Control of debt - Lenders want to see that borrowers are not living beyond their means Experts
estimate that non-mortgage credit payments each month should not exceed more than 15
percent of the borrowers after tax income
Signs of responsibility and stability - Lenders perceive things such as longevity in the
borrowers home and job (at least two years) as signs of stability
Re-Aging - Through re-aging a credit history is re-written and you are given a fresh start on
that particular account This can dramatically improve the credit score In 2000 the Federal
Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFEIC) clarified guidelines on re-aging accounts
for delinquent borrowers
Credit outstanding--Lenders dont like to see the amount of credit owed bumping up against the
credit limit of a card Generally a good idea is to owe no more than one-third of your total
credit limit on a credit card
Credit inquiries ndash An inquiry is a notation on a credit history file There are several kinds of
notations that may or may not have an adverse effect on the credit score Soft pulls dont affect
the credit score and are characteristic of the following examples
A credit bureau may sell a persons contact information to an advertiser wanting to offer credit
cards loans and insurance based on certain criteria that the lender has established A creditor also
checks a persons credit periodically Or a credit counseling agency with the clients permission
can obtain a clients credit report with no adverse action Each of the preceding examples are
commonly referred to as a soft credit pull
However hard credit inquiries are made by lenders when consumers are seeking credit or a loan
Lenders when granted a permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act can
check a credit history for the purposes of extending credit to a consumer Hard inquiries from
lenders directly affect the borrowers credit score Keeping credit inquiries to a minimum can help a
persons credit rating A lender may perceive many inquiries over a short period of time on a
persons report as a signal that the person is in financial difficulty and is looking for loans and will
possibly consider that person a poor credit risk
26
Credit cards that are not used - Although it is believed that having too many credit cards can have
an adverse effect on a credit score closing these lines of credit will not improve your score The
credit rating formula looks at the difference between the amount of credit a person has and the
amount being used so closing one or more accounts will reduce your total available credit And the
lower the percentage of available credit the more the credit score will drop The credit formula also
factors in the length of time credit accounts have been open so closing an account with several
years of history is another avoidable credit mistake
Understanding credit reports and scores
The Government of Canada offers a free publication called Understanding Your Credit Report and
Credit Score This publication provides sample credit report and credit score documents with
explanations of the notations and codes that are used It also contains general information on how
to build or improve credit history and how to check for signs that identity theft has occurred The
publication is available online at httpwwwfcacgcca the site of the Financial Consumer Agency
of Canada Paper copies can also be ordered at no charge for residents of Canada
Credit History of Immigrants
Credit history usually applies to only one country Even within the same credit card network
information is not shared between different countries For example if a person has been living in
Canada for many years and then moves to the United States when they apply for credit cards or a
mortgage in the US they would usually not be approved because of a lack of credit history even
if they had an excellent credit rating in their home country and even if they had a very high salary
in their home country
An immigrant must establish a credit history from scratch in the new country Therefore it is
usually very difficult for immigrants to obtain credit cards and mortgages until after they have
worked in the new country with a stable income for several years
Adverse Credit
Adverse credit history also called sub-prime credit history non-status credit history
impaired credit history poor credit history and bad credit history is a negative credit rating
27
A negative credit rating is often considered undesirable to lenders and other extenders of credit for
the purposes of loaning money or capital
In the US a consumers credit history is compiled by credit rating agencies more commonly
referred to as consumer reporting agencies or credit bureaus The data reported to these agencies
are primarily provided to them by creditors and includes detailed records of the relationship a
person has with the lender Detailed account information including payment history credit limits
high and low balances and any aggressive actions taken to recover overdue debts are all reported
regularly (usually monthly) This information is reviewed by a lender to determine whether to
approve a loan and on what terms
As credit became more popular it became more difficult for lenders to evaluate and approve credit
card and loan applications in a timely and efficient manner To address this issue credit scoring
was adopted
Credit scoring is the process of using a proprietary mathematical algorithm to create a numerical
value that describes an applicants overall creditworthiness Scores frequently based on numbers
(ranging from 300-850 for consumers in the United States) statistically analyze a credit history in
comparison to other debtors and gauge the magnitude of financial risk Since lending money to a
person or company is a risk credit scoring offers a standardized way for lenders to assess that risk
rapidly and without prejudiceAll credit bureaus also offer credit scoring as a supplemental
service
Credit scores assess the likelihood that a borrower will repay a loan or other credit obligation The
higher the score the better the credit history and the higher the probability that the loan will be
repaid on time When creditors report an excessive number of late payments or trouble with
collecting payments the score suffers Similarly when adverse judgments and collection agency
activity are reported the score decreases even more Repeated delinquencies or public record
entries can lower the score and trigger what is called a negative credit rating or adverse credit
history
When a lender requests a credit score it can cause a small drop in the credit score That is because
as stated above a number of inquiries over a relatively short period of time can indicate the
consumer is in a financially difficult situation
28
Consequences
The information in a credit report is sold by credit agencies to organizations that are considering
whether to offer credit to individuals or companies It is also available to other entities with a
permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act The consequence of a negative
credit rating is typically a reduction in the likelihood that a lender will approve an application for
credit under favorable terms if at all Interest rates on loans are significantly affected by credit
historymdashthe higher the credit rating the lower the interest while the lower the credit rating the
higher the interest The increased interest is used to offset the higher rate of default within the low
credit rating group of individuals
In the United States in certain cases insurance housing and employment can also be denied based
on a negative credit rating
Note that is not the credit reporting agencies that decide whether a credit history is adverse It is
the individual lender or creditor which makes that decision each lender has its own policy on what
scores fall within their guidelines The specific scores that fall within a lenders guidelines are most
often NOT disclosed to the applicant due to competitive reasons In the United States a creditor is
required to give the reasons for denying credit to an applicant immediately and must also provide
the name and address of the credit reporting agency who provided data that was used to make the
decision
More than One Credit History Per Person
In some countries people can have more than one credit history For example in Canada although
most Canadians are not aware of it every person who applied for credit before obtaining a Social
Insurance Number has two separate credit histories one with SIN and one without SIN This is due
to the credit reporting structure in Canada This can lead to two completely separate parallel
histories and often leads to inconsistencies (although typically the person in question will never
notice the inconsistencies) because when a lender asks for someones credit report with SIN what
the lender gets is different from what he would have gotten if he asked the report without providing
the SIN This is because contrary to popular belief when someone gets a new SIN for whatever
reason the two credit files are never merged unless the person requests specifically As a result a
29
record with SIN zeroed out is kept separately from a record with SIN Note this happens without
the person even knowing it
Credit score
A credit score is a numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a persons credit files to
represent the creditworthiness of that person which is the perceived likelihood that the person will
pay debts in a timely manner A credit score is primarily based on credit report information
typically sourced from credit bureaus credit reference agencies
Lenders such as banks and credit card companies use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk
posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt Lenders use credit
scores to determine who qualifies for a loan at what interest rate and what credit limits The use of
credit or identity scoring prior to authorizing access or granting credit is an implementation of a
trusted system
Credit scoring is not limited to banks Other organizations such as mobile phone companies
insurance companies employers and government departments employ the same techniques Credit
scoring also has a lot of overlap with data mining which uses many similar techniques
30
CHAPTER- 3
INTRODUCTION
OF
SMERA
SMERA ndash AN INTRODUCTION
31
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Steps involved in the marketing research process are -
1) Problem definition Defining the marketing research problem to be addressed is the most
important step because all other steps will be based on this definition
2) Developing an approach to the problem Development of a broad specification of how the
problem will be addressed allows the researcher to break the problem into salient issues and
manageable pieces
3) Research design formulation A framework for conducting the marketing research project that
specifies the procedures necessary for obtaining the required information It details the
statistical methodology needed to solve the problem and thus the data requirements needed
from data collection
4) Fieldwork or data collection A field force (personal interviewing phone mail or electronic
surveys) gathers project data Although seemingly trivial in nature to obtain meaningful
results field workers must be accurate and thorough in data collection
5) Data preparation and analysis The editing coding transcription and verification of data
allow researchers to derive meaning from the data
6) Report preparation and presentation The findings are communicated to the client The report
should address the specific research questions identified in the problem definition describe
the approach the research design data collection and the data analysis procedures adopted
and present the results and the major findings
Marketing research provides the information for decision makers at each step of the marketing
decision process It is the goal of marketing research to provide relevant accurate reliable valid
and current information to management in order to facilitate managerial decisions Each of these
characteristics can be defined for as
7
Information that is relevant addresses the problem or issue being investigated
Information that is accurate correct and precise
Information that is reliable and originates from competent trustworthy sources
Information that is valid and is applicable to the problem at hand
Information that is current is timely and up-to-date for both the industry and issue under
consideration
There are two types of market research suppliers
Internal suppliermdasha marketing research department located within the firm where all the
marketing research staff members are employees of the firm Most major corporations have
their own marketing research departments
External suppliermdashresearch suppliers that are not a part of the firm The external supplier may
offer the entire range of marketing services including problem definition developing an
approach questionnaire design sampling data collection data analysis interpretation and
report preparation and presentation
Services offered by a full-service marketing research supplier are
1) Syndicated services Offered by research organizations that provide information from a
common database to different firms that subscribe to their services
2) Standardized services Research studies conducted for different client firms but always in the
same way
3) Customized services Offer a wide variety of marketing research services Customized or
tailor-made to suit the specific needs of a particular client
4) Internet services Offered by firms that have specialized in conducting marketing research on
the Internet
8
Services offered by a limited-service marketing research supplier are
1) Coding and data entry services The supplier will take the administered questionnaires edit
them develop a coding scheme and transcribe the data onto diskettes or magnetic tapes for
input into the computer
2) Analytical services These services include questionnaire design and pre ndash testing determining
the best means of collecting data sampling plans and other aspects of the research design
3) Data analysis services Offer sophisticated data analysis using multivariate techniques
4) Branded product and services Consist of specialized data collection and analysis
procedures developed to address specific types of marketing research problems
9
CHAPTER
1
INTRODUCTION
OF
TITLE
10
INTRODUCTION
Sales promotions are activities that shape buying patterns attract new audiences or increase sales
Its garbage of a word that encompasses everything that falls outside advertising publicity and
direct marketing although these might be used to deliver your sales promotions
Most textbooks see sales promotion as interfacing with price - this writer believes sales promotions
are broader than this Too often people think discounts are synonymous with sales promotion - not
true Sales promotions can include the provision of sampling or learning opportunities joint
promotions or collaborations with third Party networks special events giveaways and
competitions discounts incentives value adding and rewards
In this section we will also look at distribution and display of promotional materials mainly
because there is nowhere else for them to go
Imaginatively and carefully planned sales promotions can deliver long-term benefits to your
organization Too often they are used as an afterthought to get people through the door Not
surprisingly they usually look like last minute panic measures and that can signal failure not
success
One well-planned far-reaching promotion is better than heaps of little one-offs that bear no relation
to your overall strategy The work involved in developing sales promotions can often outweigh the
apparent benefit - if you measure the results in the broadest possible context you just might find
you have successfully reached people outside the inner arts circle
As the term implies - the ultimate goal is sales or transactions However promotions can be
planned to increase sales over a long period within a specific market segment so it is not always
about immediate results
11
Why do it
Good sales promotions say something about your work and who you are They can be an
inexpensive way of increasing awareness of reaching new buyers or extending the buying choices
of existing audiences As inessential part of your campaign they should be planned from the
beginning While sales promotions can often be done cheaply there should always be a line item
for this activity in your budget no matter how small Because sales promotions often involve
working with other organizations they can open doors into the wider community By building
mutually beneficial relationships you could also be paving the way for sponsorship
Remember never devalue your product This is really easy to do if you are desperate which is why
the best sales promotions are usually planned well in advance
Follow our step-by-step guide Sales promotion how to do it
ANALYSE THE BENEFITS
When you are identifying possible sales promotions make sure that everyone involved including
the customer benefits
The benefits might be
1048698 access to communications channels such as lists clients or advertising
1048698 the feel good factor the association creates for clients or customers
1048698 reinforcement of the companys image
1048698 provision of rewards to clients or audiences
1048698 stimulation from working and learning from each other
1048698-increased sales
1048698 better seats priority booking private viewings cheaper prices learning opportunities and so on
12
IDENTIFY OUTLETS FOR YOUR PROMOTION
Distribution and display
The fliers are sitting in a nice pile in your office Now to the real point of print getting it into the
right hands
Tip Distribution and display
The media
Media are widely used to deliver sales promotions usually in the form of reader offers or
competitions
Tip Media promotions
Networks
Tapping into outside networks can be very cost effective and help you reach hundreds or thousands
of people These might include large employers credit card companies travel agencies
associations such as Rotary manufacturers of fast moving consumer goods such as milk and so on
There is a range of service organizations who communicate regularly with their members such as
The Writers Guild Australian Music Centre National Association of Visual Artists (NAVA)
Council- run community centers and many more
Tip Creating networks
Comment Extending your networks
Comment Cultural tourism
Events
An event can often be a form of sales promotion - if it is designed to reach new audiences or is
devised to encourage attendance at future events
Tip Using events
Comment The sports link
13
Establishing strategic alliances
Certain communities are large motivated and very well organized the gay and lesbian community
for example or some ethnic communities Work with them their publications and invite these
communities to become a part of your organization planning ways to produce mutual benefit
Approaches can range from artists residencies or going to their community centers to charity
appeals to discounted tickets it depends on the needs of the particular community
Sponsors
Sponsors can introduce you to new networks they are also often looking for ways to provide
benefits for their staff This is an excellent way to extend your reach and attract new audiences
Sponsor receptions often-bringin visitors who are new to the art form find ways to increase their
appreciation and enjoyment of the occasion beyond providing champagne and canapeacutes This could
be sending programs in advance or inviting the artist curator or theatre director to talk about the
production at the pre-performance reception Even a signed poster can be a treasured memento of
the occasion
DESIGNING THE RESPONSE AND THE FOLLOW UP
Sometimes promotions do not realize their full potential because the response mechanism is too
complicated or unclear It should be easy to respond by ticking a box picking up the phone
handing over the coupon and soon There is a risk in giving people too many choices as it can take
too long to work out what to do On the other hand customers like offers to be as flexible as
possible
PACKAGING PREMIUMS AND DISCOUNTS
Packages can range from subscription a concept most people are familiar with to
14
Premium packages
Dinner parking amp ticket which is sometimes called up-pricing premium pricing or adding value to
the evening It could be as simple as including a bottle or glass of champagne providing valet
parking or an opportunity to see the exhibition when the general public is not there
Membership schemes
Membership schemes encourage long term loyalty to an organization and offer special prices or
private rooms or exclusive events targeted at the interests and lifestyle of the membership These
schemes are becoming increasingly important to all kinds of arts organizations
Discount packages
1048698 2fers or buy one get one free these are best targeted at people who attendbuy infrequently
Money is rarely a deterrent to the more typical arts attender unless they are very frequent users
1048698 cross art form deals these recognize that many people are eclectic and want a range of arts
experiences It is hard to get these right and they seem to work best when packaged at one venue
under recognizable brand
1048698 Group bookings these encourage bulk purchase by providing a special price for groups The
heart-ofgoldgroup organizer is a dying breed so companies are now making it easier to get a
group together by reducing the party size from 20 to 10 or even 6
1048698 School bookings group packages also exist for schools Usually the teacher is given a free pass
and a ratio of pupils to teacher is often specified
1048698 Multi-tix special prices can be offered to people buying three or more events in a period for
example during a festival This is a hybrid of the subscription concept that aims to increase
transaction levels through price
15
Lifestyle packages
1048698 Babysitting packages where baby-sitting services or cregraveches are provided recognize the needs
of mothers families have greater pressures on their time and money and finding ways to make
it easier for them to be part of your organization will reap rewards
1048698 Sunday brunch afternoon tea sunset or late night events are designed to fit in with and enhance
peoples lifestyle
1048698 Youth offers like rush tickets special prices special drinks themed events and other features
recognize the lifestyle needs of young people interested in your work
Incentives
1048698 these can be gifts provided with the purchase of subscription or membership to an organization
eg key rings fridge magnets diaries calendars CDs There is little evidence that these
increase sales but they can generate loyalty and good will
1048698 large corporations are also looking for incentives to give to their staff or clients and arts
companies are well positioned to provide these (discounts should not apply)
This is just the teeny tip of a very large iceberg
16
CHAPTER-2
INTRODUCTION
OF
CREDIT
RATING
17
Credit rating
A credit rating assesses the credit worthiness of an individual corporation or even a country
Credit ratings are calculated from financial history and current assets and liabilities Typically a
credit rating tells a lender or investor the probability of the subject being able to pay back a loan
However in recent years credit ratings have also been used to adjust insurance premiums
determine employment eligibility and establish the amount of a utility or leasing deposit
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
Especially in context for sme earlier the which credit was done by the bank was not beneficial in
respect of sme because the prior credit rating includes analyses of few thing like past payment
record profit and loss account and another fact of balance sheet of three financial year so give the
all benefits earlier which was not given due to ignorance was avail by credit rating through by
credit ratings Third party rating has been gaining ground in our due to the fact that the lending
institutions have been asked to maintain adequate capital by the rbi as per Basel norms to maintain
the said adequacy the bank and finned to exhibit the classification of the units so that distinction
for good and bad units can be made and subsequently the provisioning for the said units can be
made accordingly
Credit rating agency
A credit rating agency (CRA) is a company that assigns credit ratings for issuers of certain types
of debt obligations as well as the debt instruments themselves In some cases the servicers of the
underlying debt are also given ratings In most cases the issuers of securities are companies
special purpose entities state and local governments non-profit organizations or national
governments issuing debt-like securities (ie bonds) that can be traded on a secondary market A
credit rating for an issuer takes into consideration the issuers credit worthiness (ie its ability to
pay back a loan) and affects the interest rate applied to the particular security being issued (In
contrast to CRAs a company that issues credit scores for individual credit-worthiness is generally
called a credit bureau or consumer credit reporting agency)
18
In respect of india there are many credit rating agancy few of them are as
shown below
1 Smera
2 Crisil
3 Care
4 Fitch
5 Onicra
6 Dampb
7 Icra
They provide credit rating evaluating the sme at different pramitter
Personal credit ratings
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
In the United States an individuals credit history is compiled and maintained by companies called
credit bureaus Credit worthiness is usually determined through a statistical analysis of the available
credit data A common form of this analysis is a 3-digit credit score provided by independent
financial service companies such as the FICO credit score (The term a registered trademark
comes from Fair Isaac Corporation which pioneered the credit rating concept in the late 1950s)
An individuals credit score along with his or her credit report affects his or her ability to borrow
money through financial institutions such as banks
In Canada the most common ratings are the North American Standard Account Ratings also
known as the R ratings which have a range between R0 and R9 R0 refers to a new account R1
refers to on-time payments R9 refers to bad debt
The factors which may influence a persons credit rating are
1) ability to pay a loan 2) interest 3)amount of credit used
4) saving patterns 5)spending patterns 6) debt
19
Corporate credit ratings
[The credit rating of a corporation is a financial indicator to potential investors of debt securities
such as bonds These are assigned by credit rating agencies such as Standard amp Poors Moodys or
Fitch Ratings and have letter designations such as AAA B CC The Standard amp Poors rating scale
is as follows AAA AA A BBB BB B CCC CC C D Anything lower than a BBB rating is
considered a speculative or junk bond The Moodys rating system is similar in concept but the
verbage is a little different
It is as follows
AAA
Aa1 Aa2 Aa3
A1 A2 A3
Baa1 Baa2 Baa3
Ba1 Ba2 Ba3
B1 B2 B3
Caa1 Caa2 Caa3
Ca
C
Sovereign credit
ratings
Cont Risk rankings
Least risky countries
Score out of 100
Rank
Previous Country Overall score
1 1 Luxembourg 9988
2 2 Norway 9747
3 3 Switzerland 9621
4 4 Denmark 9339
5 5 Sweden 9296
6 6 Ireland 9236
7 10 Austria 9225
8 9 Finland 9195
9 8 Netherlands 9195
10 7 United States 9127
20
A sovereign credit rating is the credit rating of a sovereign entity ie a country The sovereign
credit rating indicates the risk level of the investing environment of a country and is used by
investors looking to invest abroad It takes political risk into account
The table shows the ten least-risky countries for investment as of March 2008 Ratings are further
broken down into components including political risk economic risk Euromoneys bi-annual
country risk index Country risk surveymonitors the political and economic stability of 185
21
sovereign countries Results focus foremost on economics specifically sovereign default risk
andor payment default risk for exporters (aka trade credit risk)
Short term rating
A short term rating is a probability factor of an individual going into default within a year This is
in contrast to long-term rating which is evaluated over a long timeframe
Credit scores for individuals are assigned by credit bureaus (US UK credit reference agencies)
Credit ratings for corporations and sovereign debt are assigned by credit rating agencies
In the United States the main credit bureaus are Experian Equifax and TransUnion A relatively
new credit bureau in the US is Innovis
In the United Kingdom the main credit reference agencies for individuals are Experian Equifax
and Callcredit There is no universal credit rating as such rather each individual lender credit
scores based on its own wish-list of a perfect customer
In Canada the main credit bureaus for individuals are Equifax TransUnion and Northern Credit
Bureaus Experian
In India the main credit bureaus are CRISIL ICRA and Credit Registration Office (CRO)
The largest credit rating agencies (which tend to operate worldwide) are Moodys Standard and
Poors and Fitch Ratings
CREDIT RISK
Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either
the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
Faced by lenders to consumers
Most lenders employ their own models (Credit Scorecards) to rank potential and existing customers
according to risk and then apply appropriate strategies With products such as unsecured personal
loans or mortgages lenders charge a higher price for higher risk customers and vice versa With
22
revolving products such as credit cards and overdrafts risk is controlled through careful setting of
credit limits Some products also require security most commonly in the form of property
Faced by lenders to business
Lenders will trade off the costbenefits of a loan according to its risks and the interest charged But
interest rates are not the only method to compensate for risk Protective covenants are written into
loan agreements that allow the lender some controls These covenants may
limit the borrowers ability to weaken his balance sheet voluntarily eg by buying back shares
or paying dividends or borrowing further
allow for monitoring the debt requiring audits and monthly reports
allow the lender to decide when he can recall the loan based on specific events or when
financial ratios like debtequity or interest coverage deteriorate
A recent innovation to protect lenders and bond holders from the danger of default are credit
derivatives most commonly in the form of a credit default swap These financial contracts allow
companies to buy protection against defaults from a third party the protection seller The protection
seller receives a periodic fee (the credit spread) as compensation for the risk it takes and in return it
agrees to buy the debt should a credit event (default) occur
Faced by business
Companies carry credit risk when for example they do not demand up-front cash payment for
products or services By delivering the product or service first and billing the customer later - if its
a business customer the terms may be quoted as net 30 - the company is carrying a risk between the
delivery and payment
Significant resources and sophisticated programs are used to analyze and manage risk Some
companies run a credit risk department whose job is to assess the financial health of their
customers and extend credit (or not) accordingly They may use in house programs to advise on
avoiding reducing and transferring risk They also use third party provided intelligence
23
Companies like Standard amp Poors Moodys and Dun and Bradstreet provide such information for a
fee
For example a distributor selling its products to a troubled retailer may attempt to lessen credit risk
by tightening payment terms to net 15 or by actually selling fewer products on credit to the
retailer or even cutting off credit entirely and demanding payment in advance Such strategies
impact sales volume but reduce exposure to credit risk and subsequent payment defaults
Credit risk is not really manageable for very small companies (ie those with only one or two
customers) This makes these companies very vulnerable to defaults or even payment delays by
their customers
The use of a collection agency is not really a tool to manage credit risk rather it is an extreme
measure closer to a write down in that the creditor expects a below-agreed return after the
collection agency takes its share (if it is able to get anything at all)
Faced by individuals
Consumers may face credit risk in a direct form as depositors at banks or as investorslenders They
may also face credit risk when entering into standard commercial transactions by providing a
deposit to their counterparty eg for a large purchase or a real estate rental Employees of any firm
also depend on the firms ability to pay wages and are exposed to the credit risk of their employer
In some cases governments recognize that an individuals capacity to evaluate credit risk may be
limited and the risk may reduce economic efficiency governments may enact various legal
measures or mechanisms with the intention of protecting consumers against some of these risks
Bank deposits notably are insured in many countries (to some maximum amount) for individuals
effectively limiting their credit risk to banks and increasing their willingness to use the banking
system
24
Credit history
Credit history or credit report is in many countries a record of an individuals or companys past
borrowing and repaying including information about late payments and bankruptcy The term
credit reputation can either be used synonymous to credit history or to credit score
In the US when a customer fills out an application for credit from a bank store or credit card
company their information is forwarded to a credit bureau The credit bureau matches the name
address and other identifying information on the credit applicant with information retained by the
bureau in its files
This information is used by lenders such as credit card companies to determine an individuals
credit worthiness that is determining an individuals willingness to repay a debt The willingness
to repay a debt is indicated by how timely past payments have been made to other lenders Lenders
like to see consumer debt obligations paid on a monthly basis
The other factor in determining whether a lender will provide a consumer credit or a loan is
dependent on income The higher the income all other things being equal the more credit the
consumer can access However lenders make credit granting decisions based on both ability to
repay a debt (income) and willingness (the credit report) as indicated in the past payment history
These factors help lenders determine whether to extend credit and on what terms With the
adoption of risk-based pricing on almost all lending in the financial services industry this report
has become even more important since it is usually the sole element used to choose the annual
percentage rate (APR) grace period and other contractual obligations of the credit card or loan
How credit rating is determined
Credit ratings are determined differently in each country but the factors are similar and may
include
Payment record - a record of bills being overdue generally being more than 30 days will lower
the credit rating
25
Control of debt - Lenders want to see that borrowers are not living beyond their means Experts
estimate that non-mortgage credit payments each month should not exceed more than 15
percent of the borrowers after tax income
Signs of responsibility and stability - Lenders perceive things such as longevity in the
borrowers home and job (at least two years) as signs of stability
Re-Aging - Through re-aging a credit history is re-written and you are given a fresh start on
that particular account This can dramatically improve the credit score In 2000 the Federal
Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFEIC) clarified guidelines on re-aging accounts
for delinquent borrowers
Credit outstanding--Lenders dont like to see the amount of credit owed bumping up against the
credit limit of a card Generally a good idea is to owe no more than one-third of your total
credit limit on a credit card
Credit inquiries ndash An inquiry is a notation on a credit history file There are several kinds of
notations that may or may not have an adverse effect on the credit score Soft pulls dont affect
the credit score and are characteristic of the following examples
A credit bureau may sell a persons contact information to an advertiser wanting to offer credit
cards loans and insurance based on certain criteria that the lender has established A creditor also
checks a persons credit periodically Or a credit counseling agency with the clients permission
can obtain a clients credit report with no adverse action Each of the preceding examples are
commonly referred to as a soft credit pull
However hard credit inquiries are made by lenders when consumers are seeking credit or a loan
Lenders when granted a permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act can
check a credit history for the purposes of extending credit to a consumer Hard inquiries from
lenders directly affect the borrowers credit score Keeping credit inquiries to a minimum can help a
persons credit rating A lender may perceive many inquiries over a short period of time on a
persons report as a signal that the person is in financial difficulty and is looking for loans and will
possibly consider that person a poor credit risk
26
Credit cards that are not used - Although it is believed that having too many credit cards can have
an adverse effect on a credit score closing these lines of credit will not improve your score The
credit rating formula looks at the difference between the amount of credit a person has and the
amount being used so closing one or more accounts will reduce your total available credit And the
lower the percentage of available credit the more the credit score will drop The credit formula also
factors in the length of time credit accounts have been open so closing an account with several
years of history is another avoidable credit mistake
Understanding credit reports and scores
The Government of Canada offers a free publication called Understanding Your Credit Report and
Credit Score This publication provides sample credit report and credit score documents with
explanations of the notations and codes that are used It also contains general information on how
to build or improve credit history and how to check for signs that identity theft has occurred The
publication is available online at httpwwwfcacgcca the site of the Financial Consumer Agency
of Canada Paper copies can also be ordered at no charge for residents of Canada
Credit History of Immigrants
Credit history usually applies to only one country Even within the same credit card network
information is not shared between different countries For example if a person has been living in
Canada for many years and then moves to the United States when they apply for credit cards or a
mortgage in the US they would usually not be approved because of a lack of credit history even
if they had an excellent credit rating in their home country and even if they had a very high salary
in their home country
An immigrant must establish a credit history from scratch in the new country Therefore it is
usually very difficult for immigrants to obtain credit cards and mortgages until after they have
worked in the new country with a stable income for several years
Adverse Credit
Adverse credit history also called sub-prime credit history non-status credit history
impaired credit history poor credit history and bad credit history is a negative credit rating
27
A negative credit rating is often considered undesirable to lenders and other extenders of credit for
the purposes of loaning money or capital
In the US a consumers credit history is compiled by credit rating agencies more commonly
referred to as consumer reporting agencies or credit bureaus The data reported to these agencies
are primarily provided to them by creditors and includes detailed records of the relationship a
person has with the lender Detailed account information including payment history credit limits
high and low balances and any aggressive actions taken to recover overdue debts are all reported
regularly (usually monthly) This information is reviewed by a lender to determine whether to
approve a loan and on what terms
As credit became more popular it became more difficult for lenders to evaluate and approve credit
card and loan applications in a timely and efficient manner To address this issue credit scoring
was adopted
Credit scoring is the process of using a proprietary mathematical algorithm to create a numerical
value that describes an applicants overall creditworthiness Scores frequently based on numbers
(ranging from 300-850 for consumers in the United States) statistically analyze a credit history in
comparison to other debtors and gauge the magnitude of financial risk Since lending money to a
person or company is a risk credit scoring offers a standardized way for lenders to assess that risk
rapidly and without prejudiceAll credit bureaus also offer credit scoring as a supplemental
service
Credit scores assess the likelihood that a borrower will repay a loan or other credit obligation The
higher the score the better the credit history and the higher the probability that the loan will be
repaid on time When creditors report an excessive number of late payments or trouble with
collecting payments the score suffers Similarly when adverse judgments and collection agency
activity are reported the score decreases even more Repeated delinquencies or public record
entries can lower the score and trigger what is called a negative credit rating or adverse credit
history
When a lender requests a credit score it can cause a small drop in the credit score That is because
as stated above a number of inquiries over a relatively short period of time can indicate the
consumer is in a financially difficult situation
28
Consequences
The information in a credit report is sold by credit agencies to organizations that are considering
whether to offer credit to individuals or companies It is also available to other entities with a
permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act The consequence of a negative
credit rating is typically a reduction in the likelihood that a lender will approve an application for
credit under favorable terms if at all Interest rates on loans are significantly affected by credit
historymdashthe higher the credit rating the lower the interest while the lower the credit rating the
higher the interest The increased interest is used to offset the higher rate of default within the low
credit rating group of individuals
In the United States in certain cases insurance housing and employment can also be denied based
on a negative credit rating
Note that is not the credit reporting agencies that decide whether a credit history is adverse It is
the individual lender or creditor which makes that decision each lender has its own policy on what
scores fall within their guidelines The specific scores that fall within a lenders guidelines are most
often NOT disclosed to the applicant due to competitive reasons In the United States a creditor is
required to give the reasons for denying credit to an applicant immediately and must also provide
the name and address of the credit reporting agency who provided data that was used to make the
decision
More than One Credit History Per Person
In some countries people can have more than one credit history For example in Canada although
most Canadians are not aware of it every person who applied for credit before obtaining a Social
Insurance Number has two separate credit histories one with SIN and one without SIN This is due
to the credit reporting structure in Canada This can lead to two completely separate parallel
histories and often leads to inconsistencies (although typically the person in question will never
notice the inconsistencies) because when a lender asks for someones credit report with SIN what
the lender gets is different from what he would have gotten if he asked the report without providing
the SIN This is because contrary to popular belief when someone gets a new SIN for whatever
reason the two credit files are never merged unless the person requests specifically As a result a
29
record with SIN zeroed out is kept separately from a record with SIN Note this happens without
the person even knowing it
Credit score
A credit score is a numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a persons credit files to
represent the creditworthiness of that person which is the perceived likelihood that the person will
pay debts in a timely manner A credit score is primarily based on credit report information
typically sourced from credit bureaus credit reference agencies
Lenders such as banks and credit card companies use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk
posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt Lenders use credit
scores to determine who qualifies for a loan at what interest rate and what credit limits The use of
credit or identity scoring prior to authorizing access or granting credit is an implementation of a
trusted system
Credit scoring is not limited to banks Other organizations such as mobile phone companies
insurance companies employers and government departments employ the same techniques Credit
scoring also has a lot of overlap with data mining which uses many similar techniques
30
CHAPTER- 3
INTRODUCTION
OF
SMERA
SMERA ndash AN INTRODUCTION
31
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Information that is relevant addresses the problem or issue being investigated
Information that is accurate correct and precise
Information that is reliable and originates from competent trustworthy sources
Information that is valid and is applicable to the problem at hand
Information that is current is timely and up-to-date for both the industry and issue under
consideration
There are two types of market research suppliers
Internal suppliermdasha marketing research department located within the firm where all the
marketing research staff members are employees of the firm Most major corporations have
their own marketing research departments
External suppliermdashresearch suppliers that are not a part of the firm The external supplier may
offer the entire range of marketing services including problem definition developing an
approach questionnaire design sampling data collection data analysis interpretation and
report preparation and presentation
Services offered by a full-service marketing research supplier are
1) Syndicated services Offered by research organizations that provide information from a
common database to different firms that subscribe to their services
2) Standardized services Research studies conducted for different client firms but always in the
same way
3) Customized services Offer a wide variety of marketing research services Customized or
tailor-made to suit the specific needs of a particular client
4) Internet services Offered by firms that have specialized in conducting marketing research on
the Internet
8
Services offered by a limited-service marketing research supplier are
1) Coding and data entry services The supplier will take the administered questionnaires edit
them develop a coding scheme and transcribe the data onto diskettes or magnetic tapes for
input into the computer
2) Analytical services These services include questionnaire design and pre ndash testing determining
the best means of collecting data sampling plans and other aspects of the research design
3) Data analysis services Offer sophisticated data analysis using multivariate techniques
4) Branded product and services Consist of specialized data collection and analysis
procedures developed to address specific types of marketing research problems
9
CHAPTER
1
INTRODUCTION
OF
TITLE
10
INTRODUCTION
Sales promotions are activities that shape buying patterns attract new audiences or increase sales
Its garbage of a word that encompasses everything that falls outside advertising publicity and
direct marketing although these might be used to deliver your sales promotions
Most textbooks see sales promotion as interfacing with price - this writer believes sales promotions
are broader than this Too often people think discounts are synonymous with sales promotion - not
true Sales promotions can include the provision of sampling or learning opportunities joint
promotions or collaborations with third Party networks special events giveaways and
competitions discounts incentives value adding and rewards
In this section we will also look at distribution and display of promotional materials mainly
because there is nowhere else for them to go
Imaginatively and carefully planned sales promotions can deliver long-term benefits to your
organization Too often they are used as an afterthought to get people through the door Not
surprisingly they usually look like last minute panic measures and that can signal failure not
success
One well-planned far-reaching promotion is better than heaps of little one-offs that bear no relation
to your overall strategy The work involved in developing sales promotions can often outweigh the
apparent benefit - if you measure the results in the broadest possible context you just might find
you have successfully reached people outside the inner arts circle
As the term implies - the ultimate goal is sales or transactions However promotions can be
planned to increase sales over a long period within a specific market segment so it is not always
about immediate results
11
Why do it
Good sales promotions say something about your work and who you are They can be an
inexpensive way of increasing awareness of reaching new buyers or extending the buying choices
of existing audiences As inessential part of your campaign they should be planned from the
beginning While sales promotions can often be done cheaply there should always be a line item
for this activity in your budget no matter how small Because sales promotions often involve
working with other organizations they can open doors into the wider community By building
mutually beneficial relationships you could also be paving the way for sponsorship
Remember never devalue your product This is really easy to do if you are desperate which is why
the best sales promotions are usually planned well in advance
Follow our step-by-step guide Sales promotion how to do it
ANALYSE THE BENEFITS
When you are identifying possible sales promotions make sure that everyone involved including
the customer benefits
The benefits might be
1048698 access to communications channels such as lists clients or advertising
1048698 the feel good factor the association creates for clients or customers
1048698 reinforcement of the companys image
1048698 provision of rewards to clients or audiences
1048698 stimulation from working and learning from each other
1048698-increased sales
1048698 better seats priority booking private viewings cheaper prices learning opportunities and so on
12
IDENTIFY OUTLETS FOR YOUR PROMOTION
Distribution and display
The fliers are sitting in a nice pile in your office Now to the real point of print getting it into the
right hands
Tip Distribution and display
The media
Media are widely used to deliver sales promotions usually in the form of reader offers or
competitions
Tip Media promotions
Networks
Tapping into outside networks can be very cost effective and help you reach hundreds or thousands
of people These might include large employers credit card companies travel agencies
associations such as Rotary manufacturers of fast moving consumer goods such as milk and so on
There is a range of service organizations who communicate regularly with their members such as
The Writers Guild Australian Music Centre National Association of Visual Artists (NAVA)
Council- run community centers and many more
Tip Creating networks
Comment Extending your networks
Comment Cultural tourism
Events
An event can often be a form of sales promotion - if it is designed to reach new audiences or is
devised to encourage attendance at future events
Tip Using events
Comment The sports link
13
Establishing strategic alliances
Certain communities are large motivated and very well organized the gay and lesbian community
for example or some ethnic communities Work with them their publications and invite these
communities to become a part of your organization planning ways to produce mutual benefit
Approaches can range from artists residencies or going to their community centers to charity
appeals to discounted tickets it depends on the needs of the particular community
Sponsors
Sponsors can introduce you to new networks they are also often looking for ways to provide
benefits for their staff This is an excellent way to extend your reach and attract new audiences
Sponsor receptions often-bringin visitors who are new to the art form find ways to increase their
appreciation and enjoyment of the occasion beyond providing champagne and canapeacutes This could
be sending programs in advance or inviting the artist curator or theatre director to talk about the
production at the pre-performance reception Even a signed poster can be a treasured memento of
the occasion
DESIGNING THE RESPONSE AND THE FOLLOW UP
Sometimes promotions do not realize their full potential because the response mechanism is too
complicated or unclear It should be easy to respond by ticking a box picking up the phone
handing over the coupon and soon There is a risk in giving people too many choices as it can take
too long to work out what to do On the other hand customers like offers to be as flexible as
possible
PACKAGING PREMIUMS AND DISCOUNTS
Packages can range from subscription a concept most people are familiar with to
14
Premium packages
Dinner parking amp ticket which is sometimes called up-pricing premium pricing or adding value to
the evening It could be as simple as including a bottle or glass of champagne providing valet
parking or an opportunity to see the exhibition when the general public is not there
Membership schemes
Membership schemes encourage long term loyalty to an organization and offer special prices or
private rooms or exclusive events targeted at the interests and lifestyle of the membership These
schemes are becoming increasingly important to all kinds of arts organizations
Discount packages
1048698 2fers or buy one get one free these are best targeted at people who attendbuy infrequently
Money is rarely a deterrent to the more typical arts attender unless they are very frequent users
1048698 cross art form deals these recognize that many people are eclectic and want a range of arts
experiences It is hard to get these right and they seem to work best when packaged at one venue
under recognizable brand
1048698 Group bookings these encourage bulk purchase by providing a special price for groups The
heart-ofgoldgroup organizer is a dying breed so companies are now making it easier to get a
group together by reducing the party size from 20 to 10 or even 6
1048698 School bookings group packages also exist for schools Usually the teacher is given a free pass
and a ratio of pupils to teacher is often specified
1048698 Multi-tix special prices can be offered to people buying three or more events in a period for
example during a festival This is a hybrid of the subscription concept that aims to increase
transaction levels through price
15
Lifestyle packages
1048698 Babysitting packages where baby-sitting services or cregraveches are provided recognize the needs
of mothers families have greater pressures on their time and money and finding ways to make
it easier for them to be part of your organization will reap rewards
1048698 Sunday brunch afternoon tea sunset or late night events are designed to fit in with and enhance
peoples lifestyle
1048698 Youth offers like rush tickets special prices special drinks themed events and other features
recognize the lifestyle needs of young people interested in your work
Incentives
1048698 these can be gifts provided with the purchase of subscription or membership to an organization
eg key rings fridge magnets diaries calendars CDs There is little evidence that these
increase sales but they can generate loyalty and good will
1048698 large corporations are also looking for incentives to give to their staff or clients and arts
companies are well positioned to provide these (discounts should not apply)
This is just the teeny tip of a very large iceberg
16
CHAPTER-2
INTRODUCTION
OF
CREDIT
RATING
17
Credit rating
A credit rating assesses the credit worthiness of an individual corporation or even a country
Credit ratings are calculated from financial history and current assets and liabilities Typically a
credit rating tells a lender or investor the probability of the subject being able to pay back a loan
However in recent years credit ratings have also been used to adjust insurance premiums
determine employment eligibility and establish the amount of a utility or leasing deposit
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
Especially in context for sme earlier the which credit was done by the bank was not beneficial in
respect of sme because the prior credit rating includes analyses of few thing like past payment
record profit and loss account and another fact of balance sheet of three financial year so give the
all benefits earlier which was not given due to ignorance was avail by credit rating through by
credit ratings Third party rating has been gaining ground in our due to the fact that the lending
institutions have been asked to maintain adequate capital by the rbi as per Basel norms to maintain
the said adequacy the bank and finned to exhibit the classification of the units so that distinction
for good and bad units can be made and subsequently the provisioning for the said units can be
made accordingly
Credit rating agency
A credit rating agency (CRA) is a company that assigns credit ratings for issuers of certain types
of debt obligations as well as the debt instruments themselves In some cases the servicers of the
underlying debt are also given ratings In most cases the issuers of securities are companies
special purpose entities state and local governments non-profit organizations or national
governments issuing debt-like securities (ie bonds) that can be traded on a secondary market A
credit rating for an issuer takes into consideration the issuers credit worthiness (ie its ability to
pay back a loan) and affects the interest rate applied to the particular security being issued (In
contrast to CRAs a company that issues credit scores for individual credit-worthiness is generally
called a credit bureau or consumer credit reporting agency)
18
In respect of india there are many credit rating agancy few of them are as
shown below
1 Smera
2 Crisil
3 Care
4 Fitch
5 Onicra
6 Dampb
7 Icra
They provide credit rating evaluating the sme at different pramitter
Personal credit ratings
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
In the United States an individuals credit history is compiled and maintained by companies called
credit bureaus Credit worthiness is usually determined through a statistical analysis of the available
credit data A common form of this analysis is a 3-digit credit score provided by independent
financial service companies such as the FICO credit score (The term a registered trademark
comes from Fair Isaac Corporation which pioneered the credit rating concept in the late 1950s)
An individuals credit score along with his or her credit report affects his or her ability to borrow
money through financial institutions such as banks
In Canada the most common ratings are the North American Standard Account Ratings also
known as the R ratings which have a range between R0 and R9 R0 refers to a new account R1
refers to on-time payments R9 refers to bad debt
The factors which may influence a persons credit rating are
1) ability to pay a loan 2) interest 3)amount of credit used
4) saving patterns 5)spending patterns 6) debt
19
Corporate credit ratings
[The credit rating of a corporation is a financial indicator to potential investors of debt securities
such as bonds These are assigned by credit rating agencies such as Standard amp Poors Moodys or
Fitch Ratings and have letter designations such as AAA B CC The Standard amp Poors rating scale
is as follows AAA AA A BBB BB B CCC CC C D Anything lower than a BBB rating is
considered a speculative or junk bond The Moodys rating system is similar in concept but the
verbage is a little different
It is as follows
AAA
Aa1 Aa2 Aa3
A1 A2 A3
Baa1 Baa2 Baa3
Ba1 Ba2 Ba3
B1 B2 B3
Caa1 Caa2 Caa3
Ca
C
Sovereign credit
ratings
Cont Risk rankings
Least risky countries
Score out of 100
Rank
Previous Country Overall score
1 1 Luxembourg 9988
2 2 Norway 9747
3 3 Switzerland 9621
4 4 Denmark 9339
5 5 Sweden 9296
6 6 Ireland 9236
7 10 Austria 9225
8 9 Finland 9195
9 8 Netherlands 9195
10 7 United States 9127
20
A sovereign credit rating is the credit rating of a sovereign entity ie a country The sovereign
credit rating indicates the risk level of the investing environment of a country and is used by
investors looking to invest abroad It takes political risk into account
The table shows the ten least-risky countries for investment as of March 2008 Ratings are further
broken down into components including political risk economic risk Euromoneys bi-annual
country risk index Country risk surveymonitors the political and economic stability of 185
21
sovereign countries Results focus foremost on economics specifically sovereign default risk
andor payment default risk for exporters (aka trade credit risk)
Short term rating
A short term rating is a probability factor of an individual going into default within a year This is
in contrast to long-term rating which is evaluated over a long timeframe
Credit scores for individuals are assigned by credit bureaus (US UK credit reference agencies)
Credit ratings for corporations and sovereign debt are assigned by credit rating agencies
In the United States the main credit bureaus are Experian Equifax and TransUnion A relatively
new credit bureau in the US is Innovis
In the United Kingdom the main credit reference agencies for individuals are Experian Equifax
and Callcredit There is no universal credit rating as such rather each individual lender credit
scores based on its own wish-list of a perfect customer
In Canada the main credit bureaus for individuals are Equifax TransUnion and Northern Credit
Bureaus Experian
In India the main credit bureaus are CRISIL ICRA and Credit Registration Office (CRO)
The largest credit rating agencies (which tend to operate worldwide) are Moodys Standard and
Poors and Fitch Ratings
CREDIT RISK
Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either
the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
Faced by lenders to consumers
Most lenders employ their own models (Credit Scorecards) to rank potential and existing customers
according to risk and then apply appropriate strategies With products such as unsecured personal
loans or mortgages lenders charge a higher price for higher risk customers and vice versa With
22
revolving products such as credit cards and overdrafts risk is controlled through careful setting of
credit limits Some products also require security most commonly in the form of property
Faced by lenders to business
Lenders will trade off the costbenefits of a loan according to its risks and the interest charged But
interest rates are not the only method to compensate for risk Protective covenants are written into
loan agreements that allow the lender some controls These covenants may
limit the borrowers ability to weaken his balance sheet voluntarily eg by buying back shares
or paying dividends or borrowing further
allow for monitoring the debt requiring audits and monthly reports
allow the lender to decide when he can recall the loan based on specific events or when
financial ratios like debtequity or interest coverage deteriorate
A recent innovation to protect lenders and bond holders from the danger of default are credit
derivatives most commonly in the form of a credit default swap These financial contracts allow
companies to buy protection against defaults from a third party the protection seller The protection
seller receives a periodic fee (the credit spread) as compensation for the risk it takes and in return it
agrees to buy the debt should a credit event (default) occur
Faced by business
Companies carry credit risk when for example they do not demand up-front cash payment for
products or services By delivering the product or service first and billing the customer later - if its
a business customer the terms may be quoted as net 30 - the company is carrying a risk between the
delivery and payment
Significant resources and sophisticated programs are used to analyze and manage risk Some
companies run a credit risk department whose job is to assess the financial health of their
customers and extend credit (or not) accordingly They may use in house programs to advise on
avoiding reducing and transferring risk They also use third party provided intelligence
23
Companies like Standard amp Poors Moodys and Dun and Bradstreet provide such information for a
fee
For example a distributor selling its products to a troubled retailer may attempt to lessen credit risk
by tightening payment terms to net 15 or by actually selling fewer products on credit to the
retailer or even cutting off credit entirely and demanding payment in advance Such strategies
impact sales volume but reduce exposure to credit risk and subsequent payment defaults
Credit risk is not really manageable for very small companies (ie those with only one or two
customers) This makes these companies very vulnerable to defaults or even payment delays by
their customers
The use of a collection agency is not really a tool to manage credit risk rather it is an extreme
measure closer to a write down in that the creditor expects a below-agreed return after the
collection agency takes its share (if it is able to get anything at all)
Faced by individuals
Consumers may face credit risk in a direct form as depositors at banks or as investorslenders They
may also face credit risk when entering into standard commercial transactions by providing a
deposit to their counterparty eg for a large purchase or a real estate rental Employees of any firm
also depend on the firms ability to pay wages and are exposed to the credit risk of their employer
In some cases governments recognize that an individuals capacity to evaluate credit risk may be
limited and the risk may reduce economic efficiency governments may enact various legal
measures or mechanisms with the intention of protecting consumers against some of these risks
Bank deposits notably are insured in many countries (to some maximum amount) for individuals
effectively limiting their credit risk to banks and increasing their willingness to use the banking
system
24
Credit history
Credit history or credit report is in many countries a record of an individuals or companys past
borrowing and repaying including information about late payments and bankruptcy The term
credit reputation can either be used synonymous to credit history or to credit score
In the US when a customer fills out an application for credit from a bank store or credit card
company their information is forwarded to a credit bureau The credit bureau matches the name
address and other identifying information on the credit applicant with information retained by the
bureau in its files
This information is used by lenders such as credit card companies to determine an individuals
credit worthiness that is determining an individuals willingness to repay a debt The willingness
to repay a debt is indicated by how timely past payments have been made to other lenders Lenders
like to see consumer debt obligations paid on a monthly basis
The other factor in determining whether a lender will provide a consumer credit or a loan is
dependent on income The higher the income all other things being equal the more credit the
consumer can access However lenders make credit granting decisions based on both ability to
repay a debt (income) and willingness (the credit report) as indicated in the past payment history
These factors help lenders determine whether to extend credit and on what terms With the
adoption of risk-based pricing on almost all lending in the financial services industry this report
has become even more important since it is usually the sole element used to choose the annual
percentage rate (APR) grace period and other contractual obligations of the credit card or loan
How credit rating is determined
Credit ratings are determined differently in each country but the factors are similar and may
include
Payment record - a record of bills being overdue generally being more than 30 days will lower
the credit rating
25
Control of debt - Lenders want to see that borrowers are not living beyond their means Experts
estimate that non-mortgage credit payments each month should not exceed more than 15
percent of the borrowers after tax income
Signs of responsibility and stability - Lenders perceive things such as longevity in the
borrowers home and job (at least two years) as signs of stability
Re-Aging - Through re-aging a credit history is re-written and you are given a fresh start on
that particular account This can dramatically improve the credit score In 2000 the Federal
Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFEIC) clarified guidelines on re-aging accounts
for delinquent borrowers
Credit outstanding--Lenders dont like to see the amount of credit owed bumping up against the
credit limit of a card Generally a good idea is to owe no more than one-third of your total
credit limit on a credit card
Credit inquiries ndash An inquiry is a notation on a credit history file There are several kinds of
notations that may or may not have an adverse effect on the credit score Soft pulls dont affect
the credit score and are characteristic of the following examples
A credit bureau may sell a persons contact information to an advertiser wanting to offer credit
cards loans and insurance based on certain criteria that the lender has established A creditor also
checks a persons credit periodically Or a credit counseling agency with the clients permission
can obtain a clients credit report with no adverse action Each of the preceding examples are
commonly referred to as a soft credit pull
However hard credit inquiries are made by lenders when consumers are seeking credit or a loan
Lenders when granted a permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act can
check a credit history for the purposes of extending credit to a consumer Hard inquiries from
lenders directly affect the borrowers credit score Keeping credit inquiries to a minimum can help a
persons credit rating A lender may perceive many inquiries over a short period of time on a
persons report as a signal that the person is in financial difficulty and is looking for loans and will
possibly consider that person a poor credit risk
26
Credit cards that are not used - Although it is believed that having too many credit cards can have
an adverse effect on a credit score closing these lines of credit will not improve your score The
credit rating formula looks at the difference between the amount of credit a person has and the
amount being used so closing one or more accounts will reduce your total available credit And the
lower the percentage of available credit the more the credit score will drop The credit formula also
factors in the length of time credit accounts have been open so closing an account with several
years of history is another avoidable credit mistake
Understanding credit reports and scores
The Government of Canada offers a free publication called Understanding Your Credit Report and
Credit Score This publication provides sample credit report and credit score documents with
explanations of the notations and codes that are used It also contains general information on how
to build or improve credit history and how to check for signs that identity theft has occurred The
publication is available online at httpwwwfcacgcca the site of the Financial Consumer Agency
of Canada Paper copies can also be ordered at no charge for residents of Canada
Credit History of Immigrants
Credit history usually applies to only one country Even within the same credit card network
information is not shared between different countries For example if a person has been living in
Canada for many years and then moves to the United States when they apply for credit cards or a
mortgage in the US they would usually not be approved because of a lack of credit history even
if they had an excellent credit rating in their home country and even if they had a very high salary
in their home country
An immigrant must establish a credit history from scratch in the new country Therefore it is
usually very difficult for immigrants to obtain credit cards and mortgages until after they have
worked in the new country with a stable income for several years
Adverse Credit
Adverse credit history also called sub-prime credit history non-status credit history
impaired credit history poor credit history and bad credit history is a negative credit rating
27
A negative credit rating is often considered undesirable to lenders and other extenders of credit for
the purposes of loaning money or capital
In the US a consumers credit history is compiled by credit rating agencies more commonly
referred to as consumer reporting agencies or credit bureaus The data reported to these agencies
are primarily provided to them by creditors and includes detailed records of the relationship a
person has with the lender Detailed account information including payment history credit limits
high and low balances and any aggressive actions taken to recover overdue debts are all reported
regularly (usually monthly) This information is reviewed by a lender to determine whether to
approve a loan and on what terms
As credit became more popular it became more difficult for lenders to evaluate and approve credit
card and loan applications in a timely and efficient manner To address this issue credit scoring
was adopted
Credit scoring is the process of using a proprietary mathematical algorithm to create a numerical
value that describes an applicants overall creditworthiness Scores frequently based on numbers
(ranging from 300-850 for consumers in the United States) statistically analyze a credit history in
comparison to other debtors and gauge the magnitude of financial risk Since lending money to a
person or company is a risk credit scoring offers a standardized way for lenders to assess that risk
rapidly and without prejudiceAll credit bureaus also offer credit scoring as a supplemental
service
Credit scores assess the likelihood that a borrower will repay a loan or other credit obligation The
higher the score the better the credit history and the higher the probability that the loan will be
repaid on time When creditors report an excessive number of late payments or trouble with
collecting payments the score suffers Similarly when adverse judgments and collection agency
activity are reported the score decreases even more Repeated delinquencies or public record
entries can lower the score and trigger what is called a negative credit rating or adverse credit
history
When a lender requests a credit score it can cause a small drop in the credit score That is because
as stated above a number of inquiries over a relatively short period of time can indicate the
consumer is in a financially difficult situation
28
Consequences
The information in a credit report is sold by credit agencies to organizations that are considering
whether to offer credit to individuals or companies It is also available to other entities with a
permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act The consequence of a negative
credit rating is typically a reduction in the likelihood that a lender will approve an application for
credit under favorable terms if at all Interest rates on loans are significantly affected by credit
historymdashthe higher the credit rating the lower the interest while the lower the credit rating the
higher the interest The increased interest is used to offset the higher rate of default within the low
credit rating group of individuals
In the United States in certain cases insurance housing and employment can also be denied based
on a negative credit rating
Note that is not the credit reporting agencies that decide whether a credit history is adverse It is
the individual lender or creditor which makes that decision each lender has its own policy on what
scores fall within their guidelines The specific scores that fall within a lenders guidelines are most
often NOT disclosed to the applicant due to competitive reasons In the United States a creditor is
required to give the reasons for denying credit to an applicant immediately and must also provide
the name and address of the credit reporting agency who provided data that was used to make the
decision
More than One Credit History Per Person
In some countries people can have more than one credit history For example in Canada although
most Canadians are not aware of it every person who applied for credit before obtaining a Social
Insurance Number has two separate credit histories one with SIN and one without SIN This is due
to the credit reporting structure in Canada This can lead to two completely separate parallel
histories and often leads to inconsistencies (although typically the person in question will never
notice the inconsistencies) because when a lender asks for someones credit report with SIN what
the lender gets is different from what he would have gotten if he asked the report without providing
the SIN This is because contrary to popular belief when someone gets a new SIN for whatever
reason the two credit files are never merged unless the person requests specifically As a result a
29
record with SIN zeroed out is kept separately from a record with SIN Note this happens without
the person even knowing it
Credit score
A credit score is a numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a persons credit files to
represent the creditworthiness of that person which is the perceived likelihood that the person will
pay debts in a timely manner A credit score is primarily based on credit report information
typically sourced from credit bureaus credit reference agencies
Lenders such as banks and credit card companies use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk
posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt Lenders use credit
scores to determine who qualifies for a loan at what interest rate and what credit limits The use of
credit or identity scoring prior to authorizing access or granting credit is an implementation of a
trusted system
Credit scoring is not limited to banks Other organizations such as mobile phone companies
insurance companies employers and government departments employ the same techniques Credit
scoring also has a lot of overlap with data mining which uses many similar techniques
30
CHAPTER- 3
INTRODUCTION
OF
SMERA
SMERA ndash AN INTRODUCTION
31
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Services offered by a limited-service marketing research supplier are
1) Coding and data entry services The supplier will take the administered questionnaires edit
them develop a coding scheme and transcribe the data onto diskettes or magnetic tapes for
input into the computer
2) Analytical services These services include questionnaire design and pre ndash testing determining
the best means of collecting data sampling plans and other aspects of the research design
3) Data analysis services Offer sophisticated data analysis using multivariate techniques
4) Branded product and services Consist of specialized data collection and analysis
procedures developed to address specific types of marketing research problems
9
CHAPTER
1
INTRODUCTION
OF
TITLE
10
INTRODUCTION
Sales promotions are activities that shape buying patterns attract new audiences or increase sales
Its garbage of a word that encompasses everything that falls outside advertising publicity and
direct marketing although these might be used to deliver your sales promotions
Most textbooks see sales promotion as interfacing with price - this writer believes sales promotions
are broader than this Too often people think discounts are synonymous with sales promotion - not
true Sales promotions can include the provision of sampling or learning opportunities joint
promotions or collaborations with third Party networks special events giveaways and
competitions discounts incentives value adding and rewards
In this section we will also look at distribution and display of promotional materials mainly
because there is nowhere else for them to go
Imaginatively and carefully planned sales promotions can deliver long-term benefits to your
organization Too often they are used as an afterthought to get people through the door Not
surprisingly they usually look like last minute panic measures and that can signal failure not
success
One well-planned far-reaching promotion is better than heaps of little one-offs that bear no relation
to your overall strategy The work involved in developing sales promotions can often outweigh the
apparent benefit - if you measure the results in the broadest possible context you just might find
you have successfully reached people outside the inner arts circle
As the term implies - the ultimate goal is sales or transactions However promotions can be
planned to increase sales over a long period within a specific market segment so it is not always
about immediate results
11
Why do it
Good sales promotions say something about your work and who you are They can be an
inexpensive way of increasing awareness of reaching new buyers or extending the buying choices
of existing audiences As inessential part of your campaign they should be planned from the
beginning While sales promotions can often be done cheaply there should always be a line item
for this activity in your budget no matter how small Because sales promotions often involve
working with other organizations they can open doors into the wider community By building
mutually beneficial relationships you could also be paving the way for sponsorship
Remember never devalue your product This is really easy to do if you are desperate which is why
the best sales promotions are usually planned well in advance
Follow our step-by-step guide Sales promotion how to do it
ANALYSE THE BENEFITS
When you are identifying possible sales promotions make sure that everyone involved including
the customer benefits
The benefits might be
1048698 access to communications channels such as lists clients or advertising
1048698 the feel good factor the association creates for clients or customers
1048698 reinforcement of the companys image
1048698 provision of rewards to clients or audiences
1048698 stimulation from working and learning from each other
1048698-increased sales
1048698 better seats priority booking private viewings cheaper prices learning opportunities and so on
12
IDENTIFY OUTLETS FOR YOUR PROMOTION
Distribution and display
The fliers are sitting in a nice pile in your office Now to the real point of print getting it into the
right hands
Tip Distribution and display
The media
Media are widely used to deliver sales promotions usually in the form of reader offers or
competitions
Tip Media promotions
Networks
Tapping into outside networks can be very cost effective and help you reach hundreds or thousands
of people These might include large employers credit card companies travel agencies
associations such as Rotary manufacturers of fast moving consumer goods such as milk and so on
There is a range of service organizations who communicate regularly with their members such as
The Writers Guild Australian Music Centre National Association of Visual Artists (NAVA)
Council- run community centers and many more
Tip Creating networks
Comment Extending your networks
Comment Cultural tourism
Events
An event can often be a form of sales promotion - if it is designed to reach new audiences or is
devised to encourage attendance at future events
Tip Using events
Comment The sports link
13
Establishing strategic alliances
Certain communities are large motivated and very well organized the gay and lesbian community
for example or some ethnic communities Work with them their publications and invite these
communities to become a part of your organization planning ways to produce mutual benefit
Approaches can range from artists residencies or going to their community centers to charity
appeals to discounted tickets it depends on the needs of the particular community
Sponsors
Sponsors can introduce you to new networks they are also often looking for ways to provide
benefits for their staff This is an excellent way to extend your reach and attract new audiences
Sponsor receptions often-bringin visitors who are new to the art form find ways to increase their
appreciation and enjoyment of the occasion beyond providing champagne and canapeacutes This could
be sending programs in advance or inviting the artist curator or theatre director to talk about the
production at the pre-performance reception Even a signed poster can be a treasured memento of
the occasion
DESIGNING THE RESPONSE AND THE FOLLOW UP
Sometimes promotions do not realize their full potential because the response mechanism is too
complicated or unclear It should be easy to respond by ticking a box picking up the phone
handing over the coupon and soon There is a risk in giving people too many choices as it can take
too long to work out what to do On the other hand customers like offers to be as flexible as
possible
PACKAGING PREMIUMS AND DISCOUNTS
Packages can range from subscription a concept most people are familiar with to
14
Premium packages
Dinner parking amp ticket which is sometimes called up-pricing premium pricing or adding value to
the evening It could be as simple as including a bottle or glass of champagne providing valet
parking or an opportunity to see the exhibition when the general public is not there
Membership schemes
Membership schemes encourage long term loyalty to an organization and offer special prices or
private rooms or exclusive events targeted at the interests and lifestyle of the membership These
schemes are becoming increasingly important to all kinds of arts organizations
Discount packages
1048698 2fers or buy one get one free these are best targeted at people who attendbuy infrequently
Money is rarely a deterrent to the more typical arts attender unless they are very frequent users
1048698 cross art form deals these recognize that many people are eclectic and want a range of arts
experiences It is hard to get these right and they seem to work best when packaged at one venue
under recognizable brand
1048698 Group bookings these encourage bulk purchase by providing a special price for groups The
heart-ofgoldgroup organizer is a dying breed so companies are now making it easier to get a
group together by reducing the party size from 20 to 10 or even 6
1048698 School bookings group packages also exist for schools Usually the teacher is given a free pass
and a ratio of pupils to teacher is often specified
1048698 Multi-tix special prices can be offered to people buying three or more events in a period for
example during a festival This is a hybrid of the subscription concept that aims to increase
transaction levels through price
15
Lifestyle packages
1048698 Babysitting packages where baby-sitting services or cregraveches are provided recognize the needs
of mothers families have greater pressures on their time and money and finding ways to make
it easier for them to be part of your organization will reap rewards
1048698 Sunday brunch afternoon tea sunset or late night events are designed to fit in with and enhance
peoples lifestyle
1048698 Youth offers like rush tickets special prices special drinks themed events and other features
recognize the lifestyle needs of young people interested in your work
Incentives
1048698 these can be gifts provided with the purchase of subscription or membership to an organization
eg key rings fridge magnets diaries calendars CDs There is little evidence that these
increase sales but they can generate loyalty and good will
1048698 large corporations are also looking for incentives to give to their staff or clients and arts
companies are well positioned to provide these (discounts should not apply)
This is just the teeny tip of a very large iceberg
16
CHAPTER-2
INTRODUCTION
OF
CREDIT
RATING
17
Credit rating
A credit rating assesses the credit worthiness of an individual corporation or even a country
Credit ratings are calculated from financial history and current assets and liabilities Typically a
credit rating tells a lender or investor the probability of the subject being able to pay back a loan
However in recent years credit ratings have also been used to adjust insurance premiums
determine employment eligibility and establish the amount of a utility or leasing deposit
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
Especially in context for sme earlier the which credit was done by the bank was not beneficial in
respect of sme because the prior credit rating includes analyses of few thing like past payment
record profit and loss account and another fact of balance sheet of three financial year so give the
all benefits earlier which was not given due to ignorance was avail by credit rating through by
credit ratings Third party rating has been gaining ground in our due to the fact that the lending
institutions have been asked to maintain adequate capital by the rbi as per Basel norms to maintain
the said adequacy the bank and finned to exhibit the classification of the units so that distinction
for good and bad units can be made and subsequently the provisioning for the said units can be
made accordingly
Credit rating agency
A credit rating agency (CRA) is a company that assigns credit ratings for issuers of certain types
of debt obligations as well as the debt instruments themselves In some cases the servicers of the
underlying debt are also given ratings In most cases the issuers of securities are companies
special purpose entities state and local governments non-profit organizations or national
governments issuing debt-like securities (ie bonds) that can be traded on a secondary market A
credit rating for an issuer takes into consideration the issuers credit worthiness (ie its ability to
pay back a loan) and affects the interest rate applied to the particular security being issued (In
contrast to CRAs a company that issues credit scores for individual credit-worthiness is generally
called a credit bureau or consumer credit reporting agency)
18
In respect of india there are many credit rating agancy few of them are as
shown below
1 Smera
2 Crisil
3 Care
4 Fitch
5 Onicra
6 Dampb
7 Icra
They provide credit rating evaluating the sme at different pramitter
Personal credit ratings
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
In the United States an individuals credit history is compiled and maintained by companies called
credit bureaus Credit worthiness is usually determined through a statistical analysis of the available
credit data A common form of this analysis is a 3-digit credit score provided by independent
financial service companies such as the FICO credit score (The term a registered trademark
comes from Fair Isaac Corporation which pioneered the credit rating concept in the late 1950s)
An individuals credit score along with his or her credit report affects his or her ability to borrow
money through financial institutions such as banks
In Canada the most common ratings are the North American Standard Account Ratings also
known as the R ratings which have a range between R0 and R9 R0 refers to a new account R1
refers to on-time payments R9 refers to bad debt
The factors which may influence a persons credit rating are
1) ability to pay a loan 2) interest 3)amount of credit used
4) saving patterns 5)spending patterns 6) debt
19
Corporate credit ratings
[The credit rating of a corporation is a financial indicator to potential investors of debt securities
such as bonds These are assigned by credit rating agencies such as Standard amp Poors Moodys or
Fitch Ratings and have letter designations such as AAA B CC The Standard amp Poors rating scale
is as follows AAA AA A BBB BB B CCC CC C D Anything lower than a BBB rating is
considered a speculative or junk bond The Moodys rating system is similar in concept but the
verbage is a little different
It is as follows
AAA
Aa1 Aa2 Aa3
A1 A2 A3
Baa1 Baa2 Baa3
Ba1 Ba2 Ba3
B1 B2 B3
Caa1 Caa2 Caa3
Ca
C
Sovereign credit
ratings
Cont Risk rankings
Least risky countries
Score out of 100
Rank
Previous Country Overall score
1 1 Luxembourg 9988
2 2 Norway 9747
3 3 Switzerland 9621
4 4 Denmark 9339
5 5 Sweden 9296
6 6 Ireland 9236
7 10 Austria 9225
8 9 Finland 9195
9 8 Netherlands 9195
10 7 United States 9127
20
A sovereign credit rating is the credit rating of a sovereign entity ie a country The sovereign
credit rating indicates the risk level of the investing environment of a country and is used by
investors looking to invest abroad It takes political risk into account
The table shows the ten least-risky countries for investment as of March 2008 Ratings are further
broken down into components including political risk economic risk Euromoneys bi-annual
country risk index Country risk surveymonitors the political and economic stability of 185
21
sovereign countries Results focus foremost on economics specifically sovereign default risk
andor payment default risk for exporters (aka trade credit risk)
Short term rating
A short term rating is a probability factor of an individual going into default within a year This is
in contrast to long-term rating which is evaluated over a long timeframe
Credit scores for individuals are assigned by credit bureaus (US UK credit reference agencies)
Credit ratings for corporations and sovereign debt are assigned by credit rating agencies
In the United States the main credit bureaus are Experian Equifax and TransUnion A relatively
new credit bureau in the US is Innovis
In the United Kingdom the main credit reference agencies for individuals are Experian Equifax
and Callcredit There is no universal credit rating as such rather each individual lender credit
scores based on its own wish-list of a perfect customer
In Canada the main credit bureaus for individuals are Equifax TransUnion and Northern Credit
Bureaus Experian
In India the main credit bureaus are CRISIL ICRA and Credit Registration Office (CRO)
The largest credit rating agencies (which tend to operate worldwide) are Moodys Standard and
Poors and Fitch Ratings
CREDIT RISK
Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either
the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
Faced by lenders to consumers
Most lenders employ their own models (Credit Scorecards) to rank potential and existing customers
according to risk and then apply appropriate strategies With products such as unsecured personal
loans or mortgages lenders charge a higher price for higher risk customers and vice versa With
22
revolving products such as credit cards and overdrafts risk is controlled through careful setting of
credit limits Some products also require security most commonly in the form of property
Faced by lenders to business
Lenders will trade off the costbenefits of a loan according to its risks and the interest charged But
interest rates are not the only method to compensate for risk Protective covenants are written into
loan agreements that allow the lender some controls These covenants may
limit the borrowers ability to weaken his balance sheet voluntarily eg by buying back shares
or paying dividends or borrowing further
allow for monitoring the debt requiring audits and monthly reports
allow the lender to decide when he can recall the loan based on specific events or when
financial ratios like debtequity or interest coverage deteriorate
A recent innovation to protect lenders and bond holders from the danger of default are credit
derivatives most commonly in the form of a credit default swap These financial contracts allow
companies to buy protection against defaults from a third party the protection seller The protection
seller receives a periodic fee (the credit spread) as compensation for the risk it takes and in return it
agrees to buy the debt should a credit event (default) occur
Faced by business
Companies carry credit risk when for example they do not demand up-front cash payment for
products or services By delivering the product or service first and billing the customer later - if its
a business customer the terms may be quoted as net 30 - the company is carrying a risk between the
delivery and payment
Significant resources and sophisticated programs are used to analyze and manage risk Some
companies run a credit risk department whose job is to assess the financial health of their
customers and extend credit (or not) accordingly They may use in house programs to advise on
avoiding reducing and transferring risk They also use third party provided intelligence
23
Companies like Standard amp Poors Moodys and Dun and Bradstreet provide such information for a
fee
For example a distributor selling its products to a troubled retailer may attempt to lessen credit risk
by tightening payment terms to net 15 or by actually selling fewer products on credit to the
retailer or even cutting off credit entirely and demanding payment in advance Such strategies
impact sales volume but reduce exposure to credit risk and subsequent payment defaults
Credit risk is not really manageable for very small companies (ie those with only one or two
customers) This makes these companies very vulnerable to defaults or even payment delays by
their customers
The use of a collection agency is not really a tool to manage credit risk rather it is an extreme
measure closer to a write down in that the creditor expects a below-agreed return after the
collection agency takes its share (if it is able to get anything at all)
Faced by individuals
Consumers may face credit risk in a direct form as depositors at banks or as investorslenders They
may also face credit risk when entering into standard commercial transactions by providing a
deposit to their counterparty eg for a large purchase or a real estate rental Employees of any firm
also depend on the firms ability to pay wages and are exposed to the credit risk of their employer
In some cases governments recognize that an individuals capacity to evaluate credit risk may be
limited and the risk may reduce economic efficiency governments may enact various legal
measures or mechanisms with the intention of protecting consumers against some of these risks
Bank deposits notably are insured in many countries (to some maximum amount) for individuals
effectively limiting their credit risk to banks and increasing their willingness to use the banking
system
24
Credit history
Credit history or credit report is in many countries a record of an individuals or companys past
borrowing and repaying including information about late payments and bankruptcy The term
credit reputation can either be used synonymous to credit history or to credit score
In the US when a customer fills out an application for credit from a bank store or credit card
company their information is forwarded to a credit bureau The credit bureau matches the name
address and other identifying information on the credit applicant with information retained by the
bureau in its files
This information is used by lenders such as credit card companies to determine an individuals
credit worthiness that is determining an individuals willingness to repay a debt The willingness
to repay a debt is indicated by how timely past payments have been made to other lenders Lenders
like to see consumer debt obligations paid on a monthly basis
The other factor in determining whether a lender will provide a consumer credit or a loan is
dependent on income The higher the income all other things being equal the more credit the
consumer can access However lenders make credit granting decisions based on both ability to
repay a debt (income) and willingness (the credit report) as indicated in the past payment history
These factors help lenders determine whether to extend credit and on what terms With the
adoption of risk-based pricing on almost all lending in the financial services industry this report
has become even more important since it is usually the sole element used to choose the annual
percentage rate (APR) grace period and other contractual obligations of the credit card or loan
How credit rating is determined
Credit ratings are determined differently in each country but the factors are similar and may
include
Payment record - a record of bills being overdue generally being more than 30 days will lower
the credit rating
25
Control of debt - Lenders want to see that borrowers are not living beyond their means Experts
estimate that non-mortgage credit payments each month should not exceed more than 15
percent of the borrowers after tax income
Signs of responsibility and stability - Lenders perceive things such as longevity in the
borrowers home and job (at least two years) as signs of stability
Re-Aging - Through re-aging a credit history is re-written and you are given a fresh start on
that particular account This can dramatically improve the credit score In 2000 the Federal
Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFEIC) clarified guidelines on re-aging accounts
for delinquent borrowers
Credit outstanding--Lenders dont like to see the amount of credit owed bumping up against the
credit limit of a card Generally a good idea is to owe no more than one-third of your total
credit limit on a credit card
Credit inquiries ndash An inquiry is a notation on a credit history file There are several kinds of
notations that may or may not have an adverse effect on the credit score Soft pulls dont affect
the credit score and are characteristic of the following examples
A credit bureau may sell a persons contact information to an advertiser wanting to offer credit
cards loans and insurance based on certain criteria that the lender has established A creditor also
checks a persons credit periodically Or a credit counseling agency with the clients permission
can obtain a clients credit report with no adverse action Each of the preceding examples are
commonly referred to as a soft credit pull
However hard credit inquiries are made by lenders when consumers are seeking credit or a loan
Lenders when granted a permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act can
check a credit history for the purposes of extending credit to a consumer Hard inquiries from
lenders directly affect the borrowers credit score Keeping credit inquiries to a minimum can help a
persons credit rating A lender may perceive many inquiries over a short period of time on a
persons report as a signal that the person is in financial difficulty and is looking for loans and will
possibly consider that person a poor credit risk
26
Credit cards that are not used - Although it is believed that having too many credit cards can have
an adverse effect on a credit score closing these lines of credit will not improve your score The
credit rating formula looks at the difference between the amount of credit a person has and the
amount being used so closing one or more accounts will reduce your total available credit And the
lower the percentage of available credit the more the credit score will drop The credit formula also
factors in the length of time credit accounts have been open so closing an account with several
years of history is another avoidable credit mistake
Understanding credit reports and scores
The Government of Canada offers a free publication called Understanding Your Credit Report and
Credit Score This publication provides sample credit report and credit score documents with
explanations of the notations and codes that are used It also contains general information on how
to build or improve credit history and how to check for signs that identity theft has occurred The
publication is available online at httpwwwfcacgcca the site of the Financial Consumer Agency
of Canada Paper copies can also be ordered at no charge for residents of Canada
Credit History of Immigrants
Credit history usually applies to only one country Even within the same credit card network
information is not shared between different countries For example if a person has been living in
Canada for many years and then moves to the United States when they apply for credit cards or a
mortgage in the US they would usually not be approved because of a lack of credit history even
if they had an excellent credit rating in their home country and even if they had a very high salary
in their home country
An immigrant must establish a credit history from scratch in the new country Therefore it is
usually very difficult for immigrants to obtain credit cards and mortgages until after they have
worked in the new country with a stable income for several years
Adverse Credit
Adverse credit history also called sub-prime credit history non-status credit history
impaired credit history poor credit history and bad credit history is a negative credit rating
27
A negative credit rating is often considered undesirable to lenders and other extenders of credit for
the purposes of loaning money or capital
In the US a consumers credit history is compiled by credit rating agencies more commonly
referred to as consumer reporting agencies or credit bureaus The data reported to these agencies
are primarily provided to them by creditors and includes detailed records of the relationship a
person has with the lender Detailed account information including payment history credit limits
high and low balances and any aggressive actions taken to recover overdue debts are all reported
regularly (usually monthly) This information is reviewed by a lender to determine whether to
approve a loan and on what terms
As credit became more popular it became more difficult for lenders to evaluate and approve credit
card and loan applications in a timely and efficient manner To address this issue credit scoring
was adopted
Credit scoring is the process of using a proprietary mathematical algorithm to create a numerical
value that describes an applicants overall creditworthiness Scores frequently based on numbers
(ranging from 300-850 for consumers in the United States) statistically analyze a credit history in
comparison to other debtors and gauge the magnitude of financial risk Since lending money to a
person or company is a risk credit scoring offers a standardized way for lenders to assess that risk
rapidly and without prejudiceAll credit bureaus also offer credit scoring as a supplemental
service
Credit scores assess the likelihood that a borrower will repay a loan or other credit obligation The
higher the score the better the credit history and the higher the probability that the loan will be
repaid on time When creditors report an excessive number of late payments or trouble with
collecting payments the score suffers Similarly when adverse judgments and collection agency
activity are reported the score decreases even more Repeated delinquencies or public record
entries can lower the score and trigger what is called a negative credit rating or adverse credit
history
When a lender requests a credit score it can cause a small drop in the credit score That is because
as stated above a number of inquiries over a relatively short period of time can indicate the
consumer is in a financially difficult situation
28
Consequences
The information in a credit report is sold by credit agencies to organizations that are considering
whether to offer credit to individuals or companies It is also available to other entities with a
permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act The consequence of a negative
credit rating is typically a reduction in the likelihood that a lender will approve an application for
credit under favorable terms if at all Interest rates on loans are significantly affected by credit
historymdashthe higher the credit rating the lower the interest while the lower the credit rating the
higher the interest The increased interest is used to offset the higher rate of default within the low
credit rating group of individuals
In the United States in certain cases insurance housing and employment can also be denied based
on a negative credit rating
Note that is not the credit reporting agencies that decide whether a credit history is adverse It is
the individual lender or creditor which makes that decision each lender has its own policy on what
scores fall within their guidelines The specific scores that fall within a lenders guidelines are most
often NOT disclosed to the applicant due to competitive reasons In the United States a creditor is
required to give the reasons for denying credit to an applicant immediately and must also provide
the name and address of the credit reporting agency who provided data that was used to make the
decision
More than One Credit History Per Person
In some countries people can have more than one credit history For example in Canada although
most Canadians are not aware of it every person who applied for credit before obtaining a Social
Insurance Number has two separate credit histories one with SIN and one without SIN This is due
to the credit reporting structure in Canada This can lead to two completely separate parallel
histories and often leads to inconsistencies (although typically the person in question will never
notice the inconsistencies) because when a lender asks for someones credit report with SIN what
the lender gets is different from what he would have gotten if he asked the report without providing
the SIN This is because contrary to popular belief when someone gets a new SIN for whatever
reason the two credit files are never merged unless the person requests specifically As a result a
29
record with SIN zeroed out is kept separately from a record with SIN Note this happens without
the person even knowing it
Credit score
A credit score is a numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a persons credit files to
represent the creditworthiness of that person which is the perceived likelihood that the person will
pay debts in a timely manner A credit score is primarily based on credit report information
typically sourced from credit bureaus credit reference agencies
Lenders such as banks and credit card companies use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk
posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt Lenders use credit
scores to determine who qualifies for a loan at what interest rate and what credit limits The use of
credit or identity scoring prior to authorizing access or granting credit is an implementation of a
trusted system
Credit scoring is not limited to banks Other organizations such as mobile phone companies
insurance companies employers and government departments employ the same techniques Credit
scoring also has a lot of overlap with data mining which uses many similar techniques
30
CHAPTER- 3
INTRODUCTION
OF
SMERA
SMERA ndash AN INTRODUCTION
31
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
CHAPTER
1
INTRODUCTION
OF
TITLE
10
INTRODUCTION
Sales promotions are activities that shape buying patterns attract new audiences or increase sales
Its garbage of a word that encompasses everything that falls outside advertising publicity and
direct marketing although these might be used to deliver your sales promotions
Most textbooks see sales promotion as interfacing with price - this writer believes sales promotions
are broader than this Too often people think discounts are synonymous with sales promotion - not
true Sales promotions can include the provision of sampling or learning opportunities joint
promotions or collaborations with third Party networks special events giveaways and
competitions discounts incentives value adding and rewards
In this section we will also look at distribution and display of promotional materials mainly
because there is nowhere else for them to go
Imaginatively and carefully planned sales promotions can deliver long-term benefits to your
organization Too often they are used as an afterthought to get people through the door Not
surprisingly they usually look like last minute panic measures and that can signal failure not
success
One well-planned far-reaching promotion is better than heaps of little one-offs that bear no relation
to your overall strategy The work involved in developing sales promotions can often outweigh the
apparent benefit - if you measure the results in the broadest possible context you just might find
you have successfully reached people outside the inner arts circle
As the term implies - the ultimate goal is sales or transactions However promotions can be
planned to increase sales over a long period within a specific market segment so it is not always
about immediate results
11
Why do it
Good sales promotions say something about your work and who you are They can be an
inexpensive way of increasing awareness of reaching new buyers or extending the buying choices
of existing audiences As inessential part of your campaign they should be planned from the
beginning While sales promotions can often be done cheaply there should always be a line item
for this activity in your budget no matter how small Because sales promotions often involve
working with other organizations they can open doors into the wider community By building
mutually beneficial relationships you could also be paving the way for sponsorship
Remember never devalue your product This is really easy to do if you are desperate which is why
the best sales promotions are usually planned well in advance
Follow our step-by-step guide Sales promotion how to do it
ANALYSE THE BENEFITS
When you are identifying possible sales promotions make sure that everyone involved including
the customer benefits
The benefits might be
1048698 access to communications channels such as lists clients or advertising
1048698 the feel good factor the association creates for clients or customers
1048698 reinforcement of the companys image
1048698 provision of rewards to clients or audiences
1048698 stimulation from working and learning from each other
1048698-increased sales
1048698 better seats priority booking private viewings cheaper prices learning opportunities and so on
12
IDENTIFY OUTLETS FOR YOUR PROMOTION
Distribution and display
The fliers are sitting in a nice pile in your office Now to the real point of print getting it into the
right hands
Tip Distribution and display
The media
Media are widely used to deliver sales promotions usually in the form of reader offers or
competitions
Tip Media promotions
Networks
Tapping into outside networks can be very cost effective and help you reach hundreds or thousands
of people These might include large employers credit card companies travel agencies
associations such as Rotary manufacturers of fast moving consumer goods such as milk and so on
There is a range of service organizations who communicate regularly with their members such as
The Writers Guild Australian Music Centre National Association of Visual Artists (NAVA)
Council- run community centers and many more
Tip Creating networks
Comment Extending your networks
Comment Cultural tourism
Events
An event can often be a form of sales promotion - if it is designed to reach new audiences or is
devised to encourage attendance at future events
Tip Using events
Comment The sports link
13
Establishing strategic alliances
Certain communities are large motivated and very well organized the gay and lesbian community
for example or some ethnic communities Work with them their publications and invite these
communities to become a part of your organization planning ways to produce mutual benefit
Approaches can range from artists residencies or going to their community centers to charity
appeals to discounted tickets it depends on the needs of the particular community
Sponsors
Sponsors can introduce you to new networks they are also often looking for ways to provide
benefits for their staff This is an excellent way to extend your reach and attract new audiences
Sponsor receptions often-bringin visitors who are new to the art form find ways to increase their
appreciation and enjoyment of the occasion beyond providing champagne and canapeacutes This could
be sending programs in advance or inviting the artist curator or theatre director to talk about the
production at the pre-performance reception Even a signed poster can be a treasured memento of
the occasion
DESIGNING THE RESPONSE AND THE FOLLOW UP
Sometimes promotions do not realize their full potential because the response mechanism is too
complicated or unclear It should be easy to respond by ticking a box picking up the phone
handing over the coupon and soon There is a risk in giving people too many choices as it can take
too long to work out what to do On the other hand customers like offers to be as flexible as
possible
PACKAGING PREMIUMS AND DISCOUNTS
Packages can range from subscription a concept most people are familiar with to
14
Premium packages
Dinner parking amp ticket which is sometimes called up-pricing premium pricing or adding value to
the evening It could be as simple as including a bottle or glass of champagne providing valet
parking or an opportunity to see the exhibition when the general public is not there
Membership schemes
Membership schemes encourage long term loyalty to an organization and offer special prices or
private rooms or exclusive events targeted at the interests and lifestyle of the membership These
schemes are becoming increasingly important to all kinds of arts organizations
Discount packages
1048698 2fers or buy one get one free these are best targeted at people who attendbuy infrequently
Money is rarely a deterrent to the more typical arts attender unless they are very frequent users
1048698 cross art form deals these recognize that many people are eclectic and want a range of arts
experiences It is hard to get these right and they seem to work best when packaged at one venue
under recognizable brand
1048698 Group bookings these encourage bulk purchase by providing a special price for groups The
heart-ofgoldgroup organizer is a dying breed so companies are now making it easier to get a
group together by reducing the party size from 20 to 10 or even 6
1048698 School bookings group packages also exist for schools Usually the teacher is given a free pass
and a ratio of pupils to teacher is often specified
1048698 Multi-tix special prices can be offered to people buying three or more events in a period for
example during a festival This is a hybrid of the subscription concept that aims to increase
transaction levels through price
15
Lifestyle packages
1048698 Babysitting packages where baby-sitting services or cregraveches are provided recognize the needs
of mothers families have greater pressures on their time and money and finding ways to make
it easier for them to be part of your organization will reap rewards
1048698 Sunday brunch afternoon tea sunset or late night events are designed to fit in with and enhance
peoples lifestyle
1048698 Youth offers like rush tickets special prices special drinks themed events and other features
recognize the lifestyle needs of young people interested in your work
Incentives
1048698 these can be gifts provided with the purchase of subscription or membership to an organization
eg key rings fridge magnets diaries calendars CDs There is little evidence that these
increase sales but they can generate loyalty and good will
1048698 large corporations are also looking for incentives to give to their staff or clients and arts
companies are well positioned to provide these (discounts should not apply)
This is just the teeny tip of a very large iceberg
16
CHAPTER-2
INTRODUCTION
OF
CREDIT
RATING
17
Credit rating
A credit rating assesses the credit worthiness of an individual corporation or even a country
Credit ratings are calculated from financial history and current assets and liabilities Typically a
credit rating tells a lender or investor the probability of the subject being able to pay back a loan
However in recent years credit ratings have also been used to adjust insurance premiums
determine employment eligibility and establish the amount of a utility or leasing deposit
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
Especially in context for sme earlier the which credit was done by the bank was not beneficial in
respect of sme because the prior credit rating includes analyses of few thing like past payment
record profit and loss account and another fact of balance sheet of three financial year so give the
all benefits earlier which was not given due to ignorance was avail by credit rating through by
credit ratings Third party rating has been gaining ground in our due to the fact that the lending
institutions have been asked to maintain adequate capital by the rbi as per Basel norms to maintain
the said adequacy the bank and finned to exhibit the classification of the units so that distinction
for good and bad units can be made and subsequently the provisioning for the said units can be
made accordingly
Credit rating agency
A credit rating agency (CRA) is a company that assigns credit ratings for issuers of certain types
of debt obligations as well as the debt instruments themselves In some cases the servicers of the
underlying debt are also given ratings In most cases the issuers of securities are companies
special purpose entities state and local governments non-profit organizations or national
governments issuing debt-like securities (ie bonds) that can be traded on a secondary market A
credit rating for an issuer takes into consideration the issuers credit worthiness (ie its ability to
pay back a loan) and affects the interest rate applied to the particular security being issued (In
contrast to CRAs a company that issues credit scores for individual credit-worthiness is generally
called a credit bureau or consumer credit reporting agency)
18
In respect of india there are many credit rating agancy few of them are as
shown below
1 Smera
2 Crisil
3 Care
4 Fitch
5 Onicra
6 Dampb
7 Icra
They provide credit rating evaluating the sme at different pramitter
Personal credit ratings
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
In the United States an individuals credit history is compiled and maintained by companies called
credit bureaus Credit worthiness is usually determined through a statistical analysis of the available
credit data A common form of this analysis is a 3-digit credit score provided by independent
financial service companies such as the FICO credit score (The term a registered trademark
comes from Fair Isaac Corporation which pioneered the credit rating concept in the late 1950s)
An individuals credit score along with his or her credit report affects his or her ability to borrow
money through financial institutions such as banks
In Canada the most common ratings are the North American Standard Account Ratings also
known as the R ratings which have a range between R0 and R9 R0 refers to a new account R1
refers to on-time payments R9 refers to bad debt
The factors which may influence a persons credit rating are
1) ability to pay a loan 2) interest 3)amount of credit used
4) saving patterns 5)spending patterns 6) debt
19
Corporate credit ratings
[The credit rating of a corporation is a financial indicator to potential investors of debt securities
such as bonds These are assigned by credit rating agencies such as Standard amp Poors Moodys or
Fitch Ratings and have letter designations such as AAA B CC The Standard amp Poors rating scale
is as follows AAA AA A BBB BB B CCC CC C D Anything lower than a BBB rating is
considered a speculative or junk bond The Moodys rating system is similar in concept but the
verbage is a little different
It is as follows
AAA
Aa1 Aa2 Aa3
A1 A2 A3
Baa1 Baa2 Baa3
Ba1 Ba2 Ba3
B1 B2 B3
Caa1 Caa2 Caa3
Ca
C
Sovereign credit
ratings
Cont Risk rankings
Least risky countries
Score out of 100
Rank
Previous Country Overall score
1 1 Luxembourg 9988
2 2 Norway 9747
3 3 Switzerland 9621
4 4 Denmark 9339
5 5 Sweden 9296
6 6 Ireland 9236
7 10 Austria 9225
8 9 Finland 9195
9 8 Netherlands 9195
10 7 United States 9127
20
A sovereign credit rating is the credit rating of a sovereign entity ie a country The sovereign
credit rating indicates the risk level of the investing environment of a country and is used by
investors looking to invest abroad It takes political risk into account
The table shows the ten least-risky countries for investment as of March 2008 Ratings are further
broken down into components including political risk economic risk Euromoneys bi-annual
country risk index Country risk surveymonitors the political and economic stability of 185
21
sovereign countries Results focus foremost on economics specifically sovereign default risk
andor payment default risk for exporters (aka trade credit risk)
Short term rating
A short term rating is a probability factor of an individual going into default within a year This is
in contrast to long-term rating which is evaluated over a long timeframe
Credit scores for individuals are assigned by credit bureaus (US UK credit reference agencies)
Credit ratings for corporations and sovereign debt are assigned by credit rating agencies
In the United States the main credit bureaus are Experian Equifax and TransUnion A relatively
new credit bureau in the US is Innovis
In the United Kingdom the main credit reference agencies for individuals are Experian Equifax
and Callcredit There is no universal credit rating as such rather each individual lender credit
scores based on its own wish-list of a perfect customer
In Canada the main credit bureaus for individuals are Equifax TransUnion and Northern Credit
Bureaus Experian
In India the main credit bureaus are CRISIL ICRA and Credit Registration Office (CRO)
The largest credit rating agencies (which tend to operate worldwide) are Moodys Standard and
Poors and Fitch Ratings
CREDIT RISK
Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either
the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
Faced by lenders to consumers
Most lenders employ their own models (Credit Scorecards) to rank potential and existing customers
according to risk and then apply appropriate strategies With products such as unsecured personal
loans or mortgages lenders charge a higher price for higher risk customers and vice versa With
22
revolving products such as credit cards and overdrafts risk is controlled through careful setting of
credit limits Some products also require security most commonly in the form of property
Faced by lenders to business
Lenders will trade off the costbenefits of a loan according to its risks and the interest charged But
interest rates are not the only method to compensate for risk Protective covenants are written into
loan agreements that allow the lender some controls These covenants may
limit the borrowers ability to weaken his balance sheet voluntarily eg by buying back shares
or paying dividends or borrowing further
allow for monitoring the debt requiring audits and monthly reports
allow the lender to decide when he can recall the loan based on specific events or when
financial ratios like debtequity or interest coverage deteriorate
A recent innovation to protect lenders and bond holders from the danger of default are credit
derivatives most commonly in the form of a credit default swap These financial contracts allow
companies to buy protection against defaults from a third party the protection seller The protection
seller receives a periodic fee (the credit spread) as compensation for the risk it takes and in return it
agrees to buy the debt should a credit event (default) occur
Faced by business
Companies carry credit risk when for example they do not demand up-front cash payment for
products or services By delivering the product or service first and billing the customer later - if its
a business customer the terms may be quoted as net 30 - the company is carrying a risk between the
delivery and payment
Significant resources and sophisticated programs are used to analyze and manage risk Some
companies run a credit risk department whose job is to assess the financial health of their
customers and extend credit (or not) accordingly They may use in house programs to advise on
avoiding reducing and transferring risk They also use third party provided intelligence
23
Companies like Standard amp Poors Moodys and Dun and Bradstreet provide such information for a
fee
For example a distributor selling its products to a troubled retailer may attempt to lessen credit risk
by tightening payment terms to net 15 or by actually selling fewer products on credit to the
retailer or even cutting off credit entirely and demanding payment in advance Such strategies
impact sales volume but reduce exposure to credit risk and subsequent payment defaults
Credit risk is not really manageable for very small companies (ie those with only one or two
customers) This makes these companies very vulnerable to defaults or even payment delays by
their customers
The use of a collection agency is not really a tool to manage credit risk rather it is an extreme
measure closer to a write down in that the creditor expects a below-agreed return after the
collection agency takes its share (if it is able to get anything at all)
Faced by individuals
Consumers may face credit risk in a direct form as depositors at banks or as investorslenders They
may also face credit risk when entering into standard commercial transactions by providing a
deposit to their counterparty eg for a large purchase or a real estate rental Employees of any firm
also depend on the firms ability to pay wages and are exposed to the credit risk of their employer
In some cases governments recognize that an individuals capacity to evaluate credit risk may be
limited and the risk may reduce economic efficiency governments may enact various legal
measures or mechanisms with the intention of protecting consumers against some of these risks
Bank deposits notably are insured in many countries (to some maximum amount) for individuals
effectively limiting their credit risk to banks and increasing their willingness to use the banking
system
24
Credit history
Credit history or credit report is in many countries a record of an individuals or companys past
borrowing and repaying including information about late payments and bankruptcy The term
credit reputation can either be used synonymous to credit history or to credit score
In the US when a customer fills out an application for credit from a bank store or credit card
company their information is forwarded to a credit bureau The credit bureau matches the name
address and other identifying information on the credit applicant with information retained by the
bureau in its files
This information is used by lenders such as credit card companies to determine an individuals
credit worthiness that is determining an individuals willingness to repay a debt The willingness
to repay a debt is indicated by how timely past payments have been made to other lenders Lenders
like to see consumer debt obligations paid on a monthly basis
The other factor in determining whether a lender will provide a consumer credit or a loan is
dependent on income The higher the income all other things being equal the more credit the
consumer can access However lenders make credit granting decisions based on both ability to
repay a debt (income) and willingness (the credit report) as indicated in the past payment history
These factors help lenders determine whether to extend credit and on what terms With the
adoption of risk-based pricing on almost all lending in the financial services industry this report
has become even more important since it is usually the sole element used to choose the annual
percentage rate (APR) grace period and other contractual obligations of the credit card or loan
How credit rating is determined
Credit ratings are determined differently in each country but the factors are similar and may
include
Payment record - a record of bills being overdue generally being more than 30 days will lower
the credit rating
25
Control of debt - Lenders want to see that borrowers are not living beyond their means Experts
estimate that non-mortgage credit payments each month should not exceed more than 15
percent of the borrowers after tax income
Signs of responsibility and stability - Lenders perceive things such as longevity in the
borrowers home and job (at least two years) as signs of stability
Re-Aging - Through re-aging a credit history is re-written and you are given a fresh start on
that particular account This can dramatically improve the credit score In 2000 the Federal
Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFEIC) clarified guidelines on re-aging accounts
for delinquent borrowers
Credit outstanding--Lenders dont like to see the amount of credit owed bumping up against the
credit limit of a card Generally a good idea is to owe no more than one-third of your total
credit limit on a credit card
Credit inquiries ndash An inquiry is a notation on a credit history file There are several kinds of
notations that may or may not have an adverse effect on the credit score Soft pulls dont affect
the credit score and are characteristic of the following examples
A credit bureau may sell a persons contact information to an advertiser wanting to offer credit
cards loans and insurance based on certain criteria that the lender has established A creditor also
checks a persons credit periodically Or a credit counseling agency with the clients permission
can obtain a clients credit report with no adverse action Each of the preceding examples are
commonly referred to as a soft credit pull
However hard credit inquiries are made by lenders when consumers are seeking credit or a loan
Lenders when granted a permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act can
check a credit history for the purposes of extending credit to a consumer Hard inquiries from
lenders directly affect the borrowers credit score Keeping credit inquiries to a minimum can help a
persons credit rating A lender may perceive many inquiries over a short period of time on a
persons report as a signal that the person is in financial difficulty and is looking for loans and will
possibly consider that person a poor credit risk
26
Credit cards that are not used - Although it is believed that having too many credit cards can have
an adverse effect on a credit score closing these lines of credit will not improve your score The
credit rating formula looks at the difference between the amount of credit a person has and the
amount being used so closing one or more accounts will reduce your total available credit And the
lower the percentage of available credit the more the credit score will drop The credit formula also
factors in the length of time credit accounts have been open so closing an account with several
years of history is another avoidable credit mistake
Understanding credit reports and scores
The Government of Canada offers a free publication called Understanding Your Credit Report and
Credit Score This publication provides sample credit report and credit score documents with
explanations of the notations and codes that are used It also contains general information on how
to build or improve credit history and how to check for signs that identity theft has occurred The
publication is available online at httpwwwfcacgcca the site of the Financial Consumer Agency
of Canada Paper copies can also be ordered at no charge for residents of Canada
Credit History of Immigrants
Credit history usually applies to only one country Even within the same credit card network
information is not shared between different countries For example if a person has been living in
Canada for many years and then moves to the United States when they apply for credit cards or a
mortgage in the US they would usually not be approved because of a lack of credit history even
if they had an excellent credit rating in their home country and even if they had a very high salary
in their home country
An immigrant must establish a credit history from scratch in the new country Therefore it is
usually very difficult for immigrants to obtain credit cards and mortgages until after they have
worked in the new country with a stable income for several years
Adverse Credit
Adverse credit history also called sub-prime credit history non-status credit history
impaired credit history poor credit history and bad credit history is a negative credit rating
27
A negative credit rating is often considered undesirable to lenders and other extenders of credit for
the purposes of loaning money or capital
In the US a consumers credit history is compiled by credit rating agencies more commonly
referred to as consumer reporting agencies or credit bureaus The data reported to these agencies
are primarily provided to them by creditors and includes detailed records of the relationship a
person has with the lender Detailed account information including payment history credit limits
high and low balances and any aggressive actions taken to recover overdue debts are all reported
regularly (usually monthly) This information is reviewed by a lender to determine whether to
approve a loan and on what terms
As credit became more popular it became more difficult for lenders to evaluate and approve credit
card and loan applications in a timely and efficient manner To address this issue credit scoring
was adopted
Credit scoring is the process of using a proprietary mathematical algorithm to create a numerical
value that describes an applicants overall creditworthiness Scores frequently based on numbers
(ranging from 300-850 for consumers in the United States) statistically analyze a credit history in
comparison to other debtors and gauge the magnitude of financial risk Since lending money to a
person or company is a risk credit scoring offers a standardized way for lenders to assess that risk
rapidly and without prejudiceAll credit bureaus also offer credit scoring as a supplemental
service
Credit scores assess the likelihood that a borrower will repay a loan or other credit obligation The
higher the score the better the credit history and the higher the probability that the loan will be
repaid on time When creditors report an excessive number of late payments or trouble with
collecting payments the score suffers Similarly when adverse judgments and collection agency
activity are reported the score decreases even more Repeated delinquencies or public record
entries can lower the score and trigger what is called a negative credit rating or adverse credit
history
When a lender requests a credit score it can cause a small drop in the credit score That is because
as stated above a number of inquiries over a relatively short period of time can indicate the
consumer is in a financially difficult situation
28
Consequences
The information in a credit report is sold by credit agencies to organizations that are considering
whether to offer credit to individuals or companies It is also available to other entities with a
permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act The consequence of a negative
credit rating is typically a reduction in the likelihood that a lender will approve an application for
credit under favorable terms if at all Interest rates on loans are significantly affected by credit
historymdashthe higher the credit rating the lower the interest while the lower the credit rating the
higher the interest The increased interest is used to offset the higher rate of default within the low
credit rating group of individuals
In the United States in certain cases insurance housing and employment can also be denied based
on a negative credit rating
Note that is not the credit reporting agencies that decide whether a credit history is adverse It is
the individual lender or creditor which makes that decision each lender has its own policy on what
scores fall within their guidelines The specific scores that fall within a lenders guidelines are most
often NOT disclosed to the applicant due to competitive reasons In the United States a creditor is
required to give the reasons for denying credit to an applicant immediately and must also provide
the name and address of the credit reporting agency who provided data that was used to make the
decision
More than One Credit History Per Person
In some countries people can have more than one credit history For example in Canada although
most Canadians are not aware of it every person who applied for credit before obtaining a Social
Insurance Number has two separate credit histories one with SIN and one without SIN This is due
to the credit reporting structure in Canada This can lead to two completely separate parallel
histories and often leads to inconsistencies (although typically the person in question will never
notice the inconsistencies) because when a lender asks for someones credit report with SIN what
the lender gets is different from what he would have gotten if he asked the report without providing
the SIN This is because contrary to popular belief when someone gets a new SIN for whatever
reason the two credit files are never merged unless the person requests specifically As a result a
29
record with SIN zeroed out is kept separately from a record with SIN Note this happens without
the person even knowing it
Credit score
A credit score is a numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a persons credit files to
represent the creditworthiness of that person which is the perceived likelihood that the person will
pay debts in a timely manner A credit score is primarily based on credit report information
typically sourced from credit bureaus credit reference agencies
Lenders such as banks and credit card companies use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk
posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt Lenders use credit
scores to determine who qualifies for a loan at what interest rate and what credit limits The use of
credit or identity scoring prior to authorizing access or granting credit is an implementation of a
trusted system
Credit scoring is not limited to banks Other organizations such as mobile phone companies
insurance companies employers and government departments employ the same techniques Credit
scoring also has a lot of overlap with data mining which uses many similar techniques
30
CHAPTER- 3
INTRODUCTION
OF
SMERA
SMERA ndash AN INTRODUCTION
31
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
INTRODUCTION
Sales promotions are activities that shape buying patterns attract new audiences or increase sales
Its garbage of a word that encompasses everything that falls outside advertising publicity and
direct marketing although these might be used to deliver your sales promotions
Most textbooks see sales promotion as interfacing with price - this writer believes sales promotions
are broader than this Too often people think discounts are synonymous with sales promotion - not
true Sales promotions can include the provision of sampling or learning opportunities joint
promotions or collaborations with third Party networks special events giveaways and
competitions discounts incentives value adding and rewards
In this section we will also look at distribution and display of promotional materials mainly
because there is nowhere else for them to go
Imaginatively and carefully planned sales promotions can deliver long-term benefits to your
organization Too often they are used as an afterthought to get people through the door Not
surprisingly they usually look like last minute panic measures and that can signal failure not
success
One well-planned far-reaching promotion is better than heaps of little one-offs that bear no relation
to your overall strategy The work involved in developing sales promotions can often outweigh the
apparent benefit - if you measure the results in the broadest possible context you just might find
you have successfully reached people outside the inner arts circle
As the term implies - the ultimate goal is sales or transactions However promotions can be
planned to increase sales over a long period within a specific market segment so it is not always
about immediate results
11
Why do it
Good sales promotions say something about your work and who you are They can be an
inexpensive way of increasing awareness of reaching new buyers or extending the buying choices
of existing audiences As inessential part of your campaign they should be planned from the
beginning While sales promotions can often be done cheaply there should always be a line item
for this activity in your budget no matter how small Because sales promotions often involve
working with other organizations they can open doors into the wider community By building
mutually beneficial relationships you could also be paving the way for sponsorship
Remember never devalue your product This is really easy to do if you are desperate which is why
the best sales promotions are usually planned well in advance
Follow our step-by-step guide Sales promotion how to do it
ANALYSE THE BENEFITS
When you are identifying possible sales promotions make sure that everyone involved including
the customer benefits
The benefits might be
1048698 access to communications channels such as lists clients or advertising
1048698 the feel good factor the association creates for clients or customers
1048698 reinforcement of the companys image
1048698 provision of rewards to clients or audiences
1048698 stimulation from working and learning from each other
1048698-increased sales
1048698 better seats priority booking private viewings cheaper prices learning opportunities and so on
12
IDENTIFY OUTLETS FOR YOUR PROMOTION
Distribution and display
The fliers are sitting in a nice pile in your office Now to the real point of print getting it into the
right hands
Tip Distribution and display
The media
Media are widely used to deliver sales promotions usually in the form of reader offers or
competitions
Tip Media promotions
Networks
Tapping into outside networks can be very cost effective and help you reach hundreds or thousands
of people These might include large employers credit card companies travel agencies
associations such as Rotary manufacturers of fast moving consumer goods such as milk and so on
There is a range of service organizations who communicate regularly with their members such as
The Writers Guild Australian Music Centre National Association of Visual Artists (NAVA)
Council- run community centers and many more
Tip Creating networks
Comment Extending your networks
Comment Cultural tourism
Events
An event can often be a form of sales promotion - if it is designed to reach new audiences or is
devised to encourage attendance at future events
Tip Using events
Comment The sports link
13
Establishing strategic alliances
Certain communities are large motivated and very well organized the gay and lesbian community
for example or some ethnic communities Work with them their publications and invite these
communities to become a part of your organization planning ways to produce mutual benefit
Approaches can range from artists residencies or going to their community centers to charity
appeals to discounted tickets it depends on the needs of the particular community
Sponsors
Sponsors can introduce you to new networks they are also often looking for ways to provide
benefits for their staff This is an excellent way to extend your reach and attract new audiences
Sponsor receptions often-bringin visitors who are new to the art form find ways to increase their
appreciation and enjoyment of the occasion beyond providing champagne and canapeacutes This could
be sending programs in advance or inviting the artist curator or theatre director to talk about the
production at the pre-performance reception Even a signed poster can be a treasured memento of
the occasion
DESIGNING THE RESPONSE AND THE FOLLOW UP
Sometimes promotions do not realize their full potential because the response mechanism is too
complicated or unclear It should be easy to respond by ticking a box picking up the phone
handing over the coupon and soon There is a risk in giving people too many choices as it can take
too long to work out what to do On the other hand customers like offers to be as flexible as
possible
PACKAGING PREMIUMS AND DISCOUNTS
Packages can range from subscription a concept most people are familiar with to
14
Premium packages
Dinner parking amp ticket which is sometimes called up-pricing premium pricing or adding value to
the evening It could be as simple as including a bottle or glass of champagne providing valet
parking or an opportunity to see the exhibition when the general public is not there
Membership schemes
Membership schemes encourage long term loyalty to an organization and offer special prices or
private rooms or exclusive events targeted at the interests and lifestyle of the membership These
schemes are becoming increasingly important to all kinds of arts organizations
Discount packages
1048698 2fers or buy one get one free these are best targeted at people who attendbuy infrequently
Money is rarely a deterrent to the more typical arts attender unless they are very frequent users
1048698 cross art form deals these recognize that many people are eclectic and want a range of arts
experiences It is hard to get these right and they seem to work best when packaged at one venue
under recognizable brand
1048698 Group bookings these encourage bulk purchase by providing a special price for groups The
heart-ofgoldgroup organizer is a dying breed so companies are now making it easier to get a
group together by reducing the party size from 20 to 10 or even 6
1048698 School bookings group packages also exist for schools Usually the teacher is given a free pass
and a ratio of pupils to teacher is often specified
1048698 Multi-tix special prices can be offered to people buying three or more events in a period for
example during a festival This is a hybrid of the subscription concept that aims to increase
transaction levels through price
15
Lifestyle packages
1048698 Babysitting packages where baby-sitting services or cregraveches are provided recognize the needs
of mothers families have greater pressures on their time and money and finding ways to make
it easier for them to be part of your organization will reap rewards
1048698 Sunday brunch afternoon tea sunset or late night events are designed to fit in with and enhance
peoples lifestyle
1048698 Youth offers like rush tickets special prices special drinks themed events and other features
recognize the lifestyle needs of young people interested in your work
Incentives
1048698 these can be gifts provided with the purchase of subscription or membership to an organization
eg key rings fridge magnets diaries calendars CDs There is little evidence that these
increase sales but they can generate loyalty and good will
1048698 large corporations are also looking for incentives to give to their staff or clients and arts
companies are well positioned to provide these (discounts should not apply)
This is just the teeny tip of a very large iceberg
16
CHAPTER-2
INTRODUCTION
OF
CREDIT
RATING
17
Credit rating
A credit rating assesses the credit worthiness of an individual corporation or even a country
Credit ratings are calculated from financial history and current assets and liabilities Typically a
credit rating tells a lender or investor the probability of the subject being able to pay back a loan
However in recent years credit ratings have also been used to adjust insurance premiums
determine employment eligibility and establish the amount of a utility or leasing deposit
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
Especially in context for sme earlier the which credit was done by the bank was not beneficial in
respect of sme because the prior credit rating includes analyses of few thing like past payment
record profit and loss account and another fact of balance sheet of three financial year so give the
all benefits earlier which was not given due to ignorance was avail by credit rating through by
credit ratings Third party rating has been gaining ground in our due to the fact that the lending
institutions have been asked to maintain adequate capital by the rbi as per Basel norms to maintain
the said adequacy the bank and finned to exhibit the classification of the units so that distinction
for good and bad units can be made and subsequently the provisioning for the said units can be
made accordingly
Credit rating agency
A credit rating agency (CRA) is a company that assigns credit ratings for issuers of certain types
of debt obligations as well as the debt instruments themselves In some cases the servicers of the
underlying debt are also given ratings In most cases the issuers of securities are companies
special purpose entities state and local governments non-profit organizations or national
governments issuing debt-like securities (ie bonds) that can be traded on a secondary market A
credit rating for an issuer takes into consideration the issuers credit worthiness (ie its ability to
pay back a loan) and affects the interest rate applied to the particular security being issued (In
contrast to CRAs a company that issues credit scores for individual credit-worthiness is generally
called a credit bureau or consumer credit reporting agency)
18
In respect of india there are many credit rating agancy few of them are as
shown below
1 Smera
2 Crisil
3 Care
4 Fitch
5 Onicra
6 Dampb
7 Icra
They provide credit rating evaluating the sme at different pramitter
Personal credit ratings
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
In the United States an individuals credit history is compiled and maintained by companies called
credit bureaus Credit worthiness is usually determined through a statistical analysis of the available
credit data A common form of this analysis is a 3-digit credit score provided by independent
financial service companies such as the FICO credit score (The term a registered trademark
comes from Fair Isaac Corporation which pioneered the credit rating concept in the late 1950s)
An individuals credit score along with his or her credit report affects his or her ability to borrow
money through financial institutions such as banks
In Canada the most common ratings are the North American Standard Account Ratings also
known as the R ratings which have a range between R0 and R9 R0 refers to a new account R1
refers to on-time payments R9 refers to bad debt
The factors which may influence a persons credit rating are
1) ability to pay a loan 2) interest 3)amount of credit used
4) saving patterns 5)spending patterns 6) debt
19
Corporate credit ratings
[The credit rating of a corporation is a financial indicator to potential investors of debt securities
such as bonds These are assigned by credit rating agencies such as Standard amp Poors Moodys or
Fitch Ratings and have letter designations such as AAA B CC The Standard amp Poors rating scale
is as follows AAA AA A BBB BB B CCC CC C D Anything lower than a BBB rating is
considered a speculative or junk bond The Moodys rating system is similar in concept but the
verbage is a little different
It is as follows
AAA
Aa1 Aa2 Aa3
A1 A2 A3
Baa1 Baa2 Baa3
Ba1 Ba2 Ba3
B1 B2 B3
Caa1 Caa2 Caa3
Ca
C
Sovereign credit
ratings
Cont Risk rankings
Least risky countries
Score out of 100
Rank
Previous Country Overall score
1 1 Luxembourg 9988
2 2 Norway 9747
3 3 Switzerland 9621
4 4 Denmark 9339
5 5 Sweden 9296
6 6 Ireland 9236
7 10 Austria 9225
8 9 Finland 9195
9 8 Netherlands 9195
10 7 United States 9127
20
A sovereign credit rating is the credit rating of a sovereign entity ie a country The sovereign
credit rating indicates the risk level of the investing environment of a country and is used by
investors looking to invest abroad It takes political risk into account
The table shows the ten least-risky countries for investment as of March 2008 Ratings are further
broken down into components including political risk economic risk Euromoneys bi-annual
country risk index Country risk surveymonitors the political and economic stability of 185
21
sovereign countries Results focus foremost on economics specifically sovereign default risk
andor payment default risk for exporters (aka trade credit risk)
Short term rating
A short term rating is a probability factor of an individual going into default within a year This is
in contrast to long-term rating which is evaluated over a long timeframe
Credit scores for individuals are assigned by credit bureaus (US UK credit reference agencies)
Credit ratings for corporations and sovereign debt are assigned by credit rating agencies
In the United States the main credit bureaus are Experian Equifax and TransUnion A relatively
new credit bureau in the US is Innovis
In the United Kingdom the main credit reference agencies for individuals are Experian Equifax
and Callcredit There is no universal credit rating as such rather each individual lender credit
scores based on its own wish-list of a perfect customer
In Canada the main credit bureaus for individuals are Equifax TransUnion and Northern Credit
Bureaus Experian
In India the main credit bureaus are CRISIL ICRA and Credit Registration Office (CRO)
The largest credit rating agencies (which tend to operate worldwide) are Moodys Standard and
Poors and Fitch Ratings
CREDIT RISK
Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either
the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
Faced by lenders to consumers
Most lenders employ their own models (Credit Scorecards) to rank potential and existing customers
according to risk and then apply appropriate strategies With products such as unsecured personal
loans or mortgages lenders charge a higher price for higher risk customers and vice versa With
22
revolving products such as credit cards and overdrafts risk is controlled through careful setting of
credit limits Some products also require security most commonly in the form of property
Faced by lenders to business
Lenders will trade off the costbenefits of a loan according to its risks and the interest charged But
interest rates are not the only method to compensate for risk Protective covenants are written into
loan agreements that allow the lender some controls These covenants may
limit the borrowers ability to weaken his balance sheet voluntarily eg by buying back shares
or paying dividends or borrowing further
allow for monitoring the debt requiring audits and monthly reports
allow the lender to decide when he can recall the loan based on specific events or when
financial ratios like debtequity or interest coverage deteriorate
A recent innovation to protect lenders and bond holders from the danger of default are credit
derivatives most commonly in the form of a credit default swap These financial contracts allow
companies to buy protection against defaults from a third party the protection seller The protection
seller receives a periodic fee (the credit spread) as compensation for the risk it takes and in return it
agrees to buy the debt should a credit event (default) occur
Faced by business
Companies carry credit risk when for example they do not demand up-front cash payment for
products or services By delivering the product or service first and billing the customer later - if its
a business customer the terms may be quoted as net 30 - the company is carrying a risk between the
delivery and payment
Significant resources and sophisticated programs are used to analyze and manage risk Some
companies run a credit risk department whose job is to assess the financial health of their
customers and extend credit (or not) accordingly They may use in house programs to advise on
avoiding reducing and transferring risk They also use third party provided intelligence
23
Companies like Standard amp Poors Moodys and Dun and Bradstreet provide such information for a
fee
For example a distributor selling its products to a troubled retailer may attempt to lessen credit risk
by tightening payment terms to net 15 or by actually selling fewer products on credit to the
retailer or even cutting off credit entirely and demanding payment in advance Such strategies
impact sales volume but reduce exposure to credit risk and subsequent payment defaults
Credit risk is not really manageable for very small companies (ie those with only one or two
customers) This makes these companies very vulnerable to defaults or even payment delays by
their customers
The use of a collection agency is not really a tool to manage credit risk rather it is an extreme
measure closer to a write down in that the creditor expects a below-agreed return after the
collection agency takes its share (if it is able to get anything at all)
Faced by individuals
Consumers may face credit risk in a direct form as depositors at banks or as investorslenders They
may also face credit risk when entering into standard commercial transactions by providing a
deposit to their counterparty eg for a large purchase or a real estate rental Employees of any firm
also depend on the firms ability to pay wages and are exposed to the credit risk of their employer
In some cases governments recognize that an individuals capacity to evaluate credit risk may be
limited and the risk may reduce economic efficiency governments may enact various legal
measures or mechanisms with the intention of protecting consumers against some of these risks
Bank deposits notably are insured in many countries (to some maximum amount) for individuals
effectively limiting their credit risk to banks and increasing their willingness to use the banking
system
24
Credit history
Credit history or credit report is in many countries a record of an individuals or companys past
borrowing and repaying including information about late payments and bankruptcy The term
credit reputation can either be used synonymous to credit history or to credit score
In the US when a customer fills out an application for credit from a bank store or credit card
company their information is forwarded to a credit bureau The credit bureau matches the name
address and other identifying information on the credit applicant with information retained by the
bureau in its files
This information is used by lenders such as credit card companies to determine an individuals
credit worthiness that is determining an individuals willingness to repay a debt The willingness
to repay a debt is indicated by how timely past payments have been made to other lenders Lenders
like to see consumer debt obligations paid on a monthly basis
The other factor in determining whether a lender will provide a consumer credit or a loan is
dependent on income The higher the income all other things being equal the more credit the
consumer can access However lenders make credit granting decisions based on both ability to
repay a debt (income) and willingness (the credit report) as indicated in the past payment history
These factors help lenders determine whether to extend credit and on what terms With the
adoption of risk-based pricing on almost all lending in the financial services industry this report
has become even more important since it is usually the sole element used to choose the annual
percentage rate (APR) grace period and other contractual obligations of the credit card or loan
How credit rating is determined
Credit ratings are determined differently in each country but the factors are similar and may
include
Payment record - a record of bills being overdue generally being more than 30 days will lower
the credit rating
25
Control of debt - Lenders want to see that borrowers are not living beyond their means Experts
estimate that non-mortgage credit payments each month should not exceed more than 15
percent of the borrowers after tax income
Signs of responsibility and stability - Lenders perceive things such as longevity in the
borrowers home and job (at least two years) as signs of stability
Re-Aging - Through re-aging a credit history is re-written and you are given a fresh start on
that particular account This can dramatically improve the credit score In 2000 the Federal
Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFEIC) clarified guidelines on re-aging accounts
for delinquent borrowers
Credit outstanding--Lenders dont like to see the amount of credit owed bumping up against the
credit limit of a card Generally a good idea is to owe no more than one-third of your total
credit limit on a credit card
Credit inquiries ndash An inquiry is a notation on a credit history file There are several kinds of
notations that may or may not have an adverse effect on the credit score Soft pulls dont affect
the credit score and are characteristic of the following examples
A credit bureau may sell a persons contact information to an advertiser wanting to offer credit
cards loans and insurance based on certain criteria that the lender has established A creditor also
checks a persons credit periodically Or a credit counseling agency with the clients permission
can obtain a clients credit report with no adverse action Each of the preceding examples are
commonly referred to as a soft credit pull
However hard credit inquiries are made by lenders when consumers are seeking credit or a loan
Lenders when granted a permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act can
check a credit history for the purposes of extending credit to a consumer Hard inquiries from
lenders directly affect the borrowers credit score Keeping credit inquiries to a minimum can help a
persons credit rating A lender may perceive many inquiries over a short period of time on a
persons report as a signal that the person is in financial difficulty and is looking for loans and will
possibly consider that person a poor credit risk
26
Credit cards that are not used - Although it is believed that having too many credit cards can have
an adverse effect on a credit score closing these lines of credit will not improve your score The
credit rating formula looks at the difference between the amount of credit a person has and the
amount being used so closing one or more accounts will reduce your total available credit And the
lower the percentage of available credit the more the credit score will drop The credit formula also
factors in the length of time credit accounts have been open so closing an account with several
years of history is another avoidable credit mistake
Understanding credit reports and scores
The Government of Canada offers a free publication called Understanding Your Credit Report and
Credit Score This publication provides sample credit report and credit score documents with
explanations of the notations and codes that are used It also contains general information on how
to build or improve credit history and how to check for signs that identity theft has occurred The
publication is available online at httpwwwfcacgcca the site of the Financial Consumer Agency
of Canada Paper copies can also be ordered at no charge for residents of Canada
Credit History of Immigrants
Credit history usually applies to only one country Even within the same credit card network
information is not shared between different countries For example if a person has been living in
Canada for many years and then moves to the United States when they apply for credit cards or a
mortgage in the US they would usually not be approved because of a lack of credit history even
if they had an excellent credit rating in their home country and even if they had a very high salary
in their home country
An immigrant must establish a credit history from scratch in the new country Therefore it is
usually very difficult for immigrants to obtain credit cards and mortgages until after they have
worked in the new country with a stable income for several years
Adverse Credit
Adverse credit history also called sub-prime credit history non-status credit history
impaired credit history poor credit history and bad credit history is a negative credit rating
27
A negative credit rating is often considered undesirable to lenders and other extenders of credit for
the purposes of loaning money or capital
In the US a consumers credit history is compiled by credit rating agencies more commonly
referred to as consumer reporting agencies or credit bureaus The data reported to these agencies
are primarily provided to them by creditors and includes detailed records of the relationship a
person has with the lender Detailed account information including payment history credit limits
high and low balances and any aggressive actions taken to recover overdue debts are all reported
regularly (usually monthly) This information is reviewed by a lender to determine whether to
approve a loan and on what terms
As credit became more popular it became more difficult for lenders to evaluate and approve credit
card and loan applications in a timely and efficient manner To address this issue credit scoring
was adopted
Credit scoring is the process of using a proprietary mathematical algorithm to create a numerical
value that describes an applicants overall creditworthiness Scores frequently based on numbers
(ranging from 300-850 for consumers in the United States) statistically analyze a credit history in
comparison to other debtors and gauge the magnitude of financial risk Since lending money to a
person or company is a risk credit scoring offers a standardized way for lenders to assess that risk
rapidly and without prejudiceAll credit bureaus also offer credit scoring as a supplemental
service
Credit scores assess the likelihood that a borrower will repay a loan or other credit obligation The
higher the score the better the credit history and the higher the probability that the loan will be
repaid on time When creditors report an excessive number of late payments or trouble with
collecting payments the score suffers Similarly when adverse judgments and collection agency
activity are reported the score decreases even more Repeated delinquencies or public record
entries can lower the score and trigger what is called a negative credit rating or adverse credit
history
When a lender requests a credit score it can cause a small drop in the credit score That is because
as stated above a number of inquiries over a relatively short period of time can indicate the
consumer is in a financially difficult situation
28
Consequences
The information in a credit report is sold by credit agencies to organizations that are considering
whether to offer credit to individuals or companies It is also available to other entities with a
permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act The consequence of a negative
credit rating is typically a reduction in the likelihood that a lender will approve an application for
credit under favorable terms if at all Interest rates on loans are significantly affected by credit
historymdashthe higher the credit rating the lower the interest while the lower the credit rating the
higher the interest The increased interest is used to offset the higher rate of default within the low
credit rating group of individuals
In the United States in certain cases insurance housing and employment can also be denied based
on a negative credit rating
Note that is not the credit reporting agencies that decide whether a credit history is adverse It is
the individual lender or creditor which makes that decision each lender has its own policy on what
scores fall within their guidelines The specific scores that fall within a lenders guidelines are most
often NOT disclosed to the applicant due to competitive reasons In the United States a creditor is
required to give the reasons for denying credit to an applicant immediately and must also provide
the name and address of the credit reporting agency who provided data that was used to make the
decision
More than One Credit History Per Person
In some countries people can have more than one credit history For example in Canada although
most Canadians are not aware of it every person who applied for credit before obtaining a Social
Insurance Number has two separate credit histories one with SIN and one without SIN This is due
to the credit reporting structure in Canada This can lead to two completely separate parallel
histories and often leads to inconsistencies (although typically the person in question will never
notice the inconsistencies) because when a lender asks for someones credit report with SIN what
the lender gets is different from what he would have gotten if he asked the report without providing
the SIN This is because contrary to popular belief when someone gets a new SIN for whatever
reason the two credit files are never merged unless the person requests specifically As a result a
29
record with SIN zeroed out is kept separately from a record with SIN Note this happens without
the person even knowing it
Credit score
A credit score is a numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a persons credit files to
represent the creditworthiness of that person which is the perceived likelihood that the person will
pay debts in a timely manner A credit score is primarily based on credit report information
typically sourced from credit bureaus credit reference agencies
Lenders such as banks and credit card companies use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk
posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt Lenders use credit
scores to determine who qualifies for a loan at what interest rate and what credit limits The use of
credit or identity scoring prior to authorizing access or granting credit is an implementation of a
trusted system
Credit scoring is not limited to banks Other organizations such as mobile phone companies
insurance companies employers and government departments employ the same techniques Credit
scoring also has a lot of overlap with data mining which uses many similar techniques
30
CHAPTER- 3
INTRODUCTION
OF
SMERA
SMERA ndash AN INTRODUCTION
31
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Why do it
Good sales promotions say something about your work and who you are They can be an
inexpensive way of increasing awareness of reaching new buyers or extending the buying choices
of existing audiences As inessential part of your campaign they should be planned from the
beginning While sales promotions can often be done cheaply there should always be a line item
for this activity in your budget no matter how small Because sales promotions often involve
working with other organizations they can open doors into the wider community By building
mutually beneficial relationships you could also be paving the way for sponsorship
Remember never devalue your product This is really easy to do if you are desperate which is why
the best sales promotions are usually planned well in advance
Follow our step-by-step guide Sales promotion how to do it
ANALYSE THE BENEFITS
When you are identifying possible sales promotions make sure that everyone involved including
the customer benefits
The benefits might be
1048698 access to communications channels such as lists clients or advertising
1048698 the feel good factor the association creates for clients or customers
1048698 reinforcement of the companys image
1048698 provision of rewards to clients or audiences
1048698 stimulation from working and learning from each other
1048698-increased sales
1048698 better seats priority booking private viewings cheaper prices learning opportunities and so on
12
IDENTIFY OUTLETS FOR YOUR PROMOTION
Distribution and display
The fliers are sitting in a nice pile in your office Now to the real point of print getting it into the
right hands
Tip Distribution and display
The media
Media are widely used to deliver sales promotions usually in the form of reader offers or
competitions
Tip Media promotions
Networks
Tapping into outside networks can be very cost effective and help you reach hundreds or thousands
of people These might include large employers credit card companies travel agencies
associations such as Rotary manufacturers of fast moving consumer goods such as milk and so on
There is a range of service organizations who communicate regularly with their members such as
The Writers Guild Australian Music Centre National Association of Visual Artists (NAVA)
Council- run community centers and many more
Tip Creating networks
Comment Extending your networks
Comment Cultural tourism
Events
An event can often be a form of sales promotion - if it is designed to reach new audiences or is
devised to encourage attendance at future events
Tip Using events
Comment The sports link
13
Establishing strategic alliances
Certain communities are large motivated and very well organized the gay and lesbian community
for example or some ethnic communities Work with them their publications and invite these
communities to become a part of your organization planning ways to produce mutual benefit
Approaches can range from artists residencies or going to their community centers to charity
appeals to discounted tickets it depends on the needs of the particular community
Sponsors
Sponsors can introduce you to new networks they are also often looking for ways to provide
benefits for their staff This is an excellent way to extend your reach and attract new audiences
Sponsor receptions often-bringin visitors who are new to the art form find ways to increase their
appreciation and enjoyment of the occasion beyond providing champagne and canapeacutes This could
be sending programs in advance or inviting the artist curator or theatre director to talk about the
production at the pre-performance reception Even a signed poster can be a treasured memento of
the occasion
DESIGNING THE RESPONSE AND THE FOLLOW UP
Sometimes promotions do not realize their full potential because the response mechanism is too
complicated or unclear It should be easy to respond by ticking a box picking up the phone
handing over the coupon and soon There is a risk in giving people too many choices as it can take
too long to work out what to do On the other hand customers like offers to be as flexible as
possible
PACKAGING PREMIUMS AND DISCOUNTS
Packages can range from subscription a concept most people are familiar with to
14
Premium packages
Dinner parking amp ticket which is sometimes called up-pricing premium pricing or adding value to
the evening It could be as simple as including a bottle or glass of champagne providing valet
parking or an opportunity to see the exhibition when the general public is not there
Membership schemes
Membership schemes encourage long term loyalty to an organization and offer special prices or
private rooms or exclusive events targeted at the interests and lifestyle of the membership These
schemes are becoming increasingly important to all kinds of arts organizations
Discount packages
1048698 2fers or buy one get one free these are best targeted at people who attendbuy infrequently
Money is rarely a deterrent to the more typical arts attender unless they are very frequent users
1048698 cross art form deals these recognize that many people are eclectic and want a range of arts
experiences It is hard to get these right and they seem to work best when packaged at one venue
under recognizable brand
1048698 Group bookings these encourage bulk purchase by providing a special price for groups The
heart-ofgoldgroup organizer is a dying breed so companies are now making it easier to get a
group together by reducing the party size from 20 to 10 or even 6
1048698 School bookings group packages also exist for schools Usually the teacher is given a free pass
and a ratio of pupils to teacher is often specified
1048698 Multi-tix special prices can be offered to people buying three or more events in a period for
example during a festival This is a hybrid of the subscription concept that aims to increase
transaction levels through price
15
Lifestyle packages
1048698 Babysitting packages where baby-sitting services or cregraveches are provided recognize the needs
of mothers families have greater pressures on their time and money and finding ways to make
it easier for them to be part of your organization will reap rewards
1048698 Sunday brunch afternoon tea sunset or late night events are designed to fit in with and enhance
peoples lifestyle
1048698 Youth offers like rush tickets special prices special drinks themed events and other features
recognize the lifestyle needs of young people interested in your work
Incentives
1048698 these can be gifts provided with the purchase of subscription or membership to an organization
eg key rings fridge magnets diaries calendars CDs There is little evidence that these
increase sales but they can generate loyalty and good will
1048698 large corporations are also looking for incentives to give to their staff or clients and arts
companies are well positioned to provide these (discounts should not apply)
This is just the teeny tip of a very large iceberg
16
CHAPTER-2
INTRODUCTION
OF
CREDIT
RATING
17
Credit rating
A credit rating assesses the credit worthiness of an individual corporation or even a country
Credit ratings are calculated from financial history and current assets and liabilities Typically a
credit rating tells a lender or investor the probability of the subject being able to pay back a loan
However in recent years credit ratings have also been used to adjust insurance premiums
determine employment eligibility and establish the amount of a utility or leasing deposit
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
Especially in context for sme earlier the which credit was done by the bank was not beneficial in
respect of sme because the prior credit rating includes analyses of few thing like past payment
record profit and loss account and another fact of balance sheet of three financial year so give the
all benefits earlier which was not given due to ignorance was avail by credit rating through by
credit ratings Third party rating has been gaining ground in our due to the fact that the lending
institutions have been asked to maintain adequate capital by the rbi as per Basel norms to maintain
the said adequacy the bank and finned to exhibit the classification of the units so that distinction
for good and bad units can be made and subsequently the provisioning for the said units can be
made accordingly
Credit rating agency
A credit rating agency (CRA) is a company that assigns credit ratings for issuers of certain types
of debt obligations as well as the debt instruments themselves In some cases the servicers of the
underlying debt are also given ratings In most cases the issuers of securities are companies
special purpose entities state and local governments non-profit organizations or national
governments issuing debt-like securities (ie bonds) that can be traded on a secondary market A
credit rating for an issuer takes into consideration the issuers credit worthiness (ie its ability to
pay back a loan) and affects the interest rate applied to the particular security being issued (In
contrast to CRAs a company that issues credit scores for individual credit-worthiness is generally
called a credit bureau or consumer credit reporting agency)
18
In respect of india there are many credit rating agancy few of them are as
shown below
1 Smera
2 Crisil
3 Care
4 Fitch
5 Onicra
6 Dampb
7 Icra
They provide credit rating evaluating the sme at different pramitter
Personal credit ratings
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
In the United States an individuals credit history is compiled and maintained by companies called
credit bureaus Credit worthiness is usually determined through a statistical analysis of the available
credit data A common form of this analysis is a 3-digit credit score provided by independent
financial service companies such as the FICO credit score (The term a registered trademark
comes from Fair Isaac Corporation which pioneered the credit rating concept in the late 1950s)
An individuals credit score along with his or her credit report affects his or her ability to borrow
money through financial institutions such as banks
In Canada the most common ratings are the North American Standard Account Ratings also
known as the R ratings which have a range between R0 and R9 R0 refers to a new account R1
refers to on-time payments R9 refers to bad debt
The factors which may influence a persons credit rating are
1) ability to pay a loan 2) interest 3)amount of credit used
4) saving patterns 5)spending patterns 6) debt
19
Corporate credit ratings
[The credit rating of a corporation is a financial indicator to potential investors of debt securities
such as bonds These are assigned by credit rating agencies such as Standard amp Poors Moodys or
Fitch Ratings and have letter designations such as AAA B CC The Standard amp Poors rating scale
is as follows AAA AA A BBB BB B CCC CC C D Anything lower than a BBB rating is
considered a speculative or junk bond The Moodys rating system is similar in concept but the
verbage is a little different
It is as follows
AAA
Aa1 Aa2 Aa3
A1 A2 A3
Baa1 Baa2 Baa3
Ba1 Ba2 Ba3
B1 B2 B3
Caa1 Caa2 Caa3
Ca
C
Sovereign credit
ratings
Cont Risk rankings
Least risky countries
Score out of 100
Rank
Previous Country Overall score
1 1 Luxembourg 9988
2 2 Norway 9747
3 3 Switzerland 9621
4 4 Denmark 9339
5 5 Sweden 9296
6 6 Ireland 9236
7 10 Austria 9225
8 9 Finland 9195
9 8 Netherlands 9195
10 7 United States 9127
20
A sovereign credit rating is the credit rating of a sovereign entity ie a country The sovereign
credit rating indicates the risk level of the investing environment of a country and is used by
investors looking to invest abroad It takes political risk into account
The table shows the ten least-risky countries for investment as of March 2008 Ratings are further
broken down into components including political risk economic risk Euromoneys bi-annual
country risk index Country risk surveymonitors the political and economic stability of 185
21
sovereign countries Results focus foremost on economics specifically sovereign default risk
andor payment default risk for exporters (aka trade credit risk)
Short term rating
A short term rating is a probability factor of an individual going into default within a year This is
in contrast to long-term rating which is evaluated over a long timeframe
Credit scores for individuals are assigned by credit bureaus (US UK credit reference agencies)
Credit ratings for corporations and sovereign debt are assigned by credit rating agencies
In the United States the main credit bureaus are Experian Equifax and TransUnion A relatively
new credit bureau in the US is Innovis
In the United Kingdom the main credit reference agencies for individuals are Experian Equifax
and Callcredit There is no universal credit rating as such rather each individual lender credit
scores based on its own wish-list of a perfect customer
In Canada the main credit bureaus for individuals are Equifax TransUnion and Northern Credit
Bureaus Experian
In India the main credit bureaus are CRISIL ICRA and Credit Registration Office (CRO)
The largest credit rating agencies (which tend to operate worldwide) are Moodys Standard and
Poors and Fitch Ratings
CREDIT RISK
Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either
the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
Faced by lenders to consumers
Most lenders employ their own models (Credit Scorecards) to rank potential and existing customers
according to risk and then apply appropriate strategies With products such as unsecured personal
loans or mortgages lenders charge a higher price for higher risk customers and vice versa With
22
revolving products such as credit cards and overdrafts risk is controlled through careful setting of
credit limits Some products also require security most commonly in the form of property
Faced by lenders to business
Lenders will trade off the costbenefits of a loan according to its risks and the interest charged But
interest rates are not the only method to compensate for risk Protective covenants are written into
loan agreements that allow the lender some controls These covenants may
limit the borrowers ability to weaken his balance sheet voluntarily eg by buying back shares
or paying dividends or borrowing further
allow for monitoring the debt requiring audits and monthly reports
allow the lender to decide when he can recall the loan based on specific events or when
financial ratios like debtequity or interest coverage deteriorate
A recent innovation to protect lenders and bond holders from the danger of default are credit
derivatives most commonly in the form of a credit default swap These financial contracts allow
companies to buy protection against defaults from a third party the protection seller The protection
seller receives a periodic fee (the credit spread) as compensation for the risk it takes and in return it
agrees to buy the debt should a credit event (default) occur
Faced by business
Companies carry credit risk when for example they do not demand up-front cash payment for
products or services By delivering the product or service first and billing the customer later - if its
a business customer the terms may be quoted as net 30 - the company is carrying a risk between the
delivery and payment
Significant resources and sophisticated programs are used to analyze and manage risk Some
companies run a credit risk department whose job is to assess the financial health of their
customers and extend credit (or not) accordingly They may use in house programs to advise on
avoiding reducing and transferring risk They also use third party provided intelligence
23
Companies like Standard amp Poors Moodys and Dun and Bradstreet provide such information for a
fee
For example a distributor selling its products to a troubled retailer may attempt to lessen credit risk
by tightening payment terms to net 15 or by actually selling fewer products on credit to the
retailer or even cutting off credit entirely and demanding payment in advance Such strategies
impact sales volume but reduce exposure to credit risk and subsequent payment defaults
Credit risk is not really manageable for very small companies (ie those with only one or two
customers) This makes these companies very vulnerable to defaults or even payment delays by
their customers
The use of a collection agency is not really a tool to manage credit risk rather it is an extreme
measure closer to a write down in that the creditor expects a below-agreed return after the
collection agency takes its share (if it is able to get anything at all)
Faced by individuals
Consumers may face credit risk in a direct form as depositors at banks or as investorslenders They
may also face credit risk when entering into standard commercial transactions by providing a
deposit to their counterparty eg for a large purchase or a real estate rental Employees of any firm
also depend on the firms ability to pay wages and are exposed to the credit risk of their employer
In some cases governments recognize that an individuals capacity to evaluate credit risk may be
limited and the risk may reduce economic efficiency governments may enact various legal
measures or mechanisms with the intention of protecting consumers against some of these risks
Bank deposits notably are insured in many countries (to some maximum amount) for individuals
effectively limiting their credit risk to banks and increasing their willingness to use the banking
system
24
Credit history
Credit history or credit report is in many countries a record of an individuals or companys past
borrowing and repaying including information about late payments and bankruptcy The term
credit reputation can either be used synonymous to credit history or to credit score
In the US when a customer fills out an application for credit from a bank store or credit card
company their information is forwarded to a credit bureau The credit bureau matches the name
address and other identifying information on the credit applicant with information retained by the
bureau in its files
This information is used by lenders such as credit card companies to determine an individuals
credit worthiness that is determining an individuals willingness to repay a debt The willingness
to repay a debt is indicated by how timely past payments have been made to other lenders Lenders
like to see consumer debt obligations paid on a monthly basis
The other factor in determining whether a lender will provide a consumer credit or a loan is
dependent on income The higher the income all other things being equal the more credit the
consumer can access However lenders make credit granting decisions based on both ability to
repay a debt (income) and willingness (the credit report) as indicated in the past payment history
These factors help lenders determine whether to extend credit and on what terms With the
adoption of risk-based pricing on almost all lending in the financial services industry this report
has become even more important since it is usually the sole element used to choose the annual
percentage rate (APR) grace period and other contractual obligations of the credit card or loan
How credit rating is determined
Credit ratings are determined differently in each country but the factors are similar and may
include
Payment record - a record of bills being overdue generally being more than 30 days will lower
the credit rating
25
Control of debt - Lenders want to see that borrowers are not living beyond their means Experts
estimate that non-mortgage credit payments each month should not exceed more than 15
percent of the borrowers after tax income
Signs of responsibility and stability - Lenders perceive things such as longevity in the
borrowers home and job (at least two years) as signs of stability
Re-Aging - Through re-aging a credit history is re-written and you are given a fresh start on
that particular account This can dramatically improve the credit score In 2000 the Federal
Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFEIC) clarified guidelines on re-aging accounts
for delinquent borrowers
Credit outstanding--Lenders dont like to see the amount of credit owed bumping up against the
credit limit of a card Generally a good idea is to owe no more than one-third of your total
credit limit on a credit card
Credit inquiries ndash An inquiry is a notation on a credit history file There are several kinds of
notations that may or may not have an adverse effect on the credit score Soft pulls dont affect
the credit score and are characteristic of the following examples
A credit bureau may sell a persons contact information to an advertiser wanting to offer credit
cards loans and insurance based on certain criteria that the lender has established A creditor also
checks a persons credit periodically Or a credit counseling agency with the clients permission
can obtain a clients credit report with no adverse action Each of the preceding examples are
commonly referred to as a soft credit pull
However hard credit inquiries are made by lenders when consumers are seeking credit or a loan
Lenders when granted a permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act can
check a credit history for the purposes of extending credit to a consumer Hard inquiries from
lenders directly affect the borrowers credit score Keeping credit inquiries to a minimum can help a
persons credit rating A lender may perceive many inquiries over a short period of time on a
persons report as a signal that the person is in financial difficulty and is looking for loans and will
possibly consider that person a poor credit risk
26
Credit cards that are not used - Although it is believed that having too many credit cards can have
an adverse effect on a credit score closing these lines of credit will not improve your score The
credit rating formula looks at the difference between the amount of credit a person has and the
amount being used so closing one or more accounts will reduce your total available credit And the
lower the percentage of available credit the more the credit score will drop The credit formula also
factors in the length of time credit accounts have been open so closing an account with several
years of history is another avoidable credit mistake
Understanding credit reports and scores
The Government of Canada offers a free publication called Understanding Your Credit Report and
Credit Score This publication provides sample credit report and credit score documents with
explanations of the notations and codes that are used It also contains general information on how
to build or improve credit history and how to check for signs that identity theft has occurred The
publication is available online at httpwwwfcacgcca the site of the Financial Consumer Agency
of Canada Paper copies can also be ordered at no charge for residents of Canada
Credit History of Immigrants
Credit history usually applies to only one country Even within the same credit card network
information is not shared between different countries For example if a person has been living in
Canada for many years and then moves to the United States when they apply for credit cards or a
mortgage in the US they would usually not be approved because of a lack of credit history even
if they had an excellent credit rating in their home country and even if they had a very high salary
in their home country
An immigrant must establish a credit history from scratch in the new country Therefore it is
usually very difficult for immigrants to obtain credit cards and mortgages until after they have
worked in the new country with a stable income for several years
Adverse Credit
Adverse credit history also called sub-prime credit history non-status credit history
impaired credit history poor credit history and bad credit history is a negative credit rating
27
A negative credit rating is often considered undesirable to lenders and other extenders of credit for
the purposes of loaning money or capital
In the US a consumers credit history is compiled by credit rating agencies more commonly
referred to as consumer reporting agencies or credit bureaus The data reported to these agencies
are primarily provided to them by creditors and includes detailed records of the relationship a
person has with the lender Detailed account information including payment history credit limits
high and low balances and any aggressive actions taken to recover overdue debts are all reported
regularly (usually monthly) This information is reviewed by a lender to determine whether to
approve a loan and on what terms
As credit became more popular it became more difficult for lenders to evaluate and approve credit
card and loan applications in a timely and efficient manner To address this issue credit scoring
was adopted
Credit scoring is the process of using a proprietary mathematical algorithm to create a numerical
value that describes an applicants overall creditworthiness Scores frequently based on numbers
(ranging from 300-850 for consumers in the United States) statistically analyze a credit history in
comparison to other debtors and gauge the magnitude of financial risk Since lending money to a
person or company is a risk credit scoring offers a standardized way for lenders to assess that risk
rapidly and without prejudiceAll credit bureaus also offer credit scoring as a supplemental
service
Credit scores assess the likelihood that a borrower will repay a loan or other credit obligation The
higher the score the better the credit history and the higher the probability that the loan will be
repaid on time When creditors report an excessive number of late payments or trouble with
collecting payments the score suffers Similarly when adverse judgments and collection agency
activity are reported the score decreases even more Repeated delinquencies or public record
entries can lower the score and trigger what is called a negative credit rating or adverse credit
history
When a lender requests a credit score it can cause a small drop in the credit score That is because
as stated above a number of inquiries over a relatively short period of time can indicate the
consumer is in a financially difficult situation
28
Consequences
The information in a credit report is sold by credit agencies to organizations that are considering
whether to offer credit to individuals or companies It is also available to other entities with a
permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act The consequence of a negative
credit rating is typically a reduction in the likelihood that a lender will approve an application for
credit under favorable terms if at all Interest rates on loans are significantly affected by credit
historymdashthe higher the credit rating the lower the interest while the lower the credit rating the
higher the interest The increased interest is used to offset the higher rate of default within the low
credit rating group of individuals
In the United States in certain cases insurance housing and employment can also be denied based
on a negative credit rating
Note that is not the credit reporting agencies that decide whether a credit history is adverse It is
the individual lender or creditor which makes that decision each lender has its own policy on what
scores fall within their guidelines The specific scores that fall within a lenders guidelines are most
often NOT disclosed to the applicant due to competitive reasons In the United States a creditor is
required to give the reasons for denying credit to an applicant immediately and must also provide
the name and address of the credit reporting agency who provided data that was used to make the
decision
More than One Credit History Per Person
In some countries people can have more than one credit history For example in Canada although
most Canadians are not aware of it every person who applied for credit before obtaining a Social
Insurance Number has two separate credit histories one with SIN and one without SIN This is due
to the credit reporting structure in Canada This can lead to two completely separate parallel
histories and often leads to inconsistencies (although typically the person in question will never
notice the inconsistencies) because when a lender asks for someones credit report with SIN what
the lender gets is different from what he would have gotten if he asked the report without providing
the SIN This is because contrary to popular belief when someone gets a new SIN for whatever
reason the two credit files are never merged unless the person requests specifically As a result a
29
record with SIN zeroed out is kept separately from a record with SIN Note this happens without
the person even knowing it
Credit score
A credit score is a numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a persons credit files to
represent the creditworthiness of that person which is the perceived likelihood that the person will
pay debts in a timely manner A credit score is primarily based on credit report information
typically sourced from credit bureaus credit reference agencies
Lenders such as banks and credit card companies use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk
posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt Lenders use credit
scores to determine who qualifies for a loan at what interest rate and what credit limits The use of
credit or identity scoring prior to authorizing access or granting credit is an implementation of a
trusted system
Credit scoring is not limited to banks Other organizations such as mobile phone companies
insurance companies employers and government departments employ the same techniques Credit
scoring also has a lot of overlap with data mining which uses many similar techniques
30
CHAPTER- 3
INTRODUCTION
OF
SMERA
SMERA ndash AN INTRODUCTION
31
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
IDENTIFY OUTLETS FOR YOUR PROMOTION
Distribution and display
The fliers are sitting in a nice pile in your office Now to the real point of print getting it into the
right hands
Tip Distribution and display
The media
Media are widely used to deliver sales promotions usually in the form of reader offers or
competitions
Tip Media promotions
Networks
Tapping into outside networks can be very cost effective and help you reach hundreds or thousands
of people These might include large employers credit card companies travel agencies
associations such as Rotary manufacturers of fast moving consumer goods such as milk and so on
There is a range of service organizations who communicate regularly with their members such as
The Writers Guild Australian Music Centre National Association of Visual Artists (NAVA)
Council- run community centers and many more
Tip Creating networks
Comment Extending your networks
Comment Cultural tourism
Events
An event can often be a form of sales promotion - if it is designed to reach new audiences or is
devised to encourage attendance at future events
Tip Using events
Comment The sports link
13
Establishing strategic alliances
Certain communities are large motivated and very well organized the gay and lesbian community
for example or some ethnic communities Work with them their publications and invite these
communities to become a part of your organization planning ways to produce mutual benefit
Approaches can range from artists residencies or going to their community centers to charity
appeals to discounted tickets it depends on the needs of the particular community
Sponsors
Sponsors can introduce you to new networks they are also often looking for ways to provide
benefits for their staff This is an excellent way to extend your reach and attract new audiences
Sponsor receptions often-bringin visitors who are new to the art form find ways to increase their
appreciation and enjoyment of the occasion beyond providing champagne and canapeacutes This could
be sending programs in advance or inviting the artist curator or theatre director to talk about the
production at the pre-performance reception Even a signed poster can be a treasured memento of
the occasion
DESIGNING THE RESPONSE AND THE FOLLOW UP
Sometimes promotions do not realize their full potential because the response mechanism is too
complicated or unclear It should be easy to respond by ticking a box picking up the phone
handing over the coupon and soon There is a risk in giving people too many choices as it can take
too long to work out what to do On the other hand customers like offers to be as flexible as
possible
PACKAGING PREMIUMS AND DISCOUNTS
Packages can range from subscription a concept most people are familiar with to
14
Premium packages
Dinner parking amp ticket which is sometimes called up-pricing premium pricing or adding value to
the evening It could be as simple as including a bottle or glass of champagne providing valet
parking or an opportunity to see the exhibition when the general public is not there
Membership schemes
Membership schemes encourage long term loyalty to an organization and offer special prices or
private rooms or exclusive events targeted at the interests and lifestyle of the membership These
schemes are becoming increasingly important to all kinds of arts organizations
Discount packages
1048698 2fers or buy one get one free these are best targeted at people who attendbuy infrequently
Money is rarely a deterrent to the more typical arts attender unless they are very frequent users
1048698 cross art form deals these recognize that many people are eclectic and want a range of arts
experiences It is hard to get these right and they seem to work best when packaged at one venue
under recognizable brand
1048698 Group bookings these encourage bulk purchase by providing a special price for groups The
heart-ofgoldgroup organizer is a dying breed so companies are now making it easier to get a
group together by reducing the party size from 20 to 10 or even 6
1048698 School bookings group packages also exist for schools Usually the teacher is given a free pass
and a ratio of pupils to teacher is often specified
1048698 Multi-tix special prices can be offered to people buying three or more events in a period for
example during a festival This is a hybrid of the subscription concept that aims to increase
transaction levels through price
15
Lifestyle packages
1048698 Babysitting packages where baby-sitting services or cregraveches are provided recognize the needs
of mothers families have greater pressures on their time and money and finding ways to make
it easier for them to be part of your organization will reap rewards
1048698 Sunday brunch afternoon tea sunset or late night events are designed to fit in with and enhance
peoples lifestyle
1048698 Youth offers like rush tickets special prices special drinks themed events and other features
recognize the lifestyle needs of young people interested in your work
Incentives
1048698 these can be gifts provided with the purchase of subscription or membership to an organization
eg key rings fridge magnets diaries calendars CDs There is little evidence that these
increase sales but they can generate loyalty and good will
1048698 large corporations are also looking for incentives to give to their staff or clients and arts
companies are well positioned to provide these (discounts should not apply)
This is just the teeny tip of a very large iceberg
16
CHAPTER-2
INTRODUCTION
OF
CREDIT
RATING
17
Credit rating
A credit rating assesses the credit worthiness of an individual corporation or even a country
Credit ratings are calculated from financial history and current assets and liabilities Typically a
credit rating tells a lender or investor the probability of the subject being able to pay back a loan
However in recent years credit ratings have also been used to adjust insurance premiums
determine employment eligibility and establish the amount of a utility or leasing deposit
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
Especially in context for sme earlier the which credit was done by the bank was not beneficial in
respect of sme because the prior credit rating includes analyses of few thing like past payment
record profit and loss account and another fact of balance sheet of three financial year so give the
all benefits earlier which was not given due to ignorance was avail by credit rating through by
credit ratings Third party rating has been gaining ground in our due to the fact that the lending
institutions have been asked to maintain adequate capital by the rbi as per Basel norms to maintain
the said adequacy the bank and finned to exhibit the classification of the units so that distinction
for good and bad units can be made and subsequently the provisioning for the said units can be
made accordingly
Credit rating agency
A credit rating agency (CRA) is a company that assigns credit ratings for issuers of certain types
of debt obligations as well as the debt instruments themselves In some cases the servicers of the
underlying debt are also given ratings In most cases the issuers of securities are companies
special purpose entities state and local governments non-profit organizations or national
governments issuing debt-like securities (ie bonds) that can be traded on a secondary market A
credit rating for an issuer takes into consideration the issuers credit worthiness (ie its ability to
pay back a loan) and affects the interest rate applied to the particular security being issued (In
contrast to CRAs a company that issues credit scores for individual credit-worthiness is generally
called a credit bureau or consumer credit reporting agency)
18
In respect of india there are many credit rating agancy few of them are as
shown below
1 Smera
2 Crisil
3 Care
4 Fitch
5 Onicra
6 Dampb
7 Icra
They provide credit rating evaluating the sme at different pramitter
Personal credit ratings
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
In the United States an individuals credit history is compiled and maintained by companies called
credit bureaus Credit worthiness is usually determined through a statistical analysis of the available
credit data A common form of this analysis is a 3-digit credit score provided by independent
financial service companies such as the FICO credit score (The term a registered trademark
comes from Fair Isaac Corporation which pioneered the credit rating concept in the late 1950s)
An individuals credit score along with his or her credit report affects his or her ability to borrow
money through financial institutions such as banks
In Canada the most common ratings are the North American Standard Account Ratings also
known as the R ratings which have a range between R0 and R9 R0 refers to a new account R1
refers to on-time payments R9 refers to bad debt
The factors which may influence a persons credit rating are
1) ability to pay a loan 2) interest 3)amount of credit used
4) saving patterns 5)spending patterns 6) debt
19
Corporate credit ratings
[The credit rating of a corporation is a financial indicator to potential investors of debt securities
such as bonds These are assigned by credit rating agencies such as Standard amp Poors Moodys or
Fitch Ratings and have letter designations such as AAA B CC The Standard amp Poors rating scale
is as follows AAA AA A BBB BB B CCC CC C D Anything lower than a BBB rating is
considered a speculative or junk bond The Moodys rating system is similar in concept but the
verbage is a little different
It is as follows
AAA
Aa1 Aa2 Aa3
A1 A2 A3
Baa1 Baa2 Baa3
Ba1 Ba2 Ba3
B1 B2 B3
Caa1 Caa2 Caa3
Ca
C
Sovereign credit
ratings
Cont Risk rankings
Least risky countries
Score out of 100
Rank
Previous Country Overall score
1 1 Luxembourg 9988
2 2 Norway 9747
3 3 Switzerland 9621
4 4 Denmark 9339
5 5 Sweden 9296
6 6 Ireland 9236
7 10 Austria 9225
8 9 Finland 9195
9 8 Netherlands 9195
10 7 United States 9127
20
A sovereign credit rating is the credit rating of a sovereign entity ie a country The sovereign
credit rating indicates the risk level of the investing environment of a country and is used by
investors looking to invest abroad It takes political risk into account
The table shows the ten least-risky countries for investment as of March 2008 Ratings are further
broken down into components including political risk economic risk Euromoneys bi-annual
country risk index Country risk surveymonitors the political and economic stability of 185
21
sovereign countries Results focus foremost on economics specifically sovereign default risk
andor payment default risk for exporters (aka trade credit risk)
Short term rating
A short term rating is a probability factor of an individual going into default within a year This is
in contrast to long-term rating which is evaluated over a long timeframe
Credit scores for individuals are assigned by credit bureaus (US UK credit reference agencies)
Credit ratings for corporations and sovereign debt are assigned by credit rating agencies
In the United States the main credit bureaus are Experian Equifax and TransUnion A relatively
new credit bureau in the US is Innovis
In the United Kingdom the main credit reference agencies for individuals are Experian Equifax
and Callcredit There is no universal credit rating as such rather each individual lender credit
scores based on its own wish-list of a perfect customer
In Canada the main credit bureaus for individuals are Equifax TransUnion and Northern Credit
Bureaus Experian
In India the main credit bureaus are CRISIL ICRA and Credit Registration Office (CRO)
The largest credit rating agencies (which tend to operate worldwide) are Moodys Standard and
Poors and Fitch Ratings
CREDIT RISK
Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either
the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
Faced by lenders to consumers
Most lenders employ their own models (Credit Scorecards) to rank potential and existing customers
according to risk and then apply appropriate strategies With products such as unsecured personal
loans or mortgages lenders charge a higher price for higher risk customers and vice versa With
22
revolving products such as credit cards and overdrafts risk is controlled through careful setting of
credit limits Some products also require security most commonly in the form of property
Faced by lenders to business
Lenders will trade off the costbenefits of a loan according to its risks and the interest charged But
interest rates are not the only method to compensate for risk Protective covenants are written into
loan agreements that allow the lender some controls These covenants may
limit the borrowers ability to weaken his balance sheet voluntarily eg by buying back shares
or paying dividends or borrowing further
allow for monitoring the debt requiring audits and monthly reports
allow the lender to decide when he can recall the loan based on specific events or when
financial ratios like debtequity or interest coverage deteriorate
A recent innovation to protect lenders and bond holders from the danger of default are credit
derivatives most commonly in the form of a credit default swap These financial contracts allow
companies to buy protection against defaults from a third party the protection seller The protection
seller receives a periodic fee (the credit spread) as compensation for the risk it takes and in return it
agrees to buy the debt should a credit event (default) occur
Faced by business
Companies carry credit risk when for example they do not demand up-front cash payment for
products or services By delivering the product or service first and billing the customer later - if its
a business customer the terms may be quoted as net 30 - the company is carrying a risk between the
delivery and payment
Significant resources and sophisticated programs are used to analyze and manage risk Some
companies run a credit risk department whose job is to assess the financial health of their
customers and extend credit (or not) accordingly They may use in house programs to advise on
avoiding reducing and transferring risk They also use third party provided intelligence
23
Companies like Standard amp Poors Moodys and Dun and Bradstreet provide such information for a
fee
For example a distributor selling its products to a troubled retailer may attempt to lessen credit risk
by tightening payment terms to net 15 or by actually selling fewer products on credit to the
retailer or even cutting off credit entirely and demanding payment in advance Such strategies
impact sales volume but reduce exposure to credit risk and subsequent payment defaults
Credit risk is not really manageable for very small companies (ie those with only one or two
customers) This makes these companies very vulnerable to defaults or even payment delays by
their customers
The use of a collection agency is not really a tool to manage credit risk rather it is an extreme
measure closer to a write down in that the creditor expects a below-agreed return after the
collection agency takes its share (if it is able to get anything at all)
Faced by individuals
Consumers may face credit risk in a direct form as depositors at banks or as investorslenders They
may also face credit risk when entering into standard commercial transactions by providing a
deposit to their counterparty eg for a large purchase or a real estate rental Employees of any firm
also depend on the firms ability to pay wages and are exposed to the credit risk of their employer
In some cases governments recognize that an individuals capacity to evaluate credit risk may be
limited and the risk may reduce economic efficiency governments may enact various legal
measures or mechanisms with the intention of protecting consumers against some of these risks
Bank deposits notably are insured in many countries (to some maximum amount) for individuals
effectively limiting their credit risk to banks and increasing their willingness to use the banking
system
24
Credit history
Credit history or credit report is in many countries a record of an individuals or companys past
borrowing and repaying including information about late payments and bankruptcy The term
credit reputation can either be used synonymous to credit history or to credit score
In the US when a customer fills out an application for credit from a bank store or credit card
company their information is forwarded to a credit bureau The credit bureau matches the name
address and other identifying information on the credit applicant with information retained by the
bureau in its files
This information is used by lenders such as credit card companies to determine an individuals
credit worthiness that is determining an individuals willingness to repay a debt The willingness
to repay a debt is indicated by how timely past payments have been made to other lenders Lenders
like to see consumer debt obligations paid on a monthly basis
The other factor in determining whether a lender will provide a consumer credit or a loan is
dependent on income The higher the income all other things being equal the more credit the
consumer can access However lenders make credit granting decisions based on both ability to
repay a debt (income) and willingness (the credit report) as indicated in the past payment history
These factors help lenders determine whether to extend credit and on what terms With the
adoption of risk-based pricing on almost all lending in the financial services industry this report
has become even more important since it is usually the sole element used to choose the annual
percentage rate (APR) grace period and other contractual obligations of the credit card or loan
How credit rating is determined
Credit ratings are determined differently in each country but the factors are similar and may
include
Payment record - a record of bills being overdue generally being more than 30 days will lower
the credit rating
25
Control of debt - Lenders want to see that borrowers are not living beyond their means Experts
estimate that non-mortgage credit payments each month should not exceed more than 15
percent of the borrowers after tax income
Signs of responsibility and stability - Lenders perceive things such as longevity in the
borrowers home and job (at least two years) as signs of stability
Re-Aging - Through re-aging a credit history is re-written and you are given a fresh start on
that particular account This can dramatically improve the credit score In 2000 the Federal
Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFEIC) clarified guidelines on re-aging accounts
for delinquent borrowers
Credit outstanding--Lenders dont like to see the amount of credit owed bumping up against the
credit limit of a card Generally a good idea is to owe no more than one-third of your total
credit limit on a credit card
Credit inquiries ndash An inquiry is a notation on a credit history file There are several kinds of
notations that may or may not have an adverse effect on the credit score Soft pulls dont affect
the credit score and are characteristic of the following examples
A credit bureau may sell a persons contact information to an advertiser wanting to offer credit
cards loans and insurance based on certain criteria that the lender has established A creditor also
checks a persons credit periodically Or a credit counseling agency with the clients permission
can obtain a clients credit report with no adverse action Each of the preceding examples are
commonly referred to as a soft credit pull
However hard credit inquiries are made by lenders when consumers are seeking credit or a loan
Lenders when granted a permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act can
check a credit history for the purposes of extending credit to a consumer Hard inquiries from
lenders directly affect the borrowers credit score Keeping credit inquiries to a minimum can help a
persons credit rating A lender may perceive many inquiries over a short period of time on a
persons report as a signal that the person is in financial difficulty and is looking for loans and will
possibly consider that person a poor credit risk
26
Credit cards that are not used - Although it is believed that having too many credit cards can have
an adverse effect on a credit score closing these lines of credit will not improve your score The
credit rating formula looks at the difference between the amount of credit a person has and the
amount being used so closing one or more accounts will reduce your total available credit And the
lower the percentage of available credit the more the credit score will drop The credit formula also
factors in the length of time credit accounts have been open so closing an account with several
years of history is another avoidable credit mistake
Understanding credit reports and scores
The Government of Canada offers a free publication called Understanding Your Credit Report and
Credit Score This publication provides sample credit report and credit score documents with
explanations of the notations and codes that are used It also contains general information on how
to build or improve credit history and how to check for signs that identity theft has occurred The
publication is available online at httpwwwfcacgcca the site of the Financial Consumer Agency
of Canada Paper copies can also be ordered at no charge for residents of Canada
Credit History of Immigrants
Credit history usually applies to only one country Even within the same credit card network
information is not shared between different countries For example if a person has been living in
Canada for many years and then moves to the United States when they apply for credit cards or a
mortgage in the US they would usually not be approved because of a lack of credit history even
if they had an excellent credit rating in their home country and even if they had a very high salary
in their home country
An immigrant must establish a credit history from scratch in the new country Therefore it is
usually very difficult for immigrants to obtain credit cards and mortgages until after they have
worked in the new country with a stable income for several years
Adverse Credit
Adverse credit history also called sub-prime credit history non-status credit history
impaired credit history poor credit history and bad credit history is a negative credit rating
27
A negative credit rating is often considered undesirable to lenders and other extenders of credit for
the purposes of loaning money or capital
In the US a consumers credit history is compiled by credit rating agencies more commonly
referred to as consumer reporting agencies or credit bureaus The data reported to these agencies
are primarily provided to them by creditors and includes detailed records of the relationship a
person has with the lender Detailed account information including payment history credit limits
high and low balances and any aggressive actions taken to recover overdue debts are all reported
regularly (usually monthly) This information is reviewed by a lender to determine whether to
approve a loan and on what terms
As credit became more popular it became more difficult for lenders to evaluate and approve credit
card and loan applications in a timely and efficient manner To address this issue credit scoring
was adopted
Credit scoring is the process of using a proprietary mathematical algorithm to create a numerical
value that describes an applicants overall creditworthiness Scores frequently based on numbers
(ranging from 300-850 for consumers in the United States) statistically analyze a credit history in
comparison to other debtors and gauge the magnitude of financial risk Since lending money to a
person or company is a risk credit scoring offers a standardized way for lenders to assess that risk
rapidly and without prejudiceAll credit bureaus also offer credit scoring as a supplemental
service
Credit scores assess the likelihood that a borrower will repay a loan or other credit obligation The
higher the score the better the credit history and the higher the probability that the loan will be
repaid on time When creditors report an excessive number of late payments or trouble with
collecting payments the score suffers Similarly when adverse judgments and collection agency
activity are reported the score decreases even more Repeated delinquencies or public record
entries can lower the score and trigger what is called a negative credit rating or adverse credit
history
When a lender requests a credit score it can cause a small drop in the credit score That is because
as stated above a number of inquiries over a relatively short period of time can indicate the
consumer is in a financially difficult situation
28
Consequences
The information in a credit report is sold by credit agencies to organizations that are considering
whether to offer credit to individuals or companies It is also available to other entities with a
permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act The consequence of a negative
credit rating is typically a reduction in the likelihood that a lender will approve an application for
credit under favorable terms if at all Interest rates on loans are significantly affected by credit
historymdashthe higher the credit rating the lower the interest while the lower the credit rating the
higher the interest The increased interest is used to offset the higher rate of default within the low
credit rating group of individuals
In the United States in certain cases insurance housing and employment can also be denied based
on a negative credit rating
Note that is not the credit reporting agencies that decide whether a credit history is adverse It is
the individual lender or creditor which makes that decision each lender has its own policy on what
scores fall within their guidelines The specific scores that fall within a lenders guidelines are most
often NOT disclosed to the applicant due to competitive reasons In the United States a creditor is
required to give the reasons for denying credit to an applicant immediately and must also provide
the name and address of the credit reporting agency who provided data that was used to make the
decision
More than One Credit History Per Person
In some countries people can have more than one credit history For example in Canada although
most Canadians are not aware of it every person who applied for credit before obtaining a Social
Insurance Number has two separate credit histories one with SIN and one without SIN This is due
to the credit reporting structure in Canada This can lead to two completely separate parallel
histories and often leads to inconsistencies (although typically the person in question will never
notice the inconsistencies) because when a lender asks for someones credit report with SIN what
the lender gets is different from what he would have gotten if he asked the report without providing
the SIN This is because contrary to popular belief when someone gets a new SIN for whatever
reason the two credit files are never merged unless the person requests specifically As a result a
29
record with SIN zeroed out is kept separately from a record with SIN Note this happens without
the person even knowing it
Credit score
A credit score is a numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a persons credit files to
represent the creditworthiness of that person which is the perceived likelihood that the person will
pay debts in a timely manner A credit score is primarily based on credit report information
typically sourced from credit bureaus credit reference agencies
Lenders such as banks and credit card companies use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk
posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt Lenders use credit
scores to determine who qualifies for a loan at what interest rate and what credit limits The use of
credit or identity scoring prior to authorizing access or granting credit is an implementation of a
trusted system
Credit scoring is not limited to banks Other organizations such as mobile phone companies
insurance companies employers and government departments employ the same techniques Credit
scoring also has a lot of overlap with data mining which uses many similar techniques
30
CHAPTER- 3
INTRODUCTION
OF
SMERA
SMERA ndash AN INTRODUCTION
31
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Establishing strategic alliances
Certain communities are large motivated and very well organized the gay and lesbian community
for example or some ethnic communities Work with them their publications and invite these
communities to become a part of your organization planning ways to produce mutual benefit
Approaches can range from artists residencies or going to their community centers to charity
appeals to discounted tickets it depends on the needs of the particular community
Sponsors
Sponsors can introduce you to new networks they are also often looking for ways to provide
benefits for their staff This is an excellent way to extend your reach and attract new audiences
Sponsor receptions often-bringin visitors who are new to the art form find ways to increase their
appreciation and enjoyment of the occasion beyond providing champagne and canapeacutes This could
be sending programs in advance or inviting the artist curator or theatre director to talk about the
production at the pre-performance reception Even a signed poster can be a treasured memento of
the occasion
DESIGNING THE RESPONSE AND THE FOLLOW UP
Sometimes promotions do not realize their full potential because the response mechanism is too
complicated or unclear It should be easy to respond by ticking a box picking up the phone
handing over the coupon and soon There is a risk in giving people too many choices as it can take
too long to work out what to do On the other hand customers like offers to be as flexible as
possible
PACKAGING PREMIUMS AND DISCOUNTS
Packages can range from subscription a concept most people are familiar with to
14
Premium packages
Dinner parking amp ticket which is sometimes called up-pricing premium pricing or adding value to
the evening It could be as simple as including a bottle or glass of champagne providing valet
parking or an opportunity to see the exhibition when the general public is not there
Membership schemes
Membership schemes encourage long term loyalty to an organization and offer special prices or
private rooms or exclusive events targeted at the interests and lifestyle of the membership These
schemes are becoming increasingly important to all kinds of arts organizations
Discount packages
1048698 2fers or buy one get one free these are best targeted at people who attendbuy infrequently
Money is rarely a deterrent to the more typical arts attender unless they are very frequent users
1048698 cross art form deals these recognize that many people are eclectic and want a range of arts
experiences It is hard to get these right and they seem to work best when packaged at one venue
under recognizable brand
1048698 Group bookings these encourage bulk purchase by providing a special price for groups The
heart-ofgoldgroup organizer is a dying breed so companies are now making it easier to get a
group together by reducing the party size from 20 to 10 or even 6
1048698 School bookings group packages also exist for schools Usually the teacher is given a free pass
and a ratio of pupils to teacher is often specified
1048698 Multi-tix special prices can be offered to people buying three or more events in a period for
example during a festival This is a hybrid of the subscription concept that aims to increase
transaction levels through price
15
Lifestyle packages
1048698 Babysitting packages where baby-sitting services or cregraveches are provided recognize the needs
of mothers families have greater pressures on their time and money and finding ways to make
it easier for them to be part of your organization will reap rewards
1048698 Sunday brunch afternoon tea sunset or late night events are designed to fit in with and enhance
peoples lifestyle
1048698 Youth offers like rush tickets special prices special drinks themed events and other features
recognize the lifestyle needs of young people interested in your work
Incentives
1048698 these can be gifts provided with the purchase of subscription or membership to an organization
eg key rings fridge magnets diaries calendars CDs There is little evidence that these
increase sales but they can generate loyalty and good will
1048698 large corporations are also looking for incentives to give to their staff or clients and arts
companies are well positioned to provide these (discounts should not apply)
This is just the teeny tip of a very large iceberg
16
CHAPTER-2
INTRODUCTION
OF
CREDIT
RATING
17
Credit rating
A credit rating assesses the credit worthiness of an individual corporation or even a country
Credit ratings are calculated from financial history and current assets and liabilities Typically a
credit rating tells a lender or investor the probability of the subject being able to pay back a loan
However in recent years credit ratings have also been used to adjust insurance premiums
determine employment eligibility and establish the amount of a utility or leasing deposit
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
Especially in context for sme earlier the which credit was done by the bank was not beneficial in
respect of sme because the prior credit rating includes analyses of few thing like past payment
record profit and loss account and another fact of balance sheet of three financial year so give the
all benefits earlier which was not given due to ignorance was avail by credit rating through by
credit ratings Third party rating has been gaining ground in our due to the fact that the lending
institutions have been asked to maintain adequate capital by the rbi as per Basel norms to maintain
the said adequacy the bank and finned to exhibit the classification of the units so that distinction
for good and bad units can be made and subsequently the provisioning for the said units can be
made accordingly
Credit rating agency
A credit rating agency (CRA) is a company that assigns credit ratings for issuers of certain types
of debt obligations as well as the debt instruments themselves In some cases the servicers of the
underlying debt are also given ratings In most cases the issuers of securities are companies
special purpose entities state and local governments non-profit organizations or national
governments issuing debt-like securities (ie bonds) that can be traded on a secondary market A
credit rating for an issuer takes into consideration the issuers credit worthiness (ie its ability to
pay back a loan) and affects the interest rate applied to the particular security being issued (In
contrast to CRAs a company that issues credit scores for individual credit-worthiness is generally
called a credit bureau or consumer credit reporting agency)
18
In respect of india there are many credit rating agancy few of them are as
shown below
1 Smera
2 Crisil
3 Care
4 Fitch
5 Onicra
6 Dampb
7 Icra
They provide credit rating evaluating the sme at different pramitter
Personal credit ratings
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
In the United States an individuals credit history is compiled and maintained by companies called
credit bureaus Credit worthiness is usually determined through a statistical analysis of the available
credit data A common form of this analysis is a 3-digit credit score provided by independent
financial service companies such as the FICO credit score (The term a registered trademark
comes from Fair Isaac Corporation which pioneered the credit rating concept in the late 1950s)
An individuals credit score along with his or her credit report affects his or her ability to borrow
money through financial institutions such as banks
In Canada the most common ratings are the North American Standard Account Ratings also
known as the R ratings which have a range between R0 and R9 R0 refers to a new account R1
refers to on-time payments R9 refers to bad debt
The factors which may influence a persons credit rating are
1) ability to pay a loan 2) interest 3)amount of credit used
4) saving patterns 5)spending patterns 6) debt
19
Corporate credit ratings
[The credit rating of a corporation is a financial indicator to potential investors of debt securities
such as bonds These are assigned by credit rating agencies such as Standard amp Poors Moodys or
Fitch Ratings and have letter designations such as AAA B CC The Standard amp Poors rating scale
is as follows AAA AA A BBB BB B CCC CC C D Anything lower than a BBB rating is
considered a speculative or junk bond The Moodys rating system is similar in concept but the
verbage is a little different
It is as follows
AAA
Aa1 Aa2 Aa3
A1 A2 A3
Baa1 Baa2 Baa3
Ba1 Ba2 Ba3
B1 B2 B3
Caa1 Caa2 Caa3
Ca
C
Sovereign credit
ratings
Cont Risk rankings
Least risky countries
Score out of 100
Rank
Previous Country Overall score
1 1 Luxembourg 9988
2 2 Norway 9747
3 3 Switzerland 9621
4 4 Denmark 9339
5 5 Sweden 9296
6 6 Ireland 9236
7 10 Austria 9225
8 9 Finland 9195
9 8 Netherlands 9195
10 7 United States 9127
20
A sovereign credit rating is the credit rating of a sovereign entity ie a country The sovereign
credit rating indicates the risk level of the investing environment of a country and is used by
investors looking to invest abroad It takes political risk into account
The table shows the ten least-risky countries for investment as of March 2008 Ratings are further
broken down into components including political risk economic risk Euromoneys bi-annual
country risk index Country risk surveymonitors the political and economic stability of 185
21
sovereign countries Results focus foremost on economics specifically sovereign default risk
andor payment default risk for exporters (aka trade credit risk)
Short term rating
A short term rating is a probability factor of an individual going into default within a year This is
in contrast to long-term rating which is evaluated over a long timeframe
Credit scores for individuals are assigned by credit bureaus (US UK credit reference agencies)
Credit ratings for corporations and sovereign debt are assigned by credit rating agencies
In the United States the main credit bureaus are Experian Equifax and TransUnion A relatively
new credit bureau in the US is Innovis
In the United Kingdom the main credit reference agencies for individuals are Experian Equifax
and Callcredit There is no universal credit rating as such rather each individual lender credit
scores based on its own wish-list of a perfect customer
In Canada the main credit bureaus for individuals are Equifax TransUnion and Northern Credit
Bureaus Experian
In India the main credit bureaus are CRISIL ICRA and Credit Registration Office (CRO)
The largest credit rating agencies (which tend to operate worldwide) are Moodys Standard and
Poors and Fitch Ratings
CREDIT RISK
Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either
the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
Faced by lenders to consumers
Most lenders employ their own models (Credit Scorecards) to rank potential and existing customers
according to risk and then apply appropriate strategies With products such as unsecured personal
loans or mortgages lenders charge a higher price for higher risk customers and vice versa With
22
revolving products such as credit cards and overdrafts risk is controlled through careful setting of
credit limits Some products also require security most commonly in the form of property
Faced by lenders to business
Lenders will trade off the costbenefits of a loan according to its risks and the interest charged But
interest rates are not the only method to compensate for risk Protective covenants are written into
loan agreements that allow the lender some controls These covenants may
limit the borrowers ability to weaken his balance sheet voluntarily eg by buying back shares
or paying dividends or borrowing further
allow for monitoring the debt requiring audits and monthly reports
allow the lender to decide when he can recall the loan based on specific events or when
financial ratios like debtequity or interest coverage deteriorate
A recent innovation to protect lenders and bond holders from the danger of default are credit
derivatives most commonly in the form of a credit default swap These financial contracts allow
companies to buy protection against defaults from a third party the protection seller The protection
seller receives a periodic fee (the credit spread) as compensation for the risk it takes and in return it
agrees to buy the debt should a credit event (default) occur
Faced by business
Companies carry credit risk when for example they do not demand up-front cash payment for
products or services By delivering the product or service first and billing the customer later - if its
a business customer the terms may be quoted as net 30 - the company is carrying a risk between the
delivery and payment
Significant resources and sophisticated programs are used to analyze and manage risk Some
companies run a credit risk department whose job is to assess the financial health of their
customers and extend credit (or not) accordingly They may use in house programs to advise on
avoiding reducing and transferring risk They also use third party provided intelligence
23
Companies like Standard amp Poors Moodys and Dun and Bradstreet provide such information for a
fee
For example a distributor selling its products to a troubled retailer may attempt to lessen credit risk
by tightening payment terms to net 15 or by actually selling fewer products on credit to the
retailer or even cutting off credit entirely and demanding payment in advance Such strategies
impact sales volume but reduce exposure to credit risk and subsequent payment defaults
Credit risk is not really manageable for very small companies (ie those with only one or two
customers) This makes these companies very vulnerable to defaults or even payment delays by
their customers
The use of a collection agency is not really a tool to manage credit risk rather it is an extreme
measure closer to a write down in that the creditor expects a below-agreed return after the
collection agency takes its share (if it is able to get anything at all)
Faced by individuals
Consumers may face credit risk in a direct form as depositors at banks or as investorslenders They
may also face credit risk when entering into standard commercial transactions by providing a
deposit to their counterparty eg for a large purchase or a real estate rental Employees of any firm
also depend on the firms ability to pay wages and are exposed to the credit risk of their employer
In some cases governments recognize that an individuals capacity to evaluate credit risk may be
limited and the risk may reduce economic efficiency governments may enact various legal
measures or mechanisms with the intention of protecting consumers against some of these risks
Bank deposits notably are insured in many countries (to some maximum amount) for individuals
effectively limiting their credit risk to banks and increasing their willingness to use the banking
system
24
Credit history
Credit history or credit report is in many countries a record of an individuals or companys past
borrowing and repaying including information about late payments and bankruptcy The term
credit reputation can either be used synonymous to credit history or to credit score
In the US when a customer fills out an application for credit from a bank store or credit card
company their information is forwarded to a credit bureau The credit bureau matches the name
address and other identifying information on the credit applicant with information retained by the
bureau in its files
This information is used by lenders such as credit card companies to determine an individuals
credit worthiness that is determining an individuals willingness to repay a debt The willingness
to repay a debt is indicated by how timely past payments have been made to other lenders Lenders
like to see consumer debt obligations paid on a monthly basis
The other factor in determining whether a lender will provide a consumer credit or a loan is
dependent on income The higher the income all other things being equal the more credit the
consumer can access However lenders make credit granting decisions based on both ability to
repay a debt (income) and willingness (the credit report) as indicated in the past payment history
These factors help lenders determine whether to extend credit and on what terms With the
adoption of risk-based pricing on almost all lending in the financial services industry this report
has become even more important since it is usually the sole element used to choose the annual
percentage rate (APR) grace period and other contractual obligations of the credit card or loan
How credit rating is determined
Credit ratings are determined differently in each country but the factors are similar and may
include
Payment record - a record of bills being overdue generally being more than 30 days will lower
the credit rating
25
Control of debt - Lenders want to see that borrowers are not living beyond their means Experts
estimate that non-mortgage credit payments each month should not exceed more than 15
percent of the borrowers after tax income
Signs of responsibility and stability - Lenders perceive things such as longevity in the
borrowers home and job (at least two years) as signs of stability
Re-Aging - Through re-aging a credit history is re-written and you are given a fresh start on
that particular account This can dramatically improve the credit score In 2000 the Federal
Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFEIC) clarified guidelines on re-aging accounts
for delinquent borrowers
Credit outstanding--Lenders dont like to see the amount of credit owed bumping up against the
credit limit of a card Generally a good idea is to owe no more than one-third of your total
credit limit on a credit card
Credit inquiries ndash An inquiry is a notation on a credit history file There are several kinds of
notations that may or may not have an adverse effect on the credit score Soft pulls dont affect
the credit score and are characteristic of the following examples
A credit bureau may sell a persons contact information to an advertiser wanting to offer credit
cards loans and insurance based on certain criteria that the lender has established A creditor also
checks a persons credit periodically Or a credit counseling agency with the clients permission
can obtain a clients credit report with no adverse action Each of the preceding examples are
commonly referred to as a soft credit pull
However hard credit inquiries are made by lenders when consumers are seeking credit or a loan
Lenders when granted a permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act can
check a credit history for the purposes of extending credit to a consumer Hard inquiries from
lenders directly affect the borrowers credit score Keeping credit inquiries to a minimum can help a
persons credit rating A lender may perceive many inquiries over a short period of time on a
persons report as a signal that the person is in financial difficulty and is looking for loans and will
possibly consider that person a poor credit risk
26
Credit cards that are not used - Although it is believed that having too many credit cards can have
an adverse effect on a credit score closing these lines of credit will not improve your score The
credit rating formula looks at the difference between the amount of credit a person has and the
amount being used so closing one or more accounts will reduce your total available credit And the
lower the percentage of available credit the more the credit score will drop The credit formula also
factors in the length of time credit accounts have been open so closing an account with several
years of history is another avoidable credit mistake
Understanding credit reports and scores
The Government of Canada offers a free publication called Understanding Your Credit Report and
Credit Score This publication provides sample credit report and credit score documents with
explanations of the notations and codes that are used It also contains general information on how
to build or improve credit history and how to check for signs that identity theft has occurred The
publication is available online at httpwwwfcacgcca the site of the Financial Consumer Agency
of Canada Paper copies can also be ordered at no charge for residents of Canada
Credit History of Immigrants
Credit history usually applies to only one country Even within the same credit card network
information is not shared between different countries For example if a person has been living in
Canada for many years and then moves to the United States when they apply for credit cards or a
mortgage in the US they would usually not be approved because of a lack of credit history even
if they had an excellent credit rating in their home country and even if they had a very high salary
in their home country
An immigrant must establish a credit history from scratch in the new country Therefore it is
usually very difficult for immigrants to obtain credit cards and mortgages until after they have
worked in the new country with a stable income for several years
Adverse Credit
Adverse credit history also called sub-prime credit history non-status credit history
impaired credit history poor credit history and bad credit history is a negative credit rating
27
A negative credit rating is often considered undesirable to lenders and other extenders of credit for
the purposes of loaning money or capital
In the US a consumers credit history is compiled by credit rating agencies more commonly
referred to as consumer reporting agencies or credit bureaus The data reported to these agencies
are primarily provided to them by creditors and includes detailed records of the relationship a
person has with the lender Detailed account information including payment history credit limits
high and low balances and any aggressive actions taken to recover overdue debts are all reported
regularly (usually monthly) This information is reviewed by a lender to determine whether to
approve a loan and on what terms
As credit became more popular it became more difficult for lenders to evaluate and approve credit
card and loan applications in a timely and efficient manner To address this issue credit scoring
was adopted
Credit scoring is the process of using a proprietary mathematical algorithm to create a numerical
value that describes an applicants overall creditworthiness Scores frequently based on numbers
(ranging from 300-850 for consumers in the United States) statistically analyze a credit history in
comparison to other debtors and gauge the magnitude of financial risk Since lending money to a
person or company is a risk credit scoring offers a standardized way for lenders to assess that risk
rapidly and without prejudiceAll credit bureaus also offer credit scoring as a supplemental
service
Credit scores assess the likelihood that a borrower will repay a loan or other credit obligation The
higher the score the better the credit history and the higher the probability that the loan will be
repaid on time When creditors report an excessive number of late payments or trouble with
collecting payments the score suffers Similarly when adverse judgments and collection agency
activity are reported the score decreases even more Repeated delinquencies or public record
entries can lower the score and trigger what is called a negative credit rating or adverse credit
history
When a lender requests a credit score it can cause a small drop in the credit score That is because
as stated above a number of inquiries over a relatively short period of time can indicate the
consumer is in a financially difficult situation
28
Consequences
The information in a credit report is sold by credit agencies to organizations that are considering
whether to offer credit to individuals or companies It is also available to other entities with a
permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act The consequence of a negative
credit rating is typically a reduction in the likelihood that a lender will approve an application for
credit under favorable terms if at all Interest rates on loans are significantly affected by credit
historymdashthe higher the credit rating the lower the interest while the lower the credit rating the
higher the interest The increased interest is used to offset the higher rate of default within the low
credit rating group of individuals
In the United States in certain cases insurance housing and employment can also be denied based
on a negative credit rating
Note that is not the credit reporting agencies that decide whether a credit history is adverse It is
the individual lender or creditor which makes that decision each lender has its own policy on what
scores fall within their guidelines The specific scores that fall within a lenders guidelines are most
often NOT disclosed to the applicant due to competitive reasons In the United States a creditor is
required to give the reasons for denying credit to an applicant immediately and must also provide
the name and address of the credit reporting agency who provided data that was used to make the
decision
More than One Credit History Per Person
In some countries people can have more than one credit history For example in Canada although
most Canadians are not aware of it every person who applied for credit before obtaining a Social
Insurance Number has two separate credit histories one with SIN and one without SIN This is due
to the credit reporting structure in Canada This can lead to two completely separate parallel
histories and often leads to inconsistencies (although typically the person in question will never
notice the inconsistencies) because when a lender asks for someones credit report with SIN what
the lender gets is different from what he would have gotten if he asked the report without providing
the SIN This is because contrary to popular belief when someone gets a new SIN for whatever
reason the two credit files are never merged unless the person requests specifically As a result a
29
record with SIN zeroed out is kept separately from a record with SIN Note this happens without
the person even knowing it
Credit score
A credit score is a numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a persons credit files to
represent the creditworthiness of that person which is the perceived likelihood that the person will
pay debts in a timely manner A credit score is primarily based on credit report information
typically sourced from credit bureaus credit reference agencies
Lenders such as banks and credit card companies use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk
posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt Lenders use credit
scores to determine who qualifies for a loan at what interest rate and what credit limits The use of
credit or identity scoring prior to authorizing access or granting credit is an implementation of a
trusted system
Credit scoring is not limited to banks Other organizations such as mobile phone companies
insurance companies employers and government departments employ the same techniques Credit
scoring also has a lot of overlap with data mining which uses many similar techniques
30
CHAPTER- 3
INTRODUCTION
OF
SMERA
SMERA ndash AN INTRODUCTION
31
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Premium packages
Dinner parking amp ticket which is sometimes called up-pricing premium pricing or adding value to
the evening It could be as simple as including a bottle or glass of champagne providing valet
parking or an opportunity to see the exhibition when the general public is not there
Membership schemes
Membership schemes encourage long term loyalty to an organization and offer special prices or
private rooms or exclusive events targeted at the interests and lifestyle of the membership These
schemes are becoming increasingly important to all kinds of arts organizations
Discount packages
1048698 2fers or buy one get one free these are best targeted at people who attendbuy infrequently
Money is rarely a deterrent to the more typical arts attender unless they are very frequent users
1048698 cross art form deals these recognize that many people are eclectic and want a range of arts
experiences It is hard to get these right and they seem to work best when packaged at one venue
under recognizable brand
1048698 Group bookings these encourage bulk purchase by providing a special price for groups The
heart-ofgoldgroup organizer is a dying breed so companies are now making it easier to get a
group together by reducing the party size from 20 to 10 or even 6
1048698 School bookings group packages also exist for schools Usually the teacher is given a free pass
and a ratio of pupils to teacher is often specified
1048698 Multi-tix special prices can be offered to people buying three or more events in a period for
example during a festival This is a hybrid of the subscription concept that aims to increase
transaction levels through price
15
Lifestyle packages
1048698 Babysitting packages where baby-sitting services or cregraveches are provided recognize the needs
of mothers families have greater pressures on their time and money and finding ways to make
it easier for them to be part of your organization will reap rewards
1048698 Sunday brunch afternoon tea sunset or late night events are designed to fit in with and enhance
peoples lifestyle
1048698 Youth offers like rush tickets special prices special drinks themed events and other features
recognize the lifestyle needs of young people interested in your work
Incentives
1048698 these can be gifts provided with the purchase of subscription or membership to an organization
eg key rings fridge magnets diaries calendars CDs There is little evidence that these
increase sales but they can generate loyalty and good will
1048698 large corporations are also looking for incentives to give to their staff or clients and arts
companies are well positioned to provide these (discounts should not apply)
This is just the teeny tip of a very large iceberg
16
CHAPTER-2
INTRODUCTION
OF
CREDIT
RATING
17
Credit rating
A credit rating assesses the credit worthiness of an individual corporation or even a country
Credit ratings are calculated from financial history and current assets and liabilities Typically a
credit rating tells a lender or investor the probability of the subject being able to pay back a loan
However in recent years credit ratings have also been used to adjust insurance premiums
determine employment eligibility and establish the amount of a utility or leasing deposit
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
Especially in context for sme earlier the which credit was done by the bank was not beneficial in
respect of sme because the prior credit rating includes analyses of few thing like past payment
record profit and loss account and another fact of balance sheet of three financial year so give the
all benefits earlier which was not given due to ignorance was avail by credit rating through by
credit ratings Third party rating has been gaining ground in our due to the fact that the lending
institutions have been asked to maintain adequate capital by the rbi as per Basel norms to maintain
the said adequacy the bank and finned to exhibit the classification of the units so that distinction
for good and bad units can be made and subsequently the provisioning for the said units can be
made accordingly
Credit rating agency
A credit rating agency (CRA) is a company that assigns credit ratings for issuers of certain types
of debt obligations as well as the debt instruments themselves In some cases the servicers of the
underlying debt are also given ratings In most cases the issuers of securities are companies
special purpose entities state and local governments non-profit organizations or national
governments issuing debt-like securities (ie bonds) that can be traded on a secondary market A
credit rating for an issuer takes into consideration the issuers credit worthiness (ie its ability to
pay back a loan) and affects the interest rate applied to the particular security being issued (In
contrast to CRAs a company that issues credit scores for individual credit-worthiness is generally
called a credit bureau or consumer credit reporting agency)
18
In respect of india there are many credit rating agancy few of them are as
shown below
1 Smera
2 Crisil
3 Care
4 Fitch
5 Onicra
6 Dampb
7 Icra
They provide credit rating evaluating the sme at different pramitter
Personal credit ratings
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
In the United States an individuals credit history is compiled and maintained by companies called
credit bureaus Credit worthiness is usually determined through a statistical analysis of the available
credit data A common form of this analysis is a 3-digit credit score provided by independent
financial service companies such as the FICO credit score (The term a registered trademark
comes from Fair Isaac Corporation which pioneered the credit rating concept in the late 1950s)
An individuals credit score along with his or her credit report affects his or her ability to borrow
money through financial institutions such as banks
In Canada the most common ratings are the North American Standard Account Ratings also
known as the R ratings which have a range between R0 and R9 R0 refers to a new account R1
refers to on-time payments R9 refers to bad debt
The factors which may influence a persons credit rating are
1) ability to pay a loan 2) interest 3)amount of credit used
4) saving patterns 5)spending patterns 6) debt
19
Corporate credit ratings
[The credit rating of a corporation is a financial indicator to potential investors of debt securities
such as bonds These are assigned by credit rating agencies such as Standard amp Poors Moodys or
Fitch Ratings and have letter designations such as AAA B CC The Standard amp Poors rating scale
is as follows AAA AA A BBB BB B CCC CC C D Anything lower than a BBB rating is
considered a speculative or junk bond The Moodys rating system is similar in concept but the
verbage is a little different
It is as follows
AAA
Aa1 Aa2 Aa3
A1 A2 A3
Baa1 Baa2 Baa3
Ba1 Ba2 Ba3
B1 B2 B3
Caa1 Caa2 Caa3
Ca
C
Sovereign credit
ratings
Cont Risk rankings
Least risky countries
Score out of 100
Rank
Previous Country Overall score
1 1 Luxembourg 9988
2 2 Norway 9747
3 3 Switzerland 9621
4 4 Denmark 9339
5 5 Sweden 9296
6 6 Ireland 9236
7 10 Austria 9225
8 9 Finland 9195
9 8 Netherlands 9195
10 7 United States 9127
20
A sovereign credit rating is the credit rating of a sovereign entity ie a country The sovereign
credit rating indicates the risk level of the investing environment of a country and is used by
investors looking to invest abroad It takes political risk into account
The table shows the ten least-risky countries for investment as of March 2008 Ratings are further
broken down into components including political risk economic risk Euromoneys bi-annual
country risk index Country risk surveymonitors the political and economic stability of 185
21
sovereign countries Results focus foremost on economics specifically sovereign default risk
andor payment default risk for exporters (aka trade credit risk)
Short term rating
A short term rating is a probability factor of an individual going into default within a year This is
in contrast to long-term rating which is evaluated over a long timeframe
Credit scores for individuals are assigned by credit bureaus (US UK credit reference agencies)
Credit ratings for corporations and sovereign debt are assigned by credit rating agencies
In the United States the main credit bureaus are Experian Equifax and TransUnion A relatively
new credit bureau in the US is Innovis
In the United Kingdom the main credit reference agencies for individuals are Experian Equifax
and Callcredit There is no universal credit rating as such rather each individual lender credit
scores based on its own wish-list of a perfect customer
In Canada the main credit bureaus for individuals are Equifax TransUnion and Northern Credit
Bureaus Experian
In India the main credit bureaus are CRISIL ICRA and Credit Registration Office (CRO)
The largest credit rating agencies (which tend to operate worldwide) are Moodys Standard and
Poors and Fitch Ratings
CREDIT RISK
Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either
the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
Faced by lenders to consumers
Most lenders employ their own models (Credit Scorecards) to rank potential and existing customers
according to risk and then apply appropriate strategies With products such as unsecured personal
loans or mortgages lenders charge a higher price for higher risk customers and vice versa With
22
revolving products such as credit cards and overdrafts risk is controlled through careful setting of
credit limits Some products also require security most commonly in the form of property
Faced by lenders to business
Lenders will trade off the costbenefits of a loan according to its risks and the interest charged But
interest rates are not the only method to compensate for risk Protective covenants are written into
loan agreements that allow the lender some controls These covenants may
limit the borrowers ability to weaken his balance sheet voluntarily eg by buying back shares
or paying dividends or borrowing further
allow for monitoring the debt requiring audits and monthly reports
allow the lender to decide when he can recall the loan based on specific events or when
financial ratios like debtequity or interest coverage deteriorate
A recent innovation to protect lenders and bond holders from the danger of default are credit
derivatives most commonly in the form of a credit default swap These financial contracts allow
companies to buy protection against defaults from a third party the protection seller The protection
seller receives a periodic fee (the credit spread) as compensation for the risk it takes and in return it
agrees to buy the debt should a credit event (default) occur
Faced by business
Companies carry credit risk when for example they do not demand up-front cash payment for
products or services By delivering the product or service first and billing the customer later - if its
a business customer the terms may be quoted as net 30 - the company is carrying a risk between the
delivery and payment
Significant resources and sophisticated programs are used to analyze and manage risk Some
companies run a credit risk department whose job is to assess the financial health of their
customers and extend credit (or not) accordingly They may use in house programs to advise on
avoiding reducing and transferring risk They also use third party provided intelligence
23
Companies like Standard amp Poors Moodys and Dun and Bradstreet provide such information for a
fee
For example a distributor selling its products to a troubled retailer may attempt to lessen credit risk
by tightening payment terms to net 15 or by actually selling fewer products on credit to the
retailer or even cutting off credit entirely and demanding payment in advance Such strategies
impact sales volume but reduce exposure to credit risk and subsequent payment defaults
Credit risk is not really manageable for very small companies (ie those with only one or two
customers) This makes these companies very vulnerable to defaults or even payment delays by
their customers
The use of a collection agency is not really a tool to manage credit risk rather it is an extreme
measure closer to a write down in that the creditor expects a below-agreed return after the
collection agency takes its share (if it is able to get anything at all)
Faced by individuals
Consumers may face credit risk in a direct form as depositors at banks or as investorslenders They
may also face credit risk when entering into standard commercial transactions by providing a
deposit to their counterparty eg for a large purchase or a real estate rental Employees of any firm
also depend on the firms ability to pay wages and are exposed to the credit risk of their employer
In some cases governments recognize that an individuals capacity to evaluate credit risk may be
limited and the risk may reduce economic efficiency governments may enact various legal
measures or mechanisms with the intention of protecting consumers against some of these risks
Bank deposits notably are insured in many countries (to some maximum amount) for individuals
effectively limiting their credit risk to banks and increasing their willingness to use the banking
system
24
Credit history
Credit history or credit report is in many countries a record of an individuals or companys past
borrowing and repaying including information about late payments and bankruptcy The term
credit reputation can either be used synonymous to credit history or to credit score
In the US when a customer fills out an application for credit from a bank store or credit card
company their information is forwarded to a credit bureau The credit bureau matches the name
address and other identifying information on the credit applicant with information retained by the
bureau in its files
This information is used by lenders such as credit card companies to determine an individuals
credit worthiness that is determining an individuals willingness to repay a debt The willingness
to repay a debt is indicated by how timely past payments have been made to other lenders Lenders
like to see consumer debt obligations paid on a monthly basis
The other factor in determining whether a lender will provide a consumer credit or a loan is
dependent on income The higher the income all other things being equal the more credit the
consumer can access However lenders make credit granting decisions based on both ability to
repay a debt (income) and willingness (the credit report) as indicated in the past payment history
These factors help lenders determine whether to extend credit and on what terms With the
adoption of risk-based pricing on almost all lending in the financial services industry this report
has become even more important since it is usually the sole element used to choose the annual
percentage rate (APR) grace period and other contractual obligations of the credit card or loan
How credit rating is determined
Credit ratings are determined differently in each country but the factors are similar and may
include
Payment record - a record of bills being overdue generally being more than 30 days will lower
the credit rating
25
Control of debt - Lenders want to see that borrowers are not living beyond their means Experts
estimate that non-mortgage credit payments each month should not exceed more than 15
percent of the borrowers after tax income
Signs of responsibility and stability - Lenders perceive things such as longevity in the
borrowers home and job (at least two years) as signs of stability
Re-Aging - Through re-aging a credit history is re-written and you are given a fresh start on
that particular account This can dramatically improve the credit score In 2000 the Federal
Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFEIC) clarified guidelines on re-aging accounts
for delinquent borrowers
Credit outstanding--Lenders dont like to see the amount of credit owed bumping up against the
credit limit of a card Generally a good idea is to owe no more than one-third of your total
credit limit on a credit card
Credit inquiries ndash An inquiry is a notation on a credit history file There are several kinds of
notations that may or may not have an adverse effect on the credit score Soft pulls dont affect
the credit score and are characteristic of the following examples
A credit bureau may sell a persons contact information to an advertiser wanting to offer credit
cards loans and insurance based on certain criteria that the lender has established A creditor also
checks a persons credit periodically Or a credit counseling agency with the clients permission
can obtain a clients credit report with no adverse action Each of the preceding examples are
commonly referred to as a soft credit pull
However hard credit inquiries are made by lenders when consumers are seeking credit or a loan
Lenders when granted a permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act can
check a credit history for the purposes of extending credit to a consumer Hard inquiries from
lenders directly affect the borrowers credit score Keeping credit inquiries to a minimum can help a
persons credit rating A lender may perceive many inquiries over a short period of time on a
persons report as a signal that the person is in financial difficulty and is looking for loans and will
possibly consider that person a poor credit risk
26
Credit cards that are not used - Although it is believed that having too many credit cards can have
an adverse effect on a credit score closing these lines of credit will not improve your score The
credit rating formula looks at the difference between the amount of credit a person has and the
amount being used so closing one or more accounts will reduce your total available credit And the
lower the percentage of available credit the more the credit score will drop The credit formula also
factors in the length of time credit accounts have been open so closing an account with several
years of history is another avoidable credit mistake
Understanding credit reports and scores
The Government of Canada offers a free publication called Understanding Your Credit Report and
Credit Score This publication provides sample credit report and credit score documents with
explanations of the notations and codes that are used It also contains general information on how
to build or improve credit history and how to check for signs that identity theft has occurred The
publication is available online at httpwwwfcacgcca the site of the Financial Consumer Agency
of Canada Paper copies can also be ordered at no charge for residents of Canada
Credit History of Immigrants
Credit history usually applies to only one country Even within the same credit card network
information is not shared between different countries For example if a person has been living in
Canada for many years and then moves to the United States when they apply for credit cards or a
mortgage in the US they would usually not be approved because of a lack of credit history even
if they had an excellent credit rating in their home country and even if they had a very high salary
in their home country
An immigrant must establish a credit history from scratch in the new country Therefore it is
usually very difficult for immigrants to obtain credit cards and mortgages until after they have
worked in the new country with a stable income for several years
Adverse Credit
Adverse credit history also called sub-prime credit history non-status credit history
impaired credit history poor credit history and bad credit history is a negative credit rating
27
A negative credit rating is often considered undesirable to lenders and other extenders of credit for
the purposes of loaning money or capital
In the US a consumers credit history is compiled by credit rating agencies more commonly
referred to as consumer reporting agencies or credit bureaus The data reported to these agencies
are primarily provided to them by creditors and includes detailed records of the relationship a
person has with the lender Detailed account information including payment history credit limits
high and low balances and any aggressive actions taken to recover overdue debts are all reported
regularly (usually monthly) This information is reviewed by a lender to determine whether to
approve a loan and on what terms
As credit became more popular it became more difficult for lenders to evaluate and approve credit
card and loan applications in a timely and efficient manner To address this issue credit scoring
was adopted
Credit scoring is the process of using a proprietary mathematical algorithm to create a numerical
value that describes an applicants overall creditworthiness Scores frequently based on numbers
(ranging from 300-850 for consumers in the United States) statistically analyze a credit history in
comparison to other debtors and gauge the magnitude of financial risk Since lending money to a
person or company is a risk credit scoring offers a standardized way for lenders to assess that risk
rapidly and without prejudiceAll credit bureaus also offer credit scoring as a supplemental
service
Credit scores assess the likelihood that a borrower will repay a loan or other credit obligation The
higher the score the better the credit history and the higher the probability that the loan will be
repaid on time When creditors report an excessive number of late payments or trouble with
collecting payments the score suffers Similarly when adverse judgments and collection agency
activity are reported the score decreases even more Repeated delinquencies or public record
entries can lower the score and trigger what is called a negative credit rating or adverse credit
history
When a lender requests a credit score it can cause a small drop in the credit score That is because
as stated above a number of inquiries over a relatively short period of time can indicate the
consumer is in a financially difficult situation
28
Consequences
The information in a credit report is sold by credit agencies to organizations that are considering
whether to offer credit to individuals or companies It is also available to other entities with a
permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act The consequence of a negative
credit rating is typically a reduction in the likelihood that a lender will approve an application for
credit under favorable terms if at all Interest rates on loans are significantly affected by credit
historymdashthe higher the credit rating the lower the interest while the lower the credit rating the
higher the interest The increased interest is used to offset the higher rate of default within the low
credit rating group of individuals
In the United States in certain cases insurance housing and employment can also be denied based
on a negative credit rating
Note that is not the credit reporting agencies that decide whether a credit history is adverse It is
the individual lender or creditor which makes that decision each lender has its own policy on what
scores fall within their guidelines The specific scores that fall within a lenders guidelines are most
often NOT disclosed to the applicant due to competitive reasons In the United States a creditor is
required to give the reasons for denying credit to an applicant immediately and must also provide
the name and address of the credit reporting agency who provided data that was used to make the
decision
More than One Credit History Per Person
In some countries people can have more than one credit history For example in Canada although
most Canadians are not aware of it every person who applied for credit before obtaining a Social
Insurance Number has two separate credit histories one with SIN and one without SIN This is due
to the credit reporting structure in Canada This can lead to two completely separate parallel
histories and often leads to inconsistencies (although typically the person in question will never
notice the inconsistencies) because when a lender asks for someones credit report with SIN what
the lender gets is different from what he would have gotten if he asked the report without providing
the SIN This is because contrary to popular belief when someone gets a new SIN for whatever
reason the two credit files are never merged unless the person requests specifically As a result a
29
record with SIN zeroed out is kept separately from a record with SIN Note this happens without
the person even knowing it
Credit score
A credit score is a numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a persons credit files to
represent the creditworthiness of that person which is the perceived likelihood that the person will
pay debts in a timely manner A credit score is primarily based on credit report information
typically sourced from credit bureaus credit reference agencies
Lenders such as banks and credit card companies use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk
posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt Lenders use credit
scores to determine who qualifies for a loan at what interest rate and what credit limits The use of
credit or identity scoring prior to authorizing access or granting credit is an implementation of a
trusted system
Credit scoring is not limited to banks Other organizations such as mobile phone companies
insurance companies employers and government departments employ the same techniques Credit
scoring also has a lot of overlap with data mining which uses many similar techniques
30
CHAPTER- 3
INTRODUCTION
OF
SMERA
SMERA ndash AN INTRODUCTION
31
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Lifestyle packages
1048698 Babysitting packages where baby-sitting services or cregraveches are provided recognize the needs
of mothers families have greater pressures on their time and money and finding ways to make
it easier for them to be part of your organization will reap rewards
1048698 Sunday brunch afternoon tea sunset or late night events are designed to fit in with and enhance
peoples lifestyle
1048698 Youth offers like rush tickets special prices special drinks themed events and other features
recognize the lifestyle needs of young people interested in your work
Incentives
1048698 these can be gifts provided with the purchase of subscription or membership to an organization
eg key rings fridge magnets diaries calendars CDs There is little evidence that these
increase sales but they can generate loyalty and good will
1048698 large corporations are also looking for incentives to give to their staff or clients and arts
companies are well positioned to provide these (discounts should not apply)
This is just the teeny tip of a very large iceberg
16
CHAPTER-2
INTRODUCTION
OF
CREDIT
RATING
17
Credit rating
A credit rating assesses the credit worthiness of an individual corporation or even a country
Credit ratings are calculated from financial history and current assets and liabilities Typically a
credit rating tells a lender or investor the probability of the subject being able to pay back a loan
However in recent years credit ratings have also been used to adjust insurance premiums
determine employment eligibility and establish the amount of a utility or leasing deposit
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
Especially in context for sme earlier the which credit was done by the bank was not beneficial in
respect of sme because the prior credit rating includes analyses of few thing like past payment
record profit and loss account and another fact of balance sheet of three financial year so give the
all benefits earlier which was not given due to ignorance was avail by credit rating through by
credit ratings Third party rating has been gaining ground in our due to the fact that the lending
institutions have been asked to maintain adequate capital by the rbi as per Basel norms to maintain
the said adequacy the bank and finned to exhibit the classification of the units so that distinction
for good and bad units can be made and subsequently the provisioning for the said units can be
made accordingly
Credit rating agency
A credit rating agency (CRA) is a company that assigns credit ratings for issuers of certain types
of debt obligations as well as the debt instruments themselves In some cases the servicers of the
underlying debt are also given ratings In most cases the issuers of securities are companies
special purpose entities state and local governments non-profit organizations or national
governments issuing debt-like securities (ie bonds) that can be traded on a secondary market A
credit rating for an issuer takes into consideration the issuers credit worthiness (ie its ability to
pay back a loan) and affects the interest rate applied to the particular security being issued (In
contrast to CRAs a company that issues credit scores for individual credit-worthiness is generally
called a credit bureau or consumer credit reporting agency)
18
In respect of india there are many credit rating agancy few of them are as
shown below
1 Smera
2 Crisil
3 Care
4 Fitch
5 Onicra
6 Dampb
7 Icra
They provide credit rating evaluating the sme at different pramitter
Personal credit ratings
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
In the United States an individuals credit history is compiled and maintained by companies called
credit bureaus Credit worthiness is usually determined through a statistical analysis of the available
credit data A common form of this analysis is a 3-digit credit score provided by independent
financial service companies such as the FICO credit score (The term a registered trademark
comes from Fair Isaac Corporation which pioneered the credit rating concept in the late 1950s)
An individuals credit score along with his or her credit report affects his or her ability to borrow
money through financial institutions such as banks
In Canada the most common ratings are the North American Standard Account Ratings also
known as the R ratings which have a range between R0 and R9 R0 refers to a new account R1
refers to on-time payments R9 refers to bad debt
The factors which may influence a persons credit rating are
1) ability to pay a loan 2) interest 3)amount of credit used
4) saving patterns 5)spending patterns 6) debt
19
Corporate credit ratings
[The credit rating of a corporation is a financial indicator to potential investors of debt securities
such as bonds These are assigned by credit rating agencies such as Standard amp Poors Moodys or
Fitch Ratings and have letter designations such as AAA B CC The Standard amp Poors rating scale
is as follows AAA AA A BBB BB B CCC CC C D Anything lower than a BBB rating is
considered a speculative or junk bond The Moodys rating system is similar in concept but the
verbage is a little different
It is as follows
AAA
Aa1 Aa2 Aa3
A1 A2 A3
Baa1 Baa2 Baa3
Ba1 Ba2 Ba3
B1 B2 B3
Caa1 Caa2 Caa3
Ca
C
Sovereign credit
ratings
Cont Risk rankings
Least risky countries
Score out of 100
Rank
Previous Country Overall score
1 1 Luxembourg 9988
2 2 Norway 9747
3 3 Switzerland 9621
4 4 Denmark 9339
5 5 Sweden 9296
6 6 Ireland 9236
7 10 Austria 9225
8 9 Finland 9195
9 8 Netherlands 9195
10 7 United States 9127
20
A sovereign credit rating is the credit rating of a sovereign entity ie a country The sovereign
credit rating indicates the risk level of the investing environment of a country and is used by
investors looking to invest abroad It takes political risk into account
The table shows the ten least-risky countries for investment as of March 2008 Ratings are further
broken down into components including political risk economic risk Euromoneys bi-annual
country risk index Country risk surveymonitors the political and economic stability of 185
21
sovereign countries Results focus foremost on economics specifically sovereign default risk
andor payment default risk for exporters (aka trade credit risk)
Short term rating
A short term rating is a probability factor of an individual going into default within a year This is
in contrast to long-term rating which is evaluated over a long timeframe
Credit scores for individuals are assigned by credit bureaus (US UK credit reference agencies)
Credit ratings for corporations and sovereign debt are assigned by credit rating agencies
In the United States the main credit bureaus are Experian Equifax and TransUnion A relatively
new credit bureau in the US is Innovis
In the United Kingdom the main credit reference agencies for individuals are Experian Equifax
and Callcredit There is no universal credit rating as such rather each individual lender credit
scores based on its own wish-list of a perfect customer
In Canada the main credit bureaus for individuals are Equifax TransUnion and Northern Credit
Bureaus Experian
In India the main credit bureaus are CRISIL ICRA and Credit Registration Office (CRO)
The largest credit rating agencies (which tend to operate worldwide) are Moodys Standard and
Poors and Fitch Ratings
CREDIT RISK
Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either
the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
Faced by lenders to consumers
Most lenders employ their own models (Credit Scorecards) to rank potential and existing customers
according to risk and then apply appropriate strategies With products such as unsecured personal
loans or mortgages lenders charge a higher price for higher risk customers and vice versa With
22
revolving products such as credit cards and overdrafts risk is controlled through careful setting of
credit limits Some products also require security most commonly in the form of property
Faced by lenders to business
Lenders will trade off the costbenefits of a loan according to its risks and the interest charged But
interest rates are not the only method to compensate for risk Protective covenants are written into
loan agreements that allow the lender some controls These covenants may
limit the borrowers ability to weaken his balance sheet voluntarily eg by buying back shares
or paying dividends or borrowing further
allow for monitoring the debt requiring audits and monthly reports
allow the lender to decide when he can recall the loan based on specific events or when
financial ratios like debtequity or interest coverage deteriorate
A recent innovation to protect lenders and bond holders from the danger of default are credit
derivatives most commonly in the form of a credit default swap These financial contracts allow
companies to buy protection against defaults from a third party the protection seller The protection
seller receives a periodic fee (the credit spread) as compensation for the risk it takes and in return it
agrees to buy the debt should a credit event (default) occur
Faced by business
Companies carry credit risk when for example they do not demand up-front cash payment for
products or services By delivering the product or service first and billing the customer later - if its
a business customer the terms may be quoted as net 30 - the company is carrying a risk between the
delivery and payment
Significant resources and sophisticated programs are used to analyze and manage risk Some
companies run a credit risk department whose job is to assess the financial health of their
customers and extend credit (or not) accordingly They may use in house programs to advise on
avoiding reducing and transferring risk They also use third party provided intelligence
23
Companies like Standard amp Poors Moodys and Dun and Bradstreet provide such information for a
fee
For example a distributor selling its products to a troubled retailer may attempt to lessen credit risk
by tightening payment terms to net 15 or by actually selling fewer products on credit to the
retailer or even cutting off credit entirely and demanding payment in advance Such strategies
impact sales volume but reduce exposure to credit risk and subsequent payment defaults
Credit risk is not really manageable for very small companies (ie those with only one or two
customers) This makes these companies very vulnerable to defaults or even payment delays by
their customers
The use of a collection agency is not really a tool to manage credit risk rather it is an extreme
measure closer to a write down in that the creditor expects a below-agreed return after the
collection agency takes its share (if it is able to get anything at all)
Faced by individuals
Consumers may face credit risk in a direct form as depositors at banks or as investorslenders They
may also face credit risk when entering into standard commercial transactions by providing a
deposit to their counterparty eg for a large purchase or a real estate rental Employees of any firm
also depend on the firms ability to pay wages and are exposed to the credit risk of their employer
In some cases governments recognize that an individuals capacity to evaluate credit risk may be
limited and the risk may reduce economic efficiency governments may enact various legal
measures or mechanisms with the intention of protecting consumers against some of these risks
Bank deposits notably are insured in many countries (to some maximum amount) for individuals
effectively limiting their credit risk to banks and increasing their willingness to use the banking
system
24
Credit history
Credit history or credit report is in many countries a record of an individuals or companys past
borrowing and repaying including information about late payments and bankruptcy The term
credit reputation can either be used synonymous to credit history or to credit score
In the US when a customer fills out an application for credit from a bank store or credit card
company their information is forwarded to a credit bureau The credit bureau matches the name
address and other identifying information on the credit applicant with information retained by the
bureau in its files
This information is used by lenders such as credit card companies to determine an individuals
credit worthiness that is determining an individuals willingness to repay a debt The willingness
to repay a debt is indicated by how timely past payments have been made to other lenders Lenders
like to see consumer debt obligations paid on a monthly basis
The other factor in determining whether a lender will provide a consumer credit or a loan is
dependent on income The higher the income all other things being equal the more credit the
consumer can access However lenders make credit granting decisions based on both ability to
repay a debt (income) and willingness (the credit report) as indicated in the past payment history
These factors help lenders determine whether to extend credit and on what terms With the
adoption of risk-based pricing on almost all lending in the financial services industry this report
has become even more important since it is usually the sole element used to choose the annual
percentage rate (APR) grace period and other contractual obligations of the credit card or loan
How credit rating is determined
Credit ratings are determined differently in each country but the factors are similar and may
include
Payment record - a record of bills being overdue generally being more than 30 days will lower
the credit rating
25
Control of debt - Lenders want to see that borrowers are not living beyond their means Experts
estimate that non-mortgage credit payments each month should not exceed more than 15
percent of the borrowers after tax income
Signs of responsibility and stability - Lenders perceive things such as longevity in the
borrowers home and job (at least two years) as signs of stability
Re-Aging - Through re-aging a credit history is re-written and you are given a fresh start on
that particular account This can dramatically improve the credit score In 2000 the Federal
Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFEIC) clarified guidelines on re-aging accounts
for delinquent borrowers
Credit outstanding--Lenders dont like to see the amount of credit owed bumping up against the
credit limit of a card Generally a good idea is to owe no more than one-third of your total
credit limit on a credit card
Credit inquiries ndash An inquiry is a notation on a credit history file There are several kinds of
notations that may or may not have an adverse effect on the credit score Soft pulls dont affect
the credit score and are characteristic of the following examples
A credit bureau may sell a persons contact information to an advertiser wanting to offer credit
cards loans and insurance based on certain criteria that the lender has established A creditor also
checks a persons credit periodically Or a credit counseling agency with the clients permission
can obtain a clients credit report with no adverse action Each of the preceding examples are
commonly referred to as a soft credit pull
However hard credit inquiries are made by lenders when consumers are seeking credit or a loan
Lenders when granted a permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act can
check a credit history for the purposes of extending credit to a consumer Hard inquiries from
lenders directly affect the borrowers credit score Keeping credit inquiries to a minimum can help a
persons credit rating A lender may perceive many inquiries over a short period of time on a
persons report as a signal that the person is in financial difficulty and is looking for loans and will
possibly consider that person a poor credit risk
26
Credit cards that are not used - Although it is believed that having too many credit cards can have
an adverse effect on a credit score closing these lines of credit will not improve your score The
credit rating formula looks at the difference between the amount of credit a person has and the
amount being used so closing one or more accounts will reduce your total available credit And the
lower the percentage of available credit the more the credit score will drop The credit formula also
factors in the length of time credit accounts have been open so closing an account with several
years of history is another avoidable credit mistake
Understanding credit reports and scores
The Government of Canada offers a free publication called Understanding Your Credit Report and
Credit Score This publication provides sample credit report and credit score documents with
explanations of the notations and codes that are used It also contains general information on how
to build or improve credit history and how to check for signs that identity theft has occurred The
publication is available online at httpwwwfcacgcca the site of the Financial Consumer Agency
of Canada Paper copies can also be ordered at no charge for residents of Canada
Credit History of Immigrants
Credit history usually applies to only one country Even within the same credit card network
information is not shared between different countries For example if a person has been living in
Canada for many years and then moves to the United States when they apply for credit cards or a
mortgage in the US they would usually not be approved because of a lack of credit history even
if they had an excellent credit rating in their home country and even if they had a very high salary
in their home country
An immigrant must establish a credit history from scratch in the new country Therefore it is
usually very difficult for immigrants to obtain credit cards and mortgages until after they have
worked in the new country with a stable income for several years
Adverse Credit
Adverse credit history also called sub-prime credit history non-status credit history
impaired credit history poor credit history and bad credit history is a negative credit rating
27
A negative credit rating is often considered undesirable to lenders and other extenders of credit for
the purposes of loaning money or capital
In the US a consumers credit history is compiled by credit rating agencies more commonly
referred to as consumer reporting agencies or credit bureaus The data reported to these agencies
are primarily provided to them by creditors and includes detailed records of the relationship a
person has with the lender Detailed account information including payment history credit limits
high and low balances and any aggressive actions taken to recover overdue debts are all reported
regularly (usually monthly) This information is reviewed by a lender to determine whether to
approve a loan and on what terms
As credit became more popular it became more difficult for lenders to evaluate and approve credit
card and loan applications in a timely and efficient manner To address this issue credit scoring
was adopted
Credit scoring is the process of using a proprietary mathematical algorithm to create a numerical
value that describes an applicants overall creditworthiness Scores frequently based on numbers
(ranging from 300-850 for consumers in the United States) statistically analyze a credit history in
comparison to other debtors and gauge the magnitude of financial risk Since lending money to a
person or company is a risk credit scoring offers a standardized way for lenders to assess that risk
rapidly and without prejudiceAll credit bureaus also offer credit scoring as a supplemental
service
Credit scores assess the likelihood that a borrower will repay a loan or other credit obligation The
higher the score the better the credit history and the higher the probability that the loan will be
repaid on time When creditors report an excessive number of late payments or trouble with
collecting payments the score suffers Similarly when adverse judgments and collection agency
activity are reported the score decreases even more Repeated delinquencies or public record
entries can lower the score and trigger what is called a negative credit rating or adverse credit
history
When a lender requests a credit score it can cause a small drop in the credit score That is because
as stated above a number of inquiries over a relatively short period of time can indicate the
consumer is in a financially difficult situation
28
Consequences
The information in a credit report is sold by credit agencies to organizations that are considering
whether to offer credit to individuals or companies It is also available to other entities with a
permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act The consequence of a negative
credit rating is typically a reduction in the likelihood that a lender will approve an application for
credit under favorable terms if at all Interest rates on loans are significantly affected by credit
historymdashthe higher the credit rating the lower the interest while the lower the credit rating the
higher the interest The increased interest is used to offset the higher rate of default within the low
credit rating group of individuals
In the United States in certain cases insurance housing and employment can also be denied based
on a negative credit rating
Note that is not the credit reporting agencies that decide whether a credit history is adverse It is
the individual lender or creditor which makes that decision each lender has its own policy on what
scores fall within their guidelines The specific scores that fall within a lenders guidelines are most
often NOT disclosed to the applicant due to competitive reasons In the United States a creditor is
required to give the reasons for denying credit to an applicant immediately and must also provide
the name and address of the credit reporting agency who provided data that was used to make the
decision
More than One Credit History Per Person
In some countries people can have more than one credit history For example in Canada although
most Canadians are not aware of it every person who applied for credit before obtaining a Social
Insurance Number has two separate credit histories one with SIN and one without SIN This is due
to the credit reporting structure in Canada This can lead to two completely separate parallel
histories and often leads to inconsistencies (although typically the person in question will never
notice the inconsistencies) because when a lender asks for someones credit report with SIN what
the lender gets is different from what he would have gotten if he asked the report without providing
the SIN This is because contrary to popular belief when someone gets a new SIN for whatever
reason the two credit files are never merged unless the person requests specifically As a result a
29
record with SIN zeroed out is kept separately from a record with SIN Note this happens without
the person even knowing it
Credit score
A credit score is a numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a persons credit files to
represent the creditworthiness of that person which is the perceived likelihood that the person will
pay debts in a timely manner A credit score is primarily based on credit report information
typically sourced from credit bureaus credit reference agencies
Lenders such as banks and credit card companies use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk
posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt Lenders use credit
scores to determine who qualifies for a loan at what interest rate and what credit limits The use of
credit or identity scoring prior to authorizing access or granting credit is an implementation of a
trusted system
Credit scoring is not limited to banks Other organizations such as mobile phone companies
insurance companies employers and government departments employ the same techniques Credit
scoring also has a lot of overlap with data mining which uses many similar techniques
30
CHAPTER- 3
INTRODUCTION
OF
SMERA
SMERA ndash AN INTRODUCTION
31
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
CHAPTER-2
INTRODUCTION
OF
CREDIT
RATING
17
Credit rating
A credit rating assesses the credit worthiness of an individual corporation or even a country
Credit ratings are calculated from financial history and current assets and liabilities Typically a
credit rating tells a lender or investor the probability of the subject being able to pay back a loan
However in recent years credit ratings have also been used to adjust insurance premiums
determine employment eligibility and establish the amount of a utility or leasing deposit
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
Especially in context for sme earlier the which credit was done by the bank was not beneficial in
respect of sme because the prior credit rating includes analyses of few thing like past payment
record profit and loss account and another fact of balance sheet of three financial year so give the
all benefits earlier which was not given due to ignorance was avail by credit rating through by
credit ratings Third party rating has been gaining ground in our due to the fact that the lending
institutions have been asked to maintain adequate capital by the rbi as per Basel norms to maintain
the said adequacy the bank and finned to exhibit the classification of the units so that distinction
for good and bad units can be made and subsequently the provisioning for the said units can be
made accordingly
Credit rating agency
A credit rating agency (CRA) is a company that assigns credit ratings for issuers of certain types
of debt obligations as well as the debt instruments themselves In some cases the servicers of the
underlying debt are also given ratings In most cases the issuers of securities are companies
special purpose entities state and local governments non-profit organizations or national
governments issuing debt-like securities (ie bonds) that can be traded on a secondary market A
credit rating for an issuer takes into consideration the issuers credit worthiness (ie its ability to
pay back a loan) and affects the interest rate applied to the particular security being issued (In
contrast to CRAs a company that issues credit scores for individual credit-worthiness is generally
called a credit bureau or consumer credit reporting agency)
18
In respect of india there are many credit rating agancy few of them are as
shown below
1 Smera
2 Crisil
3 Care
4 Fitch
5 Onicra
6 Dampb
7 Icra
They provide credit rating evaluating the sme at different pramitter
Personal credit ratings
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
In the United States an individuals credit history is compiled and maintained by companies called
credit bureaus Credit worthiness is usually determined through a statistical analysis of the available
credit data A common form of this analysis is a 3-digit credit score provided by independent
financial service companies such as the FICO credit score (The term a registered trademark
comes from Fair Isaac Corporation which pioneered the credit rating concept in the late 1950s)
An individuals credit score along with his or her credit report affects his or her ability to borrow
money through financial institutions such as banks
In Canada the most common ratings are the North American Standard Account Ratings also
known as the R ratings which have a range between R0 and R9 R0 refers to a new account R1
refers to on-time payments R9 refers to bad debt
The factors which may influence a persons credit rating are
1) ability to pay a loan 2) interest 3)amount of credit used
4) saving patterns 5)spending patterns 6) debt
19
Corporate credit ratings
[The credit rating of a corporation is a financial indicator to potential investors of debt securities
such as bonds These are assigned by credit rating agencies such as Standard amp Poors Moodys or
Fitch Ratings and have letter designations such as AAA B CC The Standard amp Poors rating scale
is as follows AAA AA A BBB BB B CCC CC C D Anything lower than a BBB rating is
considered a speculative or junk bond The Moodys rating system is similar in concept but the
verbage is a little different
It is as follows
AAA
Aa1 Aa2 Aa3
A1 A2 A3
Baa1 Baa2 Baa3
Ba1 Ba2 Ba3
B1 B2 B3
Caa1 Caa2 Caa3
Ca
C
Sovereign credit
ratings
Cont Risk rankings
Least risky countries
Score out of 100
Rank
Previous Country Overall score
1 1 Luxembourg 9988
2 2 Norway 9747
3 3 Switzerland 9621
4 4 Denmark 9339
5 5 Sweden 9296
6 6 Ireland 9236
7 10 Austria 9225
8 9 Finland 9195
9 8 Netherlands 9195
10 7 United States 9127
20
A sovereign credit rating is the credit rating of a sovereign entity ie a country The sovereign
credit rating indicates the risk level of the investing environment of a country and is used by
investors looking to invest abroad It takes political risk into account
The table shows the ten least-risky countries for investment as of March 2008 Ratings are further
broken down into components including political risk economic risk Euromoneys bi-annual
country risk index Country risk surveymonitors the political and economic stability of 185
21
sovereign countries Results focus foremost on economics specifically sovereign default risk
andor payment default risk for exporters (aka trade credit risk)
Short term rating
A short term rating is a probability factor of an individual going into default within a year This is
in contrast to long-term rating which is evaluated over a long timeframe
Credit scores for individuals are assigned by credit bureaus (US UK credit reference agencies)
Credit ratings for corporations and sovereign debt are assigned by credit rating agencies
In the United States the main credit bureaus are Experian Equifax and TransUnion A relatively
new credit bureau in the US is Innovis
In the United Kingdom the main credit reference agencies for individuals are Experian Equifax
and Callcredit There is no universal credit rating as such rather each individual lender credit
scores based on its own wish-list of a perfect customer
In Canada the main credit bureaus for individuals are Equifax TransUnion and Northern Credit
Bureaus Experian
In India the main credit bureaus are CRISIL ICRA and Credit Registration Office (CRO)
The largest credit rating agencies (which tend to operate worldwide) are Moodys Standard and
Poors and Fitch Ratings
CREDIT RISK
Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either
the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
Faced by lenders to consumers
Most lenders employ their own models (Credit Scorecards) to rank potential and existing customers
according to risk and then apply appropriate strategies With products such as unsecured personal
loans or mortgages lenders charge a higher price for higher risk customers and vice versa With
22
revolving products such as credit cards and overdrafts risk is controlled through careful setting of
credit limits Some products also require security most commonly in the form of property
Faced by lenders to business
Lenders will trade off the costbenefits of a loan according to its risks and the interest charged But
interest rates are not the only method to compensate for risk Protective covenants are written into
loan agreements that allow the lender some controls These covenants may
limit the borrowers ability to weaken his balance sheet voluntarily eg by buying back shares
or paying dividends or borrowing further
allow for monitoring the debt requiring audits and monthly reports
allow the lender to decide when he can recall the loan based on specific events or when
financial ratios like debtequity or interest coverage deteriorate
A recent innovation to protect lenders and bond holders from the danger of default are credit
derivatives most commonly in the form of a credit default swap These financial contracts allow
companies to buy protection against defaults from a third party the protection seller The protection
seller receives a periodic fee (the credit spread) as compensation for the risk it takes and in return it
agrees to buy the debt should a credit event (default) occur
Faced by business
Companies carry credit risk when for example they do not demand up-front cash payment for
products or services By delivering the product or service first and billing the customer later - if its
a business customer the terms may be quoted as net 30 - the company is carrying a risk between the
delivery and payment
Significant resources and sophisticated programs are used to analyze and manage risk Some
companies run a credit risk department whose job is to assess the financial health of their
customers and extend credit (or not) accordingly They may use in house programs to advise on
avoiding reducing and transferring risk They also use third party provided intelligence
23
Companies like Standard amp Poors Moodys and Dun and Bradstreet provide such information for a
fee
For example a distributor selling its products to a troubled retailer may attempt to lessen credit risk
by tightening payment terms to net 15 or by actually selling fewer products on credit to the
retailer or even cutting off credit entirely and demanding payment in advance Such strategies
impact sales volume but reduce exposure to credit risk and subsequent payment defaults
Credit risk is not really manageable for very small companies (ie those with only one or two
customers) This makes these companies very vulnerable to defaults or even payment delays by
their customers
The use of a collection agency is not really a tool to manage credit risk rather it is an extreme
measure closer to a write down in that the creditor expects a below-agreed return after the
collection agency takes its share (if it is able to get anything at all)
Faced by individuals
Consumers may face credit risk in a direct form as depositors at banks or as investorslenders They
may also face credit risk when entering into standard commercial transactions by providing a
deposit to their counterparty eg for a large purchase or a real estate rental Employees of any firm
also depend on the firms ability to pay wages and are exposed to the credit risk of their employer
In some cases governments recognize that an individuals capacity to evaluate credit risk may be
limited and the risk may reduce economic efficiency governments may enact various legal
measures or mechanisms with the intention of protecting consumers against some of these risks
Bank deposits notably are insured in many countries (to some maximum amount) for individuals
effectively limiting their credit risk to banks and increasing their willingness to use the banking
system
24
Credit history
Credit history or credit report is in many countries a record of an individuals or companys past
borrowing and repaying including information about late payments and bankruptcy The term
credit reputation can either be used synonymous to credit history or to credit score
In the US when a customer fills out an application for credit from a bank store or credit card
company their information is forwarded to a credit bureau The credit bureau matches the name
address and other identifying information on the credit applicant with information retained by the
bureau in its files
This information is used by lenders such as credit card companies to determine an individuals
credit worthiness that is determining an individuals willingness to repay a debt The willingness
to repay a debt is indicated by how timely past payments have been made to other lenders Lenders
like to see consumer debt obligations paid on a monthly basis
The other factor in determining whether a lender will provide a consumer credit or a loan is
dependent on income The higher the income all other things being equal the more credit the
consumer can access However lenders make credit granting decisions based on both ability to
repay a debt (income) and willingness (the credit report) as indicated in the past payment history
These factors help lenders determine whether to extend credit and on what terms With the
adoption of risk-based pricing on almost all lending in the financial services industry this report
has become even more important since it is usually the sole element used to choose the annual
percentage rate (APR) grace period and other contractual obligations of the credit card or loan
How credit rating is determined
Credit ratings are determined differently in each country but the factors are similar and may
include
Payment record - a record of bills being overdue generally being more than 30 days will lower
the credit rating
25
Control of debt - Lenders want to see that borrowers are not living beyond their means Experts
estimate that non-mortgage credit payments each month should not exceed more than 15
percent of the borrowers after tax income
Signs of responsibility and stability - Lenders perceive things such as longevity in the
borrowers home and job (at least two years) as signs of stability
Re-Aging - Through re-aging a credit history is re-written and you are given a fresh start on
that particular account This can dramatically improve the credit score In 2000 the Federal
Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFEIC) clarified guidelines on re-aging accounts
for delinquent borrowers
Credit outstanding--Lenders dont like to see the amount of credit owed bumping up against the
credit limit of a card Generally a good idea is to owe no more than one-third of your total
credit limit on a credit card
Credit inquiries ndash An inquiry is a notation on a credit history file There are several kinds of
notations that may or may not have an adverse effect on the credit score Soft pulls dont affect
the credit score and are characteristic of the following examples
A credit bureau may sell a persons contact information to an advertiser wanting to offer credit
cards loans and insurance based on certain criteria that the lender has established A creditor also
checks a persons credit periodically Or a credit counseling agency with the clients permission
can obtain a clients credit report with no adverse action Each of the preceding examples are
commonly referred to as a soft credit pull
However hard credit inquiries are made by lenders when consumers are seeking credit or a loan
Lenders when granted a permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act can
check a credit history for the purposes of extending credit to a consumer Hard inquiries from
lenders directly affect the borrowers credit score Keeping credit inquiries to a minimum can help a
persons credit rating A lender may perceive many inquiries over a short period of time on a
persons report as a signal that the person is in financial difficulty and is looking for loans and will
possibly consider that person a poor credit risk
26
Credit cards that are not used - Although it is believed that having too many credit cards can have
an adverse effect on a credit score closing these lines of credit will not improve your score The
credit rating formula looks at the difference between the amount of credit a person has and the
amount being used so closing one or more accounts will reduce your total available credit And the
lower the percentage of available credit the more the credit score will drop The credit formula also
factors in the length of time credit accounts have been open so closing an account with several
years of history is another avoidable credit mistake
Understanding credit reports and scores
The Government of Canada offers a free publication called Understanding Your Credit Report and
Credit Score This publication provides sample credit report and credit score documents with
explanations of the notations and codes that are used It also contains general information on how
to build or improve credit history and how to check for signs that identity theft has occurred The
publication is available online at httpwwwfcacgcca the site of the Financial Consumer Agency
of Canada Paper copies can also be ordered at no charge for residents of Canada
Credit History of Immigrants
Credit history usually applies to only one country Even within the same credit card network
information is not shared between different countries For example if a person has been living in
Canada for many years and then moves to the United States when they apply for credit cards or a
mortgage in the US they would usually not be approved because of a lack of credit history even
if they had an excellent credit rating in their home country and even if they had a very high salary
in their home country
An immigrant must establish a credit history from scratch in the new country Therefore it is
usually very difficult for immigrants to obtain credit cards and mortgages until after they have
worked in the new country with a stable income for several years
Adverse Credit
Adverse credit history also called sub-prime credit history non-status credit history
impaired credit history poor credit history and bad credit history is a negative credit rating
27
A negative credit rating is often considered undesirable to lenders and other extenders of credit for
the purposes of loaning money or capital
In the US a consumers credit history is compiled by credit rating agencies more commonly
referred to as consumer reporting agencies or credit bureaus The data reported to these agencies
are primarily provided to them by creditors and includes detailed records of the relationship a
person has with the lender Detailed account information including payment history credit limits
high and low balances and any aggressive actions taken to recover overdue debts are all reported
regularly (usually monthly) This information is reviewed by a lender to determine whether to
approve a loan and on what terms
As credit became more popular it became more difficult for lenders to evaluate and approve credit
card and loan applications in a timely and efficient manner To address this issue credit scoring
was adopted
Credit scoring is the process of using a proprietary mathematical algorithm to create a numerical
value that describes an applicants overall creditworthiness Scores frequently based on numbers
(ranging from 300-850 for consumers in the United States) statistically analyze a credit history in
comparison to other debtors and gauge the magnitude of financial risk Since lending money to a
person or company is a risk credit scoring offers a standardized way for lenders to assess that risk
rapidly and without prejudiceAll credit bureaus also offer credit scoring as a supplemental
service
Credit scores assess the likelihood that a borrower will repay a loan or other credit obligation The
higher the score the better the credit history and the higher the probability that the loan will be
repaid on time When creditors report an excessive number of late payments or trouble with
collecting payments the score suffers Similarly when adverse judgments and collection agency
activity are reported the score decreases even more Repeated delinquencies or public record
entries can lower the score and trigger what is called a negative credit rating or adverse credit
history
When a lender requests a credit score it can cause a small drop in the credit score That is because
as stated above a number of inquiries over a relatively short period of time can indicate the
consumer is in a financially difficult situation
28
Consequences
The information in a credit report is sold by credit agencies to organizations that are considering
whether to offer credit to individuals or companies It is also available to other entities with a
permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act The consequence of a negative
credit rating is typically a reduction in the likelihood that a lender will approve an application for
credit under favorable terms if at all Interest rates on loans are significantly affected by credit
historymdashthe higher the credit rating the lower the interest while the lower the credit rating the
higher the interest The increased interest is used to offset the higher rate of default within the low
credit rating group of individuals
In the United States in certain cases insurance housing and employment can also be denied based
on a negative credit rating
Note that is not the credit reporting agencies that decide whether a credit history is adverse It is
the individual lender or creditor which makes that decision each lender has its own policy on what
scores fall within their guidelines The specific scores that fall within a lenders guidelines are most
often NOT disclosed to the applicant due to competitive reasons In the United States a creditor is
required to give the reasons for denying credit to an applicant immediately and must also provide
the name and address of the credit reporting agency who provided data that was used to make the
decision
More than One Credit History Per Person
In some countries people can have more than one credit history For example in Canada although
most Canadians are not aware of it every person who applied for credit before obtaining a Social
Insurance Number has two separate credit histories one with SIN and one without SIN This is due
to the credit reporting structure in Canada This can lead to two completely separate parallel
histories and often leads to inconsistencies (although typically the person in question will never
notice the inconsistencies) because when a lender asks for someones credit report with SIN what
the lender gets is different from what he would have gotten if he asked the report without providing
the SIN This is because contrary to popular belief when someone gets a new SIN for whatever
reason the two credit files are never merged unless the person requests specifically As a result a
29
record with SIN zeroed out is kept separately from a record with SIN Note this happens without
the person even knowing it
Credit score
A credit score is a numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a persons credit files to
represent the creditworthiness of that person which is the perceived likelihood that the person will
pay debts in a timely manner A credit score is primarily based on credit report information
typically sourced from credit bureaus credit reference agencies
Lenders such as banks and credit card companies use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk
posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt Lenders use credit
scores to determine who qualifies for a loan at what interest rate and what credit limits The use of
credit or identity scoring prior to authorizing access or granting credit is an implementation of a
trusted system
Credit scoring is not limited to banks Other organizations such as mobile phone companies
insurance companies employers and government departments employ the same techniques Credit
scoring also has a lot of overlap with data mining which uses many similar techniques
30
CHAPTER- 3
INTRODUCTION
OF
SMERA
SMERA ndash AN INTRODUCTION
31
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Credit rating
A credit rating assesses the credit worthiness of an individual corporation or even a country
Credit ratings are calculated from financial history and current assets and liabilities Typically a
credit rating tells a lender or investor the probability of the subject being able to pay back a loan
However in recent years credit ratings have also been used to adjust insurance premiums
determine employment eligibility and establish the amount of a utility or leasing deposit
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
Especially in context for sme earlier the which credit was done by the bank was not beneficial in
respect of sme because the prior credit rating includes analyses of few thing like past payment
record profit and loss account and another fact of balance sheet of three financial year so give the
all benefits earlier which was not given due to ignorance was avail by credit rating through by
credit ratings Third party rating has been gaining ground in our due to the fact that the lending
institutions have been asked to maintain adequate capital by the rbi as per Basel norms to maintain
the said adequacy the bank and finned to exhibit the classification of the units so that distinction
for good and bad units can be made and subsequently the provisioning for the said units can be
made accordingly
Credit rating agency
A credit rating agency (CRA) is a company that assigns credit ratings for issuers of certain types
of debt obligations as well as the debt instruments themselves In some cases the servicers of the
underlying debt are also given ratings In most cases the issuers of securities are companies
special purpose entities state and local governments non-profit organizations or national
governments issuing debt-like securities (ie bonds) that can be traded on a secondary market A
credit rating for an issuer takes into consideration the issuers credit worthiness (ie its ability to
pay back a loan) and affects the interest rate applied to the particular security being issued (In
contrast to CRAs a company that issues credit scores for individual credit-worthiness is generally
called a credit bureau or consumer credit reporting agency)
18
In respect of india there are many credit rating agancy few of them are as
shown below
1 Smera
2 Crisil
3 Care
4 Fitch
5 Onicra
6 Dampb
7 Icra
They provide credit rating evaluating the sme at different pramitter
Personal credit ratings
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
In the United States an individuals credit history is compiled and maintained by companies called
credit bureaus Credit worthiness is usually determined through a statistical analysis of the available
credit data A common form of this analysis is a 3-digit credit score provided by independent
financial service companies such as the FICO credit score (The term a registered trademark
comes from Fair Isaac Corporation which pioneered the credit rating concept in the late 1950s)
An individuals credit score along with his or her credit report affects his or her ability to borrow
money through financial institutions such as banks
In Canada the most common ratings are the North American Standard Account Ratings also
known as the R ratings which have a range between R0 and R9 R0 refers to a new account R1
refers to on-time payments R9 refers to bad debt
The factors which may influence a persons credit rating are
1) ability to pay a loan 2) interest 3)amount of credit used
4) saving patterns 5)spending patterns 6) debt
19
Corporate credit ratings
[The credit rating of a corporation is a financial indicator to potential investors of debt securities
such as bonds These are assigned by credit rating agencies such as Standard amp Poors Moodys or
Fitch Ratings and have letter designations such as AAA B CC The Standard amp Poors rating scale
is as follows AAA AA A BBB BB B CCC CC C D Anything lower than a BBB rating is
considered a speculative or junk bond The Moodys rating system is similar in concept but the
verbage is a little different
It is as follows
AAA
Aa1 Aa2 Aa3
A1 A2 A3
Baa1 Baa2 Baa3
Ba1 Ba2 Ba3
B1 B2 B3
Caa1 Caa2 Caa3
Ca
C
Sovereign credit
ratings
Cont Risk rankings
Least risky countries
Score out of 100
Rank
Previous Country Overall score
1 1 Luxembourg 9988
2 2 Norway 9747
3 3 Switzerland 9621
4 4 Denmark 9339
5 5 Sweden 9296
6 6 Ireland 9236
7 10 Austria 9225
8 9 Finland 9195
9 8 Netherlands 9195
10 7 United States 9127
20
A sovereign credit rating is the credit rating of a sovereign entity ie a country The sovereign
credit rating indicates the risk level of the investing environment of a country and is used by
investors looking to invest abroad It takes political risk into account
The table shows the ten least-risky countries for investment as of March 2008 Ratings are further
broken down into components including political risk economic risk Euromoneys bi-annual
country risk index Country risk surveymonitors the political and economic stability of 185
21
sovereign countries Results focus foremost on economics specifically sovereign default risk
andor payment default risk for exporters (aka trade credit risk)
Short term rating
A short term rating is a probability factor of an individual going into default within a year This is
in contrast to long-term rating which is evaluated over a long timeframe
Credit scores for individuals are assigned by credit bureaus (US UK credit reference agencies)
Credit ratings for corporations and sovereign debt are assigned by credit rating agencies
In the United States the main credit bureaus are Experian Equifax and TransUnion A relatively
new credit bureau in the US is Innovis
In the United Kingdom the main credit reference agencies for individuals are Experian Equifax
and Callcredit There is no universal credit rating as such rather each individual lender credit
scores based on its own wish-list of a perfect customer
In Canada the main credit bureaus for individuals are Equifax TransUnion and Northern Credit
Bureaus Experian
In India the main credit bureaus are CRISIL ICRA and Credit Registration Office (CRO)
The largest credit rating agencies (which tend to operate worldwide) are Moodys Standard and
Poors and Fitch Ratings
CREDIT RISK
Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either
the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
Faced by lenders to consumers
Most lenders employ their own models (Credit Scorecards) to rank potential and existing customers
according to risk and then apply appropriate strategies With products such as unsecured personal
loans or mortgages lenders charge a higher price for higher risk customers and vice versa With
22
revolving products such as credit cards and overdrafts risk is controlled through careful setting of
credit limits Some products also require security most commonly in the form of property
Faced by lenders to business
Lenders will trade off the costbenefits of a loan according to its risks and the interest charged But
interest rates are not the only method to compensate for risk Protective covenants are written into
loan agreements that allow the lender some controls These covenants may
limit the borrowers ability to weaken his balance sheet voluntarily eg by buying back shares
or paying dividends or borrowing further
allow for monitoring the debt requiring audits and monthly reports
allow the lender to decide when he can recall the loan based on specific events or when
financial ratios like debtequity or interest coverage deteriorate
A recent innovation to protect lenders and bond holders from the danger of default are credit
derivatives most commonly in the form of a credit default swap These financial contracts allow
companies to buy protection against defaults from a third party the protection seller The protection
seller receives a periodic fee (the credit spread) as compensation for the risk it takes and in return it
agrees to buy the debt should a credit event (default) occur
Faced by business
Companies carry credit risk when for example they do not demand up-front cash payment for
products or services By delivering the product or service first and billing the customer later - if its
a business customer the terms may be quoted as net 30 - the company is carrying a risk between the
delivery and payment
Significant resources and sophisticated programs are used to analyze and manage risk Some
companies run a credit risk department whose job is to assess the financial health of their
customers and extend credit (or not) accordingly They may use in house programs to advise on
avoiding reducing and transferring risk They also use third party provided intelligence
23
Companies like Standard amp Poors Moodys and Dun and Bradstreet provide such information for a
fee
For example a distributor selling its products to a troubled retailer may attempt to lessen credit risk
by tightening payment terms to net 15 or by actually selling fewer products on credit to the
retailer or even cutting off credit entirely and demanding payment in advance Such strategies
impact sales volume but reduce exposure to credit risk and subsequent payment defaults
Credit risk is not really manageable for very small companies (ie those with only one or two
customers) This makes these companies very vulnerable to defaults or even payment delays by
their customers
The use of a collection agency is not really a tool to manage credit risk rather it is an extreme
measure closer to a write down in that the creditor expects a below-agreed return after the
collection agency takes its share (if it is able to get anything at all)
Faced by individuals
Consumers may face credit risk in a direct form as depositors at banks or as investorslenders They
may also face credit risk when entering into standard commercial transactions by providing a
deposit to their counterparty eg for a large purchase or a real estate rental Employees of any firm
also depend on the firms ability to pay wages and are exposed to the credit risk of their employer
In some cases governments recognize that an individuals capacity to evaluate credit risk may be
limited and the risk may reduce economic efficiency governments may enact various legal
measures or mechanisms with the intention of protecting consumers against some of these risks
Bank deposits notably are insured in many countries (to some maximum amount) for individuals
effectively limiting their credit risk to banks and increasing their willingness to use the banking
system
24
Credit history
Credit history or credit report is in many countries a record of an individuals or companys past
borrowing and repaying including information about late payments and bankruptcy The term
credit reputation can either be used synonymous to credit history or to credit score
In the US when a customer fills out an application for credit from a bank store or credit card
company their information is forwarded to a credit bureau The credit bureau matches the name
address and other identifying information on the credit applicant with information retained by the
bureau in its files
This information is used by lenders such as credit card companies to determine an individuals
credit worthiness that is determining an individuals willingness to repay a debt The willingness
to repay a debt is indicated by how timely past payments have been made to other lenders Lenders
like to see consumer debt obligations paid on a monthly basis
The other factor in determining whether a lender will provide a consumer credit or a loan is
dependent on income The higher the income all other things being equal the more credit the
consumer can access However lenders make credit granting decisions based on both ability to
repay a debt (income) and willingness (the credit report) as indicated in the past payment history
These factors help lenders determine whether to extend credit and on what terms With the
adoption of risk-based pricing on almost all lending in the financial services industry this report
has become even more important since it is usually the sole element used to choose the annual
percentage rate (APR) grace period and other contractual obligations of the credit card or loan
How credit rating is determined
Credit ratings are determined differently in each country but the factors are similar and may
include
Payment record - a record of bills being overdue generally being more than 30 days will lower
the credit rating
25
Control of debt - Lenders want to see that borrowers are not living beyond their means Experts
estimate that non-mortgage credit payments each month should not exceed more than 15
percent of the borrowers after tax income
Signs of responsibility and stability - Lenders perceive things such as longevity in the
borrowers home and job (at least two years) as signs of stability
Re-Aging - Through re-aging a credit history is re-written and you are given a fresh start on
that particular account This can dramatically improve the credit score In 2000 the Federal
Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFEIC) clarified guidelines on re-aging accounts
for delinquent borrowers
Credit outstanding--Lenders dont like to see the amount of credit owed bumping up against the
credit limit of a card Generally a good idea is to owe no more than one-third of your total
credit limit on a credit card
Credit inquiries ndash An inquiry is a notation on a credit history file There are several kinds of
notations that may or may not have an adverse effect on the credit score Soft pulls dont affect
the credit score and are characteristic of the following examples
A credit bureau may sell a persons contact information to an advertiser wanting to offer credit
cards loans and insurance based on certain criteria that the lender has established A creditor also
checks a persons credit periodically Or a credit counseling agency with the clients permission
can obtain a clients credit report with no adverse action Each of the preceding examples are
commonly referred to as a soft credit pull
However hard credit inquiries are made by lenders when consumers are seeking credit or a loan
Lenders when granted a permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act can
check a credit history for the purposes of extending credit to a consumer Hard inquiries from
lenders directly affect the borrowers credit score Keeping credit inquiries to a minimum can help a
persons credit rating A lender may perceive many inquiries over a short period of time on a
persons report as a signal that the person is in financial difficulty and is looking for loans and will
possibly consider that person a poor credit risk
26
Credit cards that are not used - Although it is believed that having too many credit cards can have
an adverse effect on a credit score closing these lines of credit will not improve your score The
credit rating formula looks at the difference between the amount of credit a person has and the
amount being used so closing one or more accounts will reduce your total available credit And the
lower the percentage of available credit the more the credit score will drop The credit formula also
factors in the length of time credit accounts have been open so closing an account with several
years of history is another avoidable credit mistake
Understanding credit reports and scores
The Government of Canada offers a free publication called Understanding Your Credit Report and
Credit Score This publication provides sample credit report and credit score documents with
explanations of the notations and codes that are used It also contains general information on how
to build or improve credit history and how to check for signs that identity theft has occurred The
publication is available online at httpwwwfcacgcca the site of the Financial Consumer Agency
of Canada Paper copies can also be ordered at no charge for residents of Canada
Credit History of Immigrants
Credit history usually applies to only one country Even within the same credit card network
information is not shared between different countries For example if a person has been living in
Canada for many years and then moves to the United States when they apply for credit cards or a
mortgage in the US they would usually not be approved because of a lack of credit history even
if they had an excellent credit rating in their home country and even if they had a very high salary
in their home country
An immigrant must establish a credit history from scratch in the new country Therefore it is
usually very difficult for immigrants to obtain credit cards and mortgages until after they have
worked in the new country with a stable income for several years
Adverse Credit
Adverse credit history also called sub-prime credit history non-status credit history
impaired credit history poor credit history and bad credit history is a negative credit rating
27
A negative credit rating is often considered undesirable to lenders and other extenders of credit for
the purposes of loaning money or capital
In the US a consumers credit history is compiled by credit rating agencies more commonly
referred to as consumer reporting agencies or credit bureaus The data reported to these agencies
are primarily provided to them by creditors and includes detailed records of the relationship a
person has with the lender Detailed account information including payment history credit limits
high and low balances and any aggressive actions taken to recover overdue debts are all reported
regularly (usually monthly) This information is reviewed by a lender to determine whether to
approve a loan and on what terms
As credit became more popular it became more difficult for lenders to evaluate and approve credit
card and loan applications in a timely and efficient manner To address this issue credit scoring
was adopted
Credit scoring is the process of using a proprietary mathematical algorithm to create a numerical
value that describes an applicants overall creditworthiness Scores frequently based on numbers
(ranging from 300-850 for consumers in the United States) statistically analyze a credit history in
comparison to other debtors and gauge the magnitude of financial risk Since lending money to a
person or company is a risk credit scoring offers a standardized way for lenders to assess that risk
rapidly and without prejudiceAll credit bureaus also offer credit scoring as a supplemental
service
Credit scores assess the likelihood that a borrower will repay a loan or other credit obligation The
higher the score the better the credit history and the higher the probability that the loan will be
repaid on time When creditors report an excessive number of late payments or trouble with
collecting payments the score suffers Similarly when adverse judgments and collection agency
activity are reported the score decreases even more Repeated delinquencies or public record
entries can lower the score and trigger what is called a negative credit rating or adverse credit
history
When a lender requests a credit score it can cause a small drop in the credit score That is because
as stated above a number of inquiries over a relatively short period of time can indicate the
consumer is in a financially difficult situation
28
Consequences
The information in a credit report is sold by credit agencies to organizations that are considering
whether to offer credit to individuals or companies It is also available to other entities with a
permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act The consequence of a negative
credit rating is typically a reduction in the likelihood that a lender will approve an application for
credit under favorable terms if at all Interest rates on loans are significantly affected by credit
historymdashthe higher the credit rating the lower the interest while the lower the credit rating the
higher the interest The increased interest is used to offset the higher rate of default within the low
credit rating group of individuals
In the United States in certain cases insurance housing and employment can also be denied based
on a negative credit rating
Note that is not the credit reporting agencies that decide whether a credit history is adverse It is
the individual lender or creditor which makes that decision each lender has its own policy on what
scores fall within their guidelines The specific scores that fall within a lenders guidelines are most
often NOT disclosed to the applicant due to competitive reasons In the United States a creditor is
required to give the reasons for denying credit to an applicant immediately and must also provide
the name and address of the credit reporting agency who provided data that was used to make the
decision
More than One Credit History Per Person
In some countries people can have more than one credit history For example in Canada although
most Canadians are not aware of it every person who applied for credit before obtaining a Social
Insurance Number has two separate credit histories one with SIN and one without SIN This is due
to the credit reporting structure in Canada This can lead to two completely separate parallel
histories and often leads to inconsistencies (although typically the person in question will never
notice the inconsistencies) because when a lender asks for someones credit report with SIN what
the lender gets is different from what he would have gotten if he asked the report without providing
the SIN This is because contrary to popular belief when someone gets a new SIN for whatever
reason the two credit files are never merged unless the person requests specifically As a result a
29
record with SIN zeroed out is kept separately from a record with SIN Note this happens without
the person even knowing it
Credit score
A credit score is a numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a persons credit files to
represent the creditworthiness of that person which is the perceived likelihood that the person will
pay debts in a timely manner A credit score is primarily based on credit report information
typically sourced from credit bureaus credit reference agencies
Lenders such as banks and credit card companies use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk
posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt Lenders use credit
scores to determine who qualifies for a loan at what interest rate and what credit limits The use of
credit or identity scoring prior to authorizing access or granting credit is an implementation of a
trusted system
Credit scoring is not limited to banks Other organizations such as mobile phone companies
insurance companies employers and government departments employ the same techniques Credit
scoring also has a lot of overlap with data mining which uses many similar techniques
30
CHAPTER- 3
INTRODUCTION
OF
SMERA
SMERA ndash AN INTRODUCTION
31
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
In respect of india there are many credit rating agancy few of them are as
shown below
1 Smera
2 Crisil
3 Care
4 Fitch
5 Onicra
6 Dampb
7 Icra
They provide credit rating evaluating the sme at different pramitter
Personal credit ratings
A poor credit rating indicates a high risk of defaulting on a loan and thus leads to high interest
rates or the refusal of a loan by the creditor
In the United States an individuals credit history is compiled and maintained by companies called
credit bureaus Credit worthiness is usually determined through a statistical analysis of the available
credit data A common form of this analysis is a 3-digit credit score provided by independent
financial service companies such as the FICO credit score (The term a registered trademark
comes from Fair Isaac Corporation which pioneered the credit rating concept in the late 1950s)
An individuals credit score along with his or her credit report affects his or her ability to borrow
money through financial institutions such as banks
In Canada the most common ratings are the North American Standard Account Ratings also
known as the R ratings which have a range between R0 and R9 R0 refers to a new account R1
refers to on-time payments R9 refers to bad debt
The factors which may influence a persons credit rating are
1) ability to pay a loan 2) interest 3)amount of credit used
4) saving patterns 5)spending patterns 6) debt
19
Corporate credit ratings
[The credit rating of a corporation is a financial indicator to potential investors of debt securities
such as bonds These are assigned by credit rating agencies such as Standard amp Poors Moodys or
Fitch Ratings and have letter designations such as AAA B CC The Standard amp Poors rating scale
is as follows AAA AA A BBB BB B CCC CC C D Anything lower than a BBB rating is
considered a speculative or junk bond The Moodys rating system is similar in concept but the
verbage is a little different
It is as follows
AAA
Aa1 Aa2 Aa3
A1 A2 A3
Baa1 Baa2 Baa3
Ba1 Ba2 Ba3
B1 B2 B3
Caa1 Caa2 Caa3
Ca
C
Sovereign credit
ratings
Cont Risk rankings
Least risky countries
Score out of 100
Rank
Previous Country Overall score
1 1 Luxembourg 9988
2 2 Norway 9747
3 3 Switzerland 9621
4 4 Denmark 9339
5 5 Sweden 9296
6 6 Ireland 9236
7 10 Austria 9225
8 9 Finland 9195
9 8 Netherlands 9195
10 7 United States 9127
20
A sovereign credit rating is the credit rating of a sovereign entity ie a country The sovereign
credit rating indicates the risk level of the investing environment of a country and is used by
investors looking to invest abroad It takes political risk into account
The table shows the ten least-risky countries for investment as of March 2008 Ratings are further
broken down into components including political risk economic risk Euromoneys bi-annual
country risk index Country risk surveymonitors the political and economic stability of 185
21
sovereign countries Results focus foremost on economics specifically sovereign default risk
andor payment default risk for exporters (aka trade credit risk)
Short term rating
A short term rating is a probability factor of an individual going into default within a year This is
in contrast to long-term rating which is evaluated over a long timeframe
Credit scores for individuals are assigned by credit bureaus (US UK credit reference agencies)
Credit ratings for corporations and sovereign debt are assigned by credit rating agencies
In the United States the main credit bureaus are Experian Equifax and TransUnion A relatively
new credit bureau in the US is Innovis
In the United Kingdom the main credit reference agencies for individuals are Experian Equifax
and Callcredit There is no universal credit rating as such rather each individual lender credit
scores based on its own wish-list of a perfect customer
In Canada the main credit bureaus for individuals are Equifax TransUnion and Northern Credit
Bureaus Experian
In India the main credit bureaus are CRISIL ICRA and Credit Registration Office (CRO)
The largest credit rating agencies (which tend to operate worldwide) are Moodys Standard and
Poors and Fitch Ratings
CREDIT RISK
Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either
the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
Faced by lenders to consumers
Most lenders employ their own models (Credit Scorecards) to rank potential and existing customers
according to risk and then apply appropriate strategies With products such as unsecured personal
loans or mortgages lenders charge a higher price for higher risk customers and vice versa With
22
revolving products such as credit cards and overdrafts risk is controlled through careful setting of
credit limits Some products also require security most commonly in the form of property
Faced by lenders to business
Lenders will trade off the costbenefits of a loan according to its risks and the interest charged But
interest rates are not the only method to compensate for risk Protective covenants are written into
loan agreements that allow the lender some controls These covenants may
limit the borrowers ability to weaken his balance sheet voluntarily eg by buying back shares
or paying dividends or borrowing further
allow for monitoring the debt requiring audits and monthly reports
allow the lender to decide when he can recall the loan based on specific events or when
financial ratios like debtequity or interest coverage deteriorate
A recent innovation to protect lenders and bond holders from the danger of default are credit
derivatives most commonly in the form of a credit default swap These financial contracts allow
companies to buy protection against defaults from a third party the protection seller The protection
seller receives a periodic fee (the credit spread) as compensation for the risk it takes and in return it
agrees to buy the debt should a credit event (default) occur
Faced by business
Companies carry credit risk when for example they do not demand up-front cash payment for
products or services By delivering the product or service first and billing the customer later - if its
a business customer the terms may be quoted as net 30 - the company is carrying a risk between the
delivery and payment
Significant resources and sophisticated programs are used to analyze and manage risk Some
companies run a credit risk department whose job is to assess the financial health of their
customers and extend credit (or not) accordingly They may use in house programs to advise on
avoiding reducing and transferring risk They also use third party provided intelligence
23
Companies like Standard amp Poors Moodys and Dun and Bradstreet provide such information for a
fee
For example a distributor selling its products to a troubled retailer may attempt to lessen credit risk
by tightening payment terms to net 15 or by actually selling fewer products on credit to the
retailer or even cutting off credit entirely and demanding payment in advance Such strategies
impact sales volume but reduce exposure to credit risk and subsequent payment defaults
Credit risk is not really manageable for very small companies (ie those with only one or two
customers) This makes these companies very vulnerable to defaults or even payment delays by
their customers
The use of a collection agency is not really a tool to manage credit risk rather it is an extreme
measure closer to a write down in that the creditor expects a below-agreed return after the
collection agency takes its share (if it is able to get anything at all)
Faced by individuals
Consumers may face credit risk in a direct form as depositors at banks or as investorslenders They
may also face credit risk when entering into standard commercial transactions by providing a
deposit to their counterparty eg for a large purchase or a real estate rental Employees of any firm
also depend on the firms ability to pay wages and are exposed to the credit risk of their employer
In some cases governments recognize that an individuals capacity to evaluate credit risk may be
limited and the risk may reduce economic efficiency governments may enact various legal
measures or mechanisms with the intention of protecting consumers against some of these risks
Bank deposits notably are insured in many countries (to some maximum amount) for individuals
effectively limiting their credit risk to banks and increasing their willingness to use the banking
system
24
Credit history
Credit history or credit report is in many countries a record of an individuals or companys past
borrowing and repaying including information about late payments and bankruptcy The term
credit reputation can either be used synonymous to credit history or to credit score
In the US when a customer fills out an application for credit from a bank store or credit card
company their information is forwarded to a credit bureau The credit bureau matches the name
address and other identifying information on the credit applicant with information retained by the
bureau in its files
This information is used by lenders such as credit card companies to determine an individuals
credit worthiness that is determining an individuals willingness to repay a debt The willingness
to repay a debt is indicated by how timely past payments have been made to other lenders Lenders
like to see consumer debt obligations paid on a monthly basis
The other factor in determining whether a lender will provide a consumer credit or a loan is
dependent on income The higher the income all other things being equal the more credit the
consumer can access However lenders make credit granting decisions based on both ability to
repay a debt (income) and willingness (the credit report) as indicated in the past payment history
These factors help lenders determine whether to extend credit and on what terms With the
adoption of risk-based pricing on almost all lending in the financial services industry this report
has become even more important since it is usually the sole element used to choose the annual
percentage rate (APR) grace period and other contractual obligations of the credit card or loan
How credit rating is determined
Credit ratings are determined differently in each country but the factors are similar and may
include
Payment record - a record of bills being overdue generally being more than 30 days will lower
the credit rating
25
Control of debt - Lenders want to see that borrowers are not living beyond their means Experts
estimate that non-mortgage credit payments each month should not exceed more than 15
percent of the borrowers after tax income
Signs of responsibility and stability - Lenders perceive things such as longevity in the
borrowers home and job (at least two years) as signs of stability
Re-Aging - Through re-aging a credit history is re-written and you are given a fresh start on
that particular account This can dramatically improve the credit score In 2000 the Federal
Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFEIC) clarified guidelines on re-aging accounts
for delinquent borrowers
Credit outstanding--Lenders dont like to see the amount of credit owed bumping up against the
credit limit of a card Generally a good idea is to owe no more than one-third of your total
credit limit on a credit card
Credit inquiries ndash An inquiry is a notation on a credit history file There are several kinds of
notations that may or may not have an adverse effect on the credit score Soft pulls dont affect
the credit score and are characteristic of the following examples
A credit bureau may sell a persons contact information to an advertiser wanting to offer credit
cards loans and insurance based on certain criteria that the lender has established A creditor also
checks a persons credit periodically Or a credit counseling agency with the clients permission
can obtain a clients credit report with no adverse action Each of the preceding examples are
commonly referred to as a soft credit pull
However hard credit inquiries are made by lenders when consumers are seeking credit or a loan
Lenders when granted a permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act can
check a credit history for the purposes of extending credit to a consumer Hard inquiries from
lenders directly affect the borrowers credit score Keeping credit inquiries to a minimum can help a
persons credit rating A lender may perceive many inquiries over a short period of time on a
persons report as a signal that the person is in financial difficulty and is looking for loans and will
possibly consider that person a poor credit risk
26
Credit cards that are not used - Although it is believed that having too many credit cards can have
an adverse effect on a credit score closing these lines of credit will not improve your score The
credit rating formula looks at the difference between the amount of credit a person has and the
amount being used so closing one or more accounts will reduce your total available credit And the
lower the percentage of available credit the more the credit score will drop The credit formula also
factors in the length of time credit accounts have been open so closing an account with several
years of history is another avoidable credit mistake
Understanding credit reports and scores
The Government of Canada offers a free publication called Understanding Your Credit Report and
Credit Score This publication provides sample credit report and credit score documents with
explanations of the notations and codes that are used It also contains general information on how
to build or improve credit history and how to check for signs that identity theft has occurred The
publication is available online at httpwwwfcacgcca the site of the Financial Consumer Agency
of Canada Paper copies can also be ordered at no charge for residents of Canada
Credit History of Immigrants
Credit history usually applies to only one country Even within the same credit card network
information is not shared between different countries For example if a person has been living in
Canada for many years and then moves to the United States when they apply for credit cards or a
mortgage in the US they would usually not be approved because of a lack of credit history even
if they had an excellent credit rating in their home country and even if they had a very high salary
in their home country
An immigrant must establish a credit history from scratch in the new country Therefore it is
usually very difficult for immigrants to obtain credit cards and mortgages until after they have
worked in the new country with a stable income for several years
Adverse Credit
Adverse credit history also called sub-prime credit history non-status credit history
impaired credit history poor credit history and bad credit history is a negative credit rating
27
A negative credit rating is often considered undesirable to lenders and other extenders of credit for
the purposes of loaning money or capital
In the US a consumers credit history is compiled by credit rating agencies more commonly
referred to as consumer reporting agencies or credit bureaus The data reported to these agencies
are primarily provided to them by creditors and includes detailed records of the relationship a
person has with the lender Detailed account information including payment history credit limits
high and low balances and any aggressive actions taken to recover overdue debts are all reported
regularly (usually monthly) This information is reviewed by a lender to determine whether to
approve a loan and on what terms
As credit became more popular it became more difficult for lenders to evaluate and approve credit
card and loan applications in a timely and efficient manner To address this issue credit scoring
was adopted
Credit scoring is the process of using a proprietary mathematical algorithm to create a numerical
value that describes an applicants overall creditworthiness Scores frequently based on numbers
(ranging from 300-850 for consumers in the United States) statistically analyze a credit history in
comparison to other debtors and gauge the magnitude of financial risk Since lending money to a
person or company is a risk credit scoring offers a standardized way for lenders to assess that risk
rapidly and without prejudiceAll credit bureaus also offer credit scoring as a supplemental
service
Credit scores assess the likelihood that a borrower will repay a loan or other credit obligation The
higher the score the better the credit history and the higher the probability that the loan will be
repaid on time When creditors report an excessive number of late payments or trouble with
collecting payments the score suffers Similarly when adverse judgments and collection agency
activity are reported the score decreases even more Repeated delinquencies or public record
entries can lower the score and trigger what is called a negative credit rating or adverse credit
history
When a lender requests a credit score it can cause a small drop in the credit score That is because
as stated above a number of inquiries over a relatively short period of time can indicate the
consumer is in a financially difficult situation
28
Consequences
The information in a credit report is sold by credit agencies to organizations that are considering
whether to offer credit to individuals or companies It is also available to other entities with a
permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act The consequence of a negative
credit rating is typically a reduction in the likelihood that a lender will approve an application for
credit under favorable terms if at all Interest rates on loans are significantly affected by credit
historymdashthe higher the credit rating the lower the interest while the lower the credit rating the
higher the interest The increased interest is used to offset the higher rate of default within the low
credit rating group of individuals
In the United States in certain cases insurance housing and employment can also be denied based
on a negative credit rating
Note that is not the credit reporting agencies that decide whether a credit history is adverse It is
the individual lender or creditor which makes that decision each lender has its own policy on what
scores fall within their guidelines The specific scores that fall within a lenders guidelines are most
often NOT disclosed to the applicant due to competitive reasons In the United States a creditor is
required to give the reasons for denying credit to an applicant immediately and must also provide
the name and address of the credit reporting agency who provided data that was used to make the
decision
More than One Credit History Per Person
In some countries people can have more than one credit history For example in Canada although
most Canadians are not aware of it every person who applied for credit before obtaining a Social
Insurance Number has two separate credit histories one with SIN and one without SIN This is due
to the credit reporting structure in Canada This can lead to two completely separate parallel
histories and often leads to inconsistencies (although typically the person in question will never
notice the inconsistencies) because when a lender asks for someones credit report with SIN what
the lender gets is different from what he would have gotten if he asked the report without providing
the SIN This is because contrary to popular belief when someone gets a new SIN for whatever
reason the two credit files are never merged unless the person requests specifically As a result a
29
record with SIN zeroed out is kept separately from a record with SIN Note this happens without
the person even knowing it
Credit score
A credit score is a numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a persons credit files to
represent the creditworthiness of that person which is the perceived likelihood that the person will
pay debts in a timely manner A credit score is primarily based on credit report information
typically sourced from credit bureaus credit reference agencies
Lenders such as banks and credit card companies use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk
posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt Lenders use credit
scores to determine who qualifies for a loan at what interest rate and what credit limits The use of
credit or identity scoring prior to authorizing access or granting credit is an implementation of a
trusted system
Credit scoring is not limited to banks Other organizations such as mobile phone companies
insurance companies employers and government departments employ the same techniques Credit
scoring also has a lot of overlap with data mining which uses many similar techniques
30
CHAPTER- 3
INTRODUCTION
OF
SMERA
SMERA ndash AN INTRODUCTION
31
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Corporate credit ratings
[The credit rating of a corporation is a financial indicator to potential investors of debt securities
such as bonds These are assigned by credit rating agencies such as Standard amp Poors Moodys or
Fitch Ratings and have letter designations such as AAA B CC The Standard amp Poors rating scale
is as follows AAA AA A BBB BB B CCC CC C D Anything lower than a BBB rating is
considered a speculative or junk bond The Moodys rating system is similar in concept but the
verbage is a little different
It is as follows
AAA
Aa1 Aa2 Aa3
A1 A2 A3
Baa1 Baa2 Baa3
Ba1 Ba2 Ba3
B1 B2 B3
Caa1 Caa2 Caa3
Ca
C
Sovereign credit
ratings
Cont Risk rankings
Least risky countries
Score out of 100
Rank
Previous Country Overall score
1 1 Luxembourg 9988
2 2 Norway 9747
3 3 Switzerland 9621
4 4 Denmark 9339
5 5 Sweden 9296
6 6 Ireland 9236
7 10 Austria 9225
8 9 Finland 9195
9 8 Netherlands 9195
10 7 United States 9127
20
A sovereign credit rating is the credit rating of a sovereign entity ie a country The sovereign
credit rating indicates the risk level of the investing environment of a country and is used by
investors looking to invest abroad It takes political risk into account
The table shows the ten least-risky countries for investment as of March 2008 Ratings are further
broken down into components including political risk economic risk Euromoneys bi-annual
country risk index Country risk surveymonitors the political and economic stability of 185
21
sovereign countries Results focus foremost on economics specifically sovereign default risk
andor payment default risk for exporters (aka trade credit risk)
Short term rating
A short term rating is a probability factor of an individual going into default within a year This is
in contrast to long-term rating which is evaluated over a long timeframe
Credit scores for individuals are assigned by credit bureaus (US UK credit reference agencies)
Credit ratings for corporations and sovereign debt are assigned by credit rating agencies
In the United States the main credit bureaus are Experian Equifax and TransUnion A relatively
new credit bureau in the US is Innovis
In the United Kingdom the main credit reference agencies for individuals are Experian Equifax
and Callcredit There is no universal credit rating as such rather each individual lender credit
scores based on its own wish-list of a perfect customer
In Canada the main credit bureaus for individuals are Equifax TransUnion and Northern Credit
Bureaus Experian
In India the main credit bureaus are CRISIL ICRA and Credit Registration Office (CRO)
The largest credit rating agencies (which tend to operate worldwide) are Moodys Standard and
Poors and Fitch Ratings
CREDIT RISK
Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either
the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
Faced by lenders to consumers
Most lenders employ their own models (Credit Scorecards) to rank potential and existing customers
according to risk and then apply appropriate strategies With products such as unsecured personal
loans or mortgages lenders charge a higher price for higher risk customers and vice versa With
22
revolving products such as credit cards and overdrafts risk is controlled through careful setting of
credit limits Some products also require security most commonly in the form of property
Faced by lenders to business
Lenders will trade off the costbenefits of a loan according to its risks and the interest charged But
interest rates are not the only method to compensate for risk Protective covenants are written into
loan agreements that allow the lender some controls These covenants may
limit the borrowers ability to weaken his balance sheet voluntarily eg by buying back shares
or paying dividends or borrowing further
allow for monitoring the debt requiring audits and monthly reports
allow the lender to decide when he can recall the loan based on specific events or when
financial ratios like debtequity or interest coverage deteriorate
A recent innovation to protect lenders and bond holders from the danger of default are credit
derivatives most commonly in the form of a credit default swap These financial contracts allow
companies to buy protection against defaults from a third party the protection seller The protection
seller receives a periodic fee (the credit spread) as compensation for the risk it takes and in return it
agrees to buy the debt should a credit event (default) occur
Faced by business
Companies carry credit risk when for example they do not demand up-front cash payment for
products or services By delivering the product or service first and billing the customer later - if its
a business customer the terms may be quoted as net 30 - the company is carrying a risk between the
delivery and payment
Significant resources and sophisticated programs are used to analyze and manage risk Some
companies run a credit risk department whose job is to assess the financial health of their
customers and extend credit (or not) accordingly They may use in house programs to advise on
avoiding reducing and transferring risk They also use third party provided intelligence
23
Companies like Standard amp Poors Moodys and Dun and Bradstreet provide such information for a
fee
For example a distributor selling its products to a troubled retailer may attempt to lessen credit risk
by tightening payment terms to net 15 or by actually selling fewer products on credit to the
retailer or even cutting off credit entirely and demanding payment in advance Such strategies
impact sales volume but reduce exposure to credit risk and subsequent payment defaults
Credit risk is not really manageable for very small companies (ie those with only one or two
customers) This makes these companies very vulnerable to defaults or even payment delays by
their customers
The use of a collection agency is not really a tool to manage credit risk rather it is an extreme
measure closer to a write down in that the creditor expects a below-agreed return after the
collection agency takes its share (if it is able to get anything at all)
Faced by individuals
Consumers may face credit risk in a direct form as depositors at banks or as investorslenders They
may also face credit risk when entering into standard commercial transactions by providing a
deposit to their counterparty eg for a large purchase or a real estate rental Employees of any firm
also depend on the firms ability to pay wages and are exposed to the credit risk of their employer
In some cases governments recognize that an individuals capacity to evaluate credit risk may be
limited and the risk may reduce economic efficiency governments may enact various legal
measures or mechanisms with the intention of protecting consumers against some of these risks
Bank deposits notably are insured in many countries (to some maximum amount) for individuals
effectively limiting their credit risk to banks and increasing their willingness to use the banking
system
24
Credit history
Credit history or credit report is in many countries a record of an individuals or companys past
borrowing and repaying including information about late payments and bankruptcy The term
credit reputation can either be used synonymous to credit history or to credit score
In the US when a customer fills out an application for credit from a bank store or credit card
company their information is forwarded to a credit bureau The credit bureau matches the name
address and other identifying information on the credit applicant with information retained by the
bureau in its files
This information is used by lenders such as credit card companies to determine an individuals
credit worthiness that is determining an individuals willingness to repay a debt The willingness
to repay a debt is indicated by how timely past payments have been made to other lenders Lenders
like to see consumer debt obligations paid on a monthly basis
The other factor in determining whether a lender will provide a consumer credit or a loan is
dependent on income The higher the income all other things being equal the more credit the
consumer can access However lenders make credit granting decisions based on both ability to
repay a debt (income) and willingness (the credit report) as indicated in the past payment history
These factors help lenders determine whether to extend credit and on what terms With the
adoption of risk-based pricing on almost all lending in the financial services industry this report
has become even more important since it is usually the sole element used to choose the annual
percentage rate (APR) grace period and other contractual obligations of the credit card or loan
How credit rating is determined
Credit ratings are determined differently in each country but the factors are similar and may
include
Payment record - a record of bills being overdue generally being more than 30 days will lower
the credit rating
25
Control of debt - Lenders want to see that borrowers are not living beyond their means Experts
estimate that non-mortgage credit payments each month should not exceed more than 15
percent of the borrowers after tax income
Signs of responsibility and stability - Lenders perceive things such as longevity in the
borrowers home and job (at least two years) as signs of stability
Re-Aging - Through re-aging a credit history is re-written and you are given a fresh start on
that particular account This can dramatically improve the credit score In 2000 the Federal
Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFEIC) clarified guidelines on re-aging accounts
for delinquent borrowers
Credit outstanding--Lenders dont like to see the amount of credit owed bumping up against the
credit limit of a card Generally a good idea is to owe no more than one-third of your total
credit limit on a credit card
Credit inquiries ndash An inquiry is a notation on a credit history file There are several kinds of
notations that may or may not have an adverse effect on the credit score Soft pulls dont affect
the credit score and are characteristic of the following examples
A credit bureau may sell a persons contact information to an advertiser wanting to offer credit
cards loans and insurance based on certain criteria that the lender has established A creditor also
checks a persons credit periodically Or a credit counseling agency with the clients permission
can obtain a clients credit report with no adverse action Each of the preceding examples are
commonly referred to as a soft credit pull
However hard credit inquiries are made by lenders when consumers are seeking credit or a loan
Lenders when granted a permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act can
check a credit history for the purposes of extending credit to a consumer Hard inquiries from
lenders directly affect the borrowers credit score Keeping credit inquiries to a minimum can help a
persons credit rating A lender may perceive many inquiries over a short period of time on a
persons report as a signal that the person is in financial difficulty and is looking for loans and will
possibly consider that person a poor credit risk
26
Credit cards that are not used - Although it is believed that having too many credit cards can have
an adverse effect on a credit score closing these lines of credit will not improve your score The
credit rating formula looks at the difference between the amount of credit a person has and the
amount being used so closing one or more accounts will reduce your total available credit And the
lower the percentage of available credit the more the credit score will drop The credit formula also
factors in the length of time credit accounts have been open so closing an account with several
years of history is another avoidable credit mistake
Understanding credit reports and scores
The Government of Canada offers a free publication called Understanding Your Credit Report and
Credit Score This publication provides sample credit report and credit score documents with
explanations of the notations and codes that are used It also contains general information on how
to build or improve credit history and how to check for signs that identity theft has occurred The
publication is available online at httpwwwfcacgcca the site of the Financial Consumer Agency
of Canada Paper copies can also be ordered at no charge for residents of Canada
Credit History of Immigrants
Credit history usually applies to only one country Even within the same credit card network
information is not shared between different countries For example if a person has been living in
Canada for many years and then moves to the United States when they apply for credit cards or a
mortgage in the US they would usually not be approved because of a lack of credit history even
if they had an excellent credit rating in their home country and even if they had a very high salary
in their home country
An immigrant must establish a credit history from scratch in the new country Therefore it is
usually very difficult for immigrants to obtain credit cards and mortgages until after they have
worked in the new country with a stable income for several years
Adverse Credit
Adverse credit history also called sub-prime credit history non-status credit history
impaired credit history poor credit history and bad credit history is a negative credit rating
27
A negative credit rating is often considered undesirable to lenders and other extenders of credit for
the purposes of loaning money or capital
In the US a consumers credit history is compiled by credit rating agencies more commonly
referred to as consumer reporting agencies or credit bureaus The data reported to these agencies
are primarily provided to them by creditors and includes detailed records of the relationship a
person has with the lender Detailed account information including payment history credit limits
high and low balances and any aggressive actions taken to recover overdue debts are all reported
regularly (usually monthly) This information is reviewed by a lender to determine whether to
approve a loan and on what terms
As credit became more popular it became more difficult for lenders to evaluate and approve credit
card and loan applications in a timely and efficient manner To address this issue credit scoring
was adopted
Credit scoring is the process of using a proprietary mathematical algorithm to create a numerical
value that describes an applicants overall creditworthiness Scores frequently based on numbers
(ranging from 300-850 for consumers in the United States) statistically analyze a credit history in
comparison to other debtors and gauge the magnitude of financial risk Since lending money to a
person or company is a risk credit scoring offers a standardized way for lenders to assess that risk
rapidly and without prejudiceAll credit bureaus also offer credit scoring as a supplemental
service
Credit scores assess the likelihood that a borrower will repay a loan or other credit obligation The
higher the score the better the credit history and the higher the probability that the loan will be
repaid on time When creditors report an excessive number of late payments or trouble with
collecting payments the score suffers Similarly when adverse judgments and collection agency
activity are reported the score decreases even more Repeated delinquencies or public record
entries can lower the score and trigger what is called a negative credit rating or adverse credit
history
When a lender requests a credit score it can cause a small drop in the credit score That is because
as stated above a number of inquiries over a relatively short period of time can indicate the
consumer is in a financially difficult situation
28
Consequences
The information in a credit report is sold by credit agencies to organizations that are considering
whether to offer credit to individuals or companies It is also available to other entities with a
permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act The consequence of a negative
credit rating is typically a reduction in the likelihood that a lender will approve an application for
credit under favorable terms if at all Interest rates on loans are significantly affected by credit
historymdashthe higher the credit rating the lower the interest while the lower the credit rating the
higher the interest The increased interest is used to offset the higher rate of default within the low
credit rating group of individuals
In the United States in certain cases insurance housing and employment can also be denied based
on a negative credit rating
Note that is not the credit reporting agencies that decide whether a credit history is adverse It is
the individual lender or creditor which makes that decision each lender has its own policy on what
scores fall within their guidelines The specific scores that fall within a lenders guidelines are most
often NOT disclosed to the applicant due to competitive reasons In the United States a creditor is
required to give the reasons for denying credit to an applicant immediately and must also provide
the name and address of the credit reporting agency who provided data that was used to make the
decision
More than One Credit History Per Person
In some countries people can have more than one credit history For example in Canada although
most Canadians are not aware of it every person who applied for credit before obtaining a Social
Insurance Number has two separate credit histories one with SIN and one without SIN This is due
to the credit reporting structure in Canada This can lead to two completely separate parallel
histories and often leads to inconsistencies (although typically the person in question will never
notice the inconsistencies) because when a lender asks for someones credit report with SIN what
the lender gets is different from what he would have gotten if he asked the report without providing
the SIN This is because contrary to popular belief when someone gets a new SIN for whatever
reason the two credit files are never merged unless the person requests specifically As a result a
29
record with SIN zeroed out is kept separately from a record with SIN Note this happens without
the person even knowing it
Credit score
A credit score is a numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a persons credit files to
represent the creditworthiness of that person which is the perceived likelihood that the person will
pay debts in a timely manner A credit score is primarily based on credit report information
typically sourced from credit bureaus credit reference agencies
Lenders such as banks and credit card companies use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk
posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt Lenders use credit
scores to determine who qualifies for a loan at what interest rate and what credit limits The use of
credit or identity scoring prior to authorizing access or granting credit is an implementation of a
trusted system
Credit scoring is not limited to banks Other organizations such as mobile phone companies
insurance companies employers and government departments employ the same techniques Credit
scoring also has a lot of overlap with data mining which uses many similar techniques
30
CHAPTER- 3
INTRODUCTION
OF
SMERA
SMERA ndash AN INTRODUCTION
31
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
A sovereign credit rating is the credit rating of a sovereign entity ie a country The sovereign
credit rating indicates the risk level of the investing environment of a country and is used by
investors looking to invest abroad It takes political risk into account
The table shows the ten least-risky countries for investment as of March 2008 Ratings are further
broken down into components including political risk economic risk Euromoneys bi-annual
country risk index Country risk surveymonitors the political and economic stability of 185
21
sovereign countries Results focus foremost on economics specifically sovereign default risk
andor payment default risk for exporters (aka trade credit risk)
Short term rating
A short term rating is a probability factor of an individual going into default within a year This is
in contrast to long-term rating which is evaluated over a long timeframe
Credit scores for individuals are assigned by credit bureaus (US UK credit reference agencies)
Credit ratings for corporations and sovereign debt are assigned by credit rating agencies
In the United States the main credit bureaus are Experian Equifax and TransUnion A relatively
new credit bureau in the US is Innovis
In the United Kingdom the main credit reference agencies for individuals are Experian Equifax
and Callcredit There is no universal credit rating as such rather each individual lender credit
scores based on its own wish-list of a perfect customer
In Canada the main credit bureaus for individuals are Equifax TransUnion and Northern Credit
Bureaus Experian
In India the main credit bureaus are CRISIL ICRA and Credit Registration Office (CRO)
The largest credit rating agencies (which tend to operate worldwide) are Moodys Standard and
Poors and Fitch Ratings
CREDIT RISK
Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either
the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
Faced by lenders to consumers
Most lenders employ their own models (Credit Scorecards) to rank potential and existing customers
according to risk and then apply appropriate strategies With products such as unsecured personal
loans or mortgages lenders charge a higher price for higher risk customers and vice versa With
22
revolving products such as credit cards and overdrafts risk is controlled through careful setting of
credit limits Some products also require security most commonly in the form of property
Faced by lenders to business
Lenders will trade off the costbenefits of a loan according to its risks and the interest charged But
interest rates are not the only method to compensate for risk Protective covenants are written into
loan agreements that allow the lender some controls These covenants may
limit the borrowers ability to weaken his balance sheet voluntarily eg by buying back shares
or paying dividends or borrowing further
allow for monitoring the debt requiring audits and monthly reports
allow the lender to decide when he can recall the loan based on specific events or when
financial ratios like debtequity or interest coverage deteriorate
A recent innovation to protect lenders and bond holders from the danger of default are credit
derivatives most commonly in the form of a credit default swap These financial contracts allow
companies to buy protection against defaults from a third party the protection seller The protection
seller receives a periodic fee (the credit spread) as compensation for the risk it takes and in return it
agrees to buy the debt should a credit event (default) occur
Faced by business
Companies carry credit risk when for example they do not demand up-front cash payment for
products or services By delivering the product or service first and billing the customer later - if its
a business customer the terms may be quoted as net 30 - the company is carrying a risk between the
delivery and payment
Significant resources and sophisticated programs are used to analyze and manage risk Some
companies run a credit risk department whose job is to assess the financial health of their
customers and extend credit (or not) accordingly They may use in house programs to advise on
avoiding reducing and transferring risk They also use third party provided intelligence
23
Companies like Standard amp Poors Moodys and Dun and Bradstreet provide such information for a
fee
For example a distributor selling its products to a troubled retailer may attempt to lessen credit risk
by tightening payment terms to net 15 or by actually selling fewer products on credit to the
retailer or even cutting off credit entirely and demanding payment in advance Such strategies
impact sales volume but reduce exposure to credit risk and subsequent payment defaults
Credit risk is not really manageable for very small companies (ie those with only one or two
customers) This makes these companies very vulnerable to defaults or even payment delays by
their customers
The use of a collection agency is not really a tool to manage credit risk rather it is an extreme
measure closer to a write down in that the creditor expects a below-agreed return after the
collection agency takes its share (if it is able to get anything at all)
Faced by individuals
Consumers may face credit risk in a direct form as depositors at banks or as investorslenders They
may also face credit risk when entering into standard commercial transactions by providing a
deposit to their counterparty eg for a large purchase or a real estate rental Employees of any firm
also depend on the firms ability to pay wages and are exposed to the credit risk of their employer
In some cases governments recognize that an individuals capacity to evaluate credit risk may be
limited and the risk may reduce economic efficiency governments may enact various legal
measures or mechanisms with the intention of protecting consumers against some of these risks
Bank deposits notably are insured in many countries (to some maximum amount) for individuals
effectively limiting their credit risk to banks and increasing their willingness to use the banking
system
24
Credit history
Credit history or credit report is in many countries a record of an individuals or companys past
borrowing and repaying including information about late payments and bankruptcy The term
credit reputation can either be used synonymous to credit history or to credit score
In the US when a customer fills out an application for credit from a bank store or credit card
company their information is forwarded to a credit bureau The credit bureau matches the name
address and other identifying information on the credit applicant with information retained by the
bureau in its files
This information is used by lenders such as credit card companies to determine an individuals
credit worthiness that is determining an individuals willingness to repay a debt The willingness
to repay a debt is indicated by how timely past payments have been made to other lenders Lenders
like to see consumer debt obligations paid on a monthly basis
The other factor in determining whether a lender will provide a consumer credit or a loan is
dependent on income The higher the income all other things being equal the more credit the
consumer can access However lenders make credit granting decisions based on both ability to
repay a debt (income) and willingness (the credit report) as indicated in the past payment history
These factors help lenders determine whether to extend credit and on what terms With the
adoption of risk-based pricing on almost all lending in the financial services industry this report
has become even more important since it is usually the sole element used to choose the annual
percentage rate (APR) grace period and other contractual obligations of the credit card or loan
How credit rating is determined
Credit ratings are determined differently in each country but the factors are similar and may
include
Payment record - a record of bills being overdue generally being more than 30 days will lower
the credit rating
25
Control of debt - Lenders want to see that borrowers are not living beyond their means Experts
estimate that non-mortgage credit payments each month should not exceed more than 15
percent of the borrowers after tax income
Signs of responsibility and stability - Lenders perceive things such as longevity in the
borrowers home and job (at least two years) as signs of stability
Re-Aging - Through re-aging a credit history is re-written and you are given a fresh start on
that particular account This can dramatically improve the credit score In 2000 the Federal
Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFEIC) clarified guidelines on re-aging accounts
for delinquent borrowers
Credit outstanding--Lenders dont like to see the amount of credit owed bumping up against the
credit limit of a card Generally a good idea is to owe no more than one-third of your total
credit limit on a credit card
Credit inquiries ndash An inquiry is a notation on a credit history file There are several kinds of
notations that may or may not have an adverse effect on the credit score Soft pulls dont affect
the credit score and are characteristic of the following examples
A credit bureau may sell a persons contact information to an advertiser wanting to offer credit
cards loans and insurance based on certain criteria that the lender has established A creditor also
checks a persons credit periodically Or a credit counseling agency with the clients permission
can obtain a clients credit report with no adverse action Each of the preceding examples are
commonly referred to as a soft credit pull
However hard credit inquiries are made by lenders when consumers are seeking credit or a loan
Lenders when granted a permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act can
check a credit history for the purposes of extending credit to a consumer Hard inquiries from
lenders directly affect the borrowers credit score Keeping credit inquiries to a minimum can help a
persons credit rating A lender may perceive many inquiries over a short period of time on a
persons report as a signal that the person is in financial difficulty and is looking for loans and will
possibly consider that person a poor credit risk
26
Credit cards that are not used - Although it is believed that having too many credit cards can have
an adverse effect on a credit score closing these lines of credit will not improve your score The
credit rating formula looks at the difference between the amount of credit a person has and the
amount being used so closing one or more accounts will reduce your total available credit And the
lower the percentage of available credit the more the credit score will drop The credit formula also
factors in the length of time credit accounts have been open so closing an account with several
years of history is another avoidable credit mistake
Understanding credit reports and scores
The Government of Canada offers a free publication called Understanding Your Credit Report and
Credit Score This publication provides sample credit report and credit score documents with
explanations of the notations and codes that are used It also contains general information on how
to build or improve credit history and how to check for signs that identity theft has occurred The
publication is available online at httpwwwfcacgcca the site of the Financial Consumer Agency
of Canada Paper copies can also be ordered at no charge for residents of Canada
Credit History of Immigrants
Credit history usually applies to only one country Even within the same credit card network
information is not shared between different countries For example if a person has been living in
Canada for many years and then moves to the United States when they apply for credit cards or a
mortgage in the US they would usually not be approved because of a lack of credit history even
if they had an excellent credit rating in their home country and even if they had a very high salary
in their home country
An immigrant must establish a credit history from scratch in the new country Therefore it is
usually very difficult for immigrants to obtain credit cards and mortgages until after they have
worked in the new country with a stable income for several years
Adverse Credit
Adverse credit history also called sub-prime credit history non-status credit history
impaired credit history poor credit history and bad credit history is a negative credit rating
27
A negative credit rating is often considered undesirable to lenders and other extenders of credit for
the purposes of loaning money or capital
In the US a consumers credit history is compiled by credit rating agencies more commonly
referred to as consumer reporting agencies or credit bureaus The data reported to these agencies
are primarily provided to them by creditors and includes detailed records of the relationship a
person has with the lender Detailed account information including payment history credit limits
high and low balances and any aggressive actions taken to recover overdue debts are all reported
regularly (usually monthly) This information is reviewed by a lender to determine whether to
approve a loan and on what terms
As credit became more popular it became more difficult for lenders to evaluate and approve credit
card and loan applications in a timely and efficient manner To address this issue credit scoring
was adopted
Credit scoring is the process of using a proprietary mathematical algorithm to create a numerical
value that describes an applicants overall creditworthiness Scores frequently based on numbers
(ranging from 300-850 for consumers in the United States) statistically analyze a credit history in
comparison to other debtors and gauge the magnitude of financial risk Since lending money to a
person or company is a risk credit scoring offers a standardized way for lenders to assess that risk
rapidly and without prejudiceAll credit bureaus also offer credit scoring as a supplemental
service
Credit scores assess the likelihood that a borrower will repay a loan or other credit obligation The
higher the score the better the credit history and the higher the probability that the loan will be
repaid on time When creditors report an excessive number of late payments or trouble with
collecting payments the score suffers Similarly when adverse judgments and collection agency
activity are reported the score decreases even more Repeated delinquencies or public record
entries can lower the score and trigger what is called a negative credit rating or adverse credit
history
When a lender requests a credit score it can cause a small drop in the credit score That is because
as stated above a number of inquiries over a relatively short period of time can indicate the
consumer is in a financially difficult situation
28
Consequences
The information in a credit report is sold by credit agencies to organizations that are considering
whether to offer credit to individuals or companies It is also available to other entities with a
permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act The consequence of a negative
credit rating is typically a reduction in the likelihood that a lender will approve an application for
credit under favorable terms if at all Interest rates on loans are significantly affected by credit
historymdashthe higher the credit rating the lower the interest while the lower the credit rating the
higher the interest The increased interest is used to offset the higher rate of default within the low
credit rating group of individuals
In the United States in certain cases insurance housing and employment can also be denied based
on a negative credit rating
Note that is not the credit reporting agencies that decide whether a credit history is adverse It is
the individual lender or creditor which makes that decision each lender has its own policy on what
scores fall within their guidelines The specific scores that fall within a lenders guidelines are most
often NOT disclosed to the applicant due to competitive reasons In the United States a creditor is
required to give the reasons for denying credit to an applicant immediately and must also provide
the name and address of the credit reporting agency who provided data that was used to make the
decision
More than One Credit History Per Person
In some countries people can have more than one credit history For example in Canada although
most Canadians are not aware of it every person who applied for credit before obtaining a Social
Insurance Number has two separate credit histories one with SIN and one without SIN This is due
to the credit reporting structure in Canada This can lead to two completely separate parallel
histories and often leads to inconsistencies (although typically the person in question will never
notice the inconsistencies) because when a lender asks for someones credit report with SIN what
the lender gets is different from what he would have gotten if he asked the report without providing
the SIN This is because contrary to popular belief when someone gets a new SIN for whatever
reason the two credit files are never merged unless the person requests specifically As a result a
29
record with SIN zeroed out is kept separately from a record with SIN Note this happens without
the person even knowing it
Credit score
A credit score is a numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a persons credit files to
represent the creditworthiness of that person which is the perceived likelihood that the person will
pay debts in a timely manner A credit score is primarily based on credit report information
typically sourced from credit bureaus credit reference agencies
Lenders such as banks and credit card companies use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk
posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt Lenders use credit
scores to determine who qualifies for a loan at what interest rate and what credit limits The use of
credit or identity scoring prior to authorizing access or granting credit is an implementation of a
trusted system
Credit scoring is not limited to banks Other organizations such as mobile phone companies
insurance companies employers and government departments employ the same techniques Credit
scoring also has a lot of overlap with data mining which uses many similar techniques
30
CHAPTER- 3
INTRODUCTION
OF
SMERA
SMERA ndash AN INTRODUCTION
31
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
sovereign countries Results focus foremost on economics specifically sovereign default risk
andor payment default risk for exporters (aka trade credit risk)
Short term rating
A short term rating is a probability factor of an individual going into default within a year This is
in contrast to long-term rating which is evaluated over a long timeframe
Credit scores for individuals are assigned by credit bureaus (US UK credit reference agencies)
Credit ratings for corporations and sovereign debt are assigned by credit rating agencies
In the United States the main credit bureaus are Experian Equifax and TransUnion A relatively
new credit bureau in the US is Innovis
In the United Kingdom the main credit reference agencies for individuals are Experian Equifax
and Callcredit There is no universal credit rating as such rather each individual lender credit
scores based on its own wish-list of a perfect customer
In Canada the main credit bureaus for individuals are Equifax TransUnion and Northern Credit
Bureaus Experian
In India the main credit bureaus are CRISIL ICRA and Credit Registration Office (CRO)
The largest credit rating agencies (which tend to operate worldwide) are Moodys Standard and
Poors and Fitch Ratings
CREDIT RISK
Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either
the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
Faced by lenders to consumers
Most lenders employ their own models (Credit Scorecards) to rank potential and existing customers
according to risk and then apply appropriate strategies With products such as unsecured personal
loans or mortgages lenders charge a higher price for higher risk customers and vice versa With
22
revolving products such as credit cards and overdrafts risk is controlled through careful setting of
credit limits Some products also require security most commonly in the form of property
Faced by lenders to business
Lenders will trade off the costbenefits of a loan according to its risks and the interest charged But
interest rates are not the only method to compensate for risk Protective covenants are written into
loan agreements that allow the lender some controls These covenants may
limit the borrowers ability to weaken his balance sheet voluntarily eg by buying back shares
or paying dividends or borrowing further
allow for monitoring the debt requiring audits and monthly reports
allow the lender to decide when he can recall the loan based on specific events or when
financial ratios like debtequity or interest coverage deteriorate
A recent innovation to protect lenders and bond holders from the danger of default are credit
derivatives most commonly in the form of a credit default swap These financial contracts allow
companies to buy protection against defaults from a third party the protection seller The protection
seller receives a periodic fee (the credit spread) as compensation for the risk it takes and in return it
agrees to buy the debt should a credit event (default) occur
Faced by business
Companies carry credit risk when for example they do not demand up-front cash payment for
products or services By delivering the product or service first and billing the customer later - if its
a business customer the terms may be quoted as net 30 - the company is carrying a risk between the
delivery and payment
Significant resources and sophisticated programs are used to analyze and manage risk Some
companies run a credit risk department whose job is to assess the financial health of their
customers and extend credit (or not) accordingly They may use in house programs to advise on
avoiding reducing and transferring risk They also use third party provided intelligence
23
Companies like Standard amp Poors Moodys and Dun and Bradstreet provide such information for a
fee
For example a distributor selling its products to a troubled retailer may attempt to lessen credit risk
by tightening payment terms to net 15 or by actually selling fewer products on credit to the
retailer or even cutting off credit entirely and demanding payment in advance Such strategies
impact sales volume but reduce exposure to credit risk and subsequent payment defaults
Credit risk is not really manageable for very small companies (ie those with only one or two
customers) This makes these companies very vulnerable to defaults or even payment delays by
their customers
The use of a collection agency is not really a tool to manage credit risk rather it is an extreme
measure closer to a write down in that the creditor expects a below-agreed return after the
collection agency takes its share (if it is able to get anything at all)
Faced by individuals
Consumers may face credit risk in a direct form as depositors at banks or as investorslenders They
may also face credit risk when entering into standard commercial transactions by providing a
deposit to their counterparty eg for a large purchase or a real estate rental Employees of any firm
also depend on the firms ability to pay wages and are exposed to the credit risk of their employer
In some cases governments recognize that an individuals capacity to evaluate credit risk may be
limited and the risk may reduce economic efficiency governments may enact various legal
measures or mechanisms with the intention of protecting consumers against some of these risks
Bank deposits notably are insured in many countries (to some maximum amount) for individuals
effectively limiting their credit risk to banks and increasing their willingness to use the banking
system
24
Credit history
Credit history or credit report is in many countries a record of an individuals or companys past
borrowing and repaying including information about late payments and bankruptcy The term
credit reputation can either be used synonymous to credit history or to credit score
In the US when a customer fills out an application for credit from a bank store or credit card
company their information is forwarded to a credit bureau The credit bureau matches the name
address and other identifying information on the credit applicant with information retained by the
bureau in its files
This information is used by lenders such as credit card companies to determine an individuals
credit worthiness that is determining an individuals willingness to repay a debt The willingness
to repay a debt is indicated by how timely past payments have been made to other lenders Lenders
like to see consumer debt obligations paid on a monthly basis
The other factor in determining whether a lender will provide a consumer credit or a loan is
dependent on income The higher the income all other things being equal the more credit the
consumer can access However lenders make credit granting decisions based on both ability to
repay a debt (income) and willingness (the credit report) as indicated in the past payment history
These factors help lenders determine whether to extend credit and on what terms With the
adoption of risk-based pricing on almost all lending in the financial services industry this report
has become even more important since it is usually the sole element used to choose the annual
percentage rate (APR) grace period and other contractual obligations of the credit card or loan
How credit rating is determined
Credit ratings are determined differently in each country but the factors are similar and may
include
Payment record - a record of bills being overdue generally being more than 30 days will lower
the credit rating
25
Control of debt - Lenders want to see that borrowers are not living beyond their means Experts
estimate that non-mortgage credit payments each month should not exceed more than 15
percent of the borrowers after tax income
Signs of responsibility and stability - Lenders perceive things such as longevity in the
borrowers home and job (at least two years) as signs of stability
Re-Aging - Through re-aging a credit history is re-written and you are given a fresh start on
that particular account This can dramatically improve the credit score In 2000 the Federal
Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFEIC) clarified guidelines on re-aging accounts
for delinquent borrowers
Credit outstanding--Lenders dont like to see the amount of credit owed bumping up against the
credit limit of a card Generally a good idea is to owe no more than one-third of your total
credit limit on a credit card
Credit inquiries ndash An inquiry is a notation on a credit history file There are several kinds of
notations that may or may not have an adverse effect on the credit score Soft pulls dont affect
the credit score and are characteristic of the following examples
A credit bureau may sell a persons contact information to an advertiser wanting to offer credit
cards loans and insurance based on certain criteria that the lender has established A creditor also
checks a persons credit periodically Or a credit counseling agency with the clients permission
can obtain a clients credit report with no adverse action Each of the preceding examples are
commonly referred to as a soft credit pull
However hard credit inquiries are made by lenders when consumers are seeking credit or a loan
Lenders when granted a permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act can
check a credit history for the purposes of extending credit to a consumer Hard inquiries from
lenders directly affect the borrowers credit score Keeping credit inquiries to a minimum can help a
persons credit rating A lender may perceive many inquiries over a short period of time on a
persons report as a signal that the person is in financial difficulty and is looking for loans and will
possibly consider that person a poor credit risk
26
Credit cards that are not used - Although it is believed that having too many credit cards can have
an adverse effect on a credit score closing these lines of credit will not improve your score The
credit rating formula looks at the difference between the amount of credit a person has and the
amount being used so closing one or more accounts will reduce your total available credit And the
lower the percentage of available credit the more the credit score will drop The credit formula also
factors in the length of time credit accounts have been open so closing an account with several
years of history is another avoidable credit mistake
Understanding credit reports and scores
The Government of Canada offers a free publication called Understanding Your Credit Report and
Credit Score This publication provides sample credit report and credit score documents with
explanations of the notations and codes that are used It also contains general information on how
to build or improve credit history and how to check for signs that identity theft has occurred The
publication is available online at httpwwwfcacgcca the site of the Financial Consumer Agency
of Canada Paper copies can also be ordered at no charge for residents of Canada
Credit History of Immigrants
Credit history usually applies to only one country Even within the same credit card network
information is not shared between different countries For example if a person has been living in
Canada for many years and then moves to the United States when they apply for credit cards or a
mortgage in the US they would usually not be approved because of a lack of credit history even
if they had an excellent credit rating in their home country and even if they had a very high salary
in their home country
An immigrant must establish a credit history from scratch in the new country Therefore it is
usually very difficult for immigrants to obtain credit cards and mortgages until after they have
worked in the new country with a stable income for several years
Adverse Credit
Adverse credit history also called sub-prime credit history non-status credit history
impaired credit history poor credit history and bad credit history is a negative credit rating
27
A negative credit rating is often considered undesirable to lenders and other extenders of credit for
the purposes of loaning money or capital
In the US a consumers credit history is compiled by credit rating agencies more commonly
referred to as consumer reporting agencies or credit bureaus The data reported to these agencies
are primarily provided to them by creditors and includes detailed records of the relationship a
person has with the lender Detailed account information including payment history credit limits
high and low balances and any aggressive actions taken to recover overdue debts are all reported
regularly (usually monthly) This information is reviewed by a lender to determine whether to
approve a loan and on what terms
As credit became more popular it became more difficult for lenders to evaluate and approve credit
card and loan applications in a timely and efficient manner To address this issue credit scoring
was adopted
Credit scoring is the process of using a proprietary mathematical algorithm to create a numerical
value that describes an applicants overall creditworthiness Scores frequently based on numbers
(ranging from 300-850 for consumers in the United States) statistically analyze a credit history in
comparison to other debtors and gauge the magnitude of financial risk Since lending money to a
person or company is a risk credit scoring offers a standardized way for lenders to assess that risk
rapidly and without prejudiceAll credit bureaus also offer credit scoring as a supplemental
service
Credit scores assess the likelihood that a borrower will repay a loan or other credit obligation The
higher the score the better the credit history and the higher the probability that the loan will be
repaid on time When creditors report an excessive number of late payments or trouble with
collecting payments the score suffers Similarly when adverse judgments and collection agency
activity are reported the score decreases even more Repeated delinquencies or public record
entries can lower the score and trigger what is called a negative credit rating or adverse credit
history
When a lender requests a credit score it can cause a small drop in the credit score That is because
as stated above a number of inquiries over a relatively short period of time can indicate the
consumer is in a financially difficult situation
28
Consequences
The information in a credit report is sold by credit agencies to organizations that are considering
whether to offer credit to individuals or companies It is also available to other entities with a
permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act The consequence of a negative
credit rating is typically a reduction in the likelihood that a lender will approve an application for
credit under favorable terms if at all Interest rates on loans are significantly affected by credit
historymdashthe higher the credit rating the lower the interest while the lower the credit rating the
higher the interest The increased interest is used to offset the higher rate of default within the low
credit rating group of individuals
In the United States in certain cases insurance housing and employment can also be denied based
on a negative credit rating
Note that is not the credit reporting agencies that decide whether a credit history is adverse It is
the individual lender or creditor which makes that decision each lender has its own policy on what
scores fall within their guidelines The specific scores that fall within a lenders guidelines are most
often NOT disclosed to the applicant due to competitive reasons In the United States a creditor is
required to give the reasons for denying credit to an applicant immediately and must also provide
the name and address of the credit reporting agency who provided data that was used to make the
decision
More than One Credit History Per Person
In some countries people can have more than one credit history For example in Canada although
most Canadians are not aware of it every person who applied for credit before obtaining a Social
Insurance Number has two separate credit histories one with SIN and one without SIN This is due
to the credit reporting structure in Canada This can lead to two completely separate parallel
histories and often leads to inconsistencies (although typically the person in question will never
notice the inconsistencies) because when a lender asks for someones credit report with SIN what
the lender gets is different from what he would have gotten if he asked the report without providing
the SIN This is because contrary to popular belief when someone gets a new SIN for whatever
reason the two credit files are never merged unless the person requests specifically As a result a
29
record with SIN zeroed out is kept separately from a record with SIN Note this happens without
the person even knowing it
Credit score
A credit score is a numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a persons credit files to
represent the creditworthiness of that person which is the perceived likelihood that the person will
pay debts in a timely manner A credit score is primarily based on credit report information
typically sourced from credit bureaus credit reference agencies
Lenders such as banks and credit card companies use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk
posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt Lenders use credit
scores to determine who qualifies for a loan at what interest rate and what credit limits The use of
credit or identity scoring prior to authorizing access or granting credit is an implementation of a
trusted system
Credit scoring is not limited to banks Other organizations such as mobile phone companies
insurance companies employers and government departments employ the same techniques Credit
scoring also has a lot of overlap with data mining which uses many similar techniques
30
CHAPTER- 3
INTRODUCTION
OF
SMERA
SMERA ndash AN INTRODUCTION
31
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
revolving products such as credit cards and overdrafts risk is controlled through careful setting of
credit limits Some products also require security most commonly in the form of property
Faced by lenders to business
Lenders will trade off the costbenefits of a loan according to its risks and the interest charged But
interest rates are not the only method to compensate for risk Protective covenants are written into
loan agreements that allow the lender some controls These covenants may
limit the borrowers ability to weaken his balance sheet voluntarily eg by buying back shares
or paying dividends or borrowing further
allow for monitoring the debt requiring audits and monthly reports
allow the lender to decide when he can recall the loan based on specific events or when
financial ratios like debtequity or interest coverage deteriorate
A recent innovation to protect lenders and bond holders from the danger of default are credit
derivatives most commonly in the form of a credit default swap These financial contracts allow
companies to buy protection against defaults from a third party the protection seller The protection
seller receives a periodic fee (the credit spread) as compensation for the risk it takes and in return it
agrees to buy the debt should a credit event (default) occur
Faced by business
Companies carry credit risk when for example they do not demand up-front cash payment for
products or services By delivering the product or service first and billing the customer later - if its
a business customer the terms may be quoted as net 30 - the company is carrying a risk between the
delivery and payment
Significant resources and sophisticated programs are used to analyze and manage risk Some
companies run a credit risk department whose job is to assess the financial health of their
customers and extend credit (or not) accordingly They may use in house programs to advise on
avoiding reducing and transferring risk They also use third party provided intelligence
23
Companies like Standard amp Poors Moodys and Dun and Bradstreet provide such information for a
fee
For example a distributor selling its products to a troubled retailer may attempt to lessen credit risk
by tightening payment terms to net 15 or by actually selling fewer products on credit to the
retailer or even cutting off credit entirely and demanding payment in advance Such strategies
impact sales volume but reduce exposure to credit risk and subsequent payment defaults
Credit risk is not really manageable for very small companies (ie those with only one or two
customers) This makes these companies very vulnerable to defaults or even payment delays by
their customers
The use of a collection agency is not really a tool to manage credit risk rather it is an extreme
measure closer to a write down in that the creditor expects a below-agreed return after the
collection agency takes its share (if it is able to get anything at all)
Faced by individuals
Consumers may face credit risk in a direct form as depositors at banks or as investorslenders They
may also face credit risk when entering into standard commercial transactions by providing a
deposit to their counterparty eg for a large purchase or a real estate rental Employees of any firm
also depend on the firms ability to pay wages and are exposed to the credit risk of their employer
In some cases governments recognize that an individuals capacity to evaluate credit risk may be
limited and the risk may reduce economic efficiency governments may enact various legal
measures or mechanisms with the intention of protecting consumers against some of these risks
Bank deposits notably are insured in many countries (to some maximum amount) for individuals
effectively limiting their credit risk to banks and increasing their willingness to use the banking
system
24
Credit history
Credit history or credit report is in many countries a record of an individuals or companys past
borrowing and repaying including information about late payments and bankruptcy The term
credit reputation can either be used synonymous to credit history or to credit score
In the US when a customer fills out an application for credit from a bank store or credit card
company their information is forwarded to a credit bureau The credit bureau matches the name
address and other identifying information on the credit applicant with information retained by the
bureau in its files
This information is used by lenders such as credit card companies to determine an individuals
credit worthiness that is determining an individuals willingness to repay a debt The willingness
to repay a debt is indicated by how timely past payments have been made to other lenders Lenders
like to see consumer debt obligations paid on a monthly basis
The other factor in determining whether a lender will provide a consumer credit or a loan is
dependent on income The higher the income all other things being equal the more credit the
consumer can access However lenders make credit granting decisions based on both ability to
repay a debt (income) and willingness (the credit report) as indicated in the past payment history
These factors help lenders determine whether to extend credit and on what terms With the
adoption of risk-based pricing on almost all lending in the financial services industry this report
has become even more important since it is usually the sole element used to choose the annual
percentage rate (APR) grace period and other contractual obligations of the credit card or loan
How credit rating is determined
Credit ratings are determined differently in each country but the factors are similar and may
include
Payment record - a record of bills being overdue generally being more than 30 days will lower
the credit rating
25
Control of debt - Lenders want to see that borrowers are not living beyond their means Experts
estimate that non-mortgage credit payments each month should not exceed more than 15
percent of the borrowers after tax income
Signs of responsibility and stability - Lenders perceive things such as longevity in the
borrowers home and job (at least two years) as signs of stability
Re-Aging - Through re-aging a credit history is re-written and you are given a fresh start on
that particular account This can dramatically improve the credit score In 2000 the Federal
Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFEIC) clarified guidelines on re-aging accounts
for delinquent borrowers
Credit outstanding--Lenders dont like to see the amount of credit owed bumping up against the
credit limit of a card Generally a good idea is to owe no more than one-third of your total
credit limit on a credit card
Credit inquiries ndash An inquiry is a notation on a credit history file There are several kinds of
notations that may or may not have an adverse effect on the credit score Soft pulls dont affect
the credit score and are characteristic of the following examples
A credit bureau may sell a persons contact information to an advertiser wanting to offer credit
cards loans and insurance based on certain criteria that the lender has established A creditor also
checks a persons credit periodically Or a credit counseling agency with the clients permission
can obtain a clients credit report with no adverse action Each of the preceding examples are
commonly referred to as a soft credit pull
However hard credit inquiries are made by lenders when consumers are seeking credit or a loan
Lenders when granted a permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act can
check a credit history for the purposes of extending credit to a consumer Hard inquiries from
lenders directly affect the borrowers credit score Keeping credit inquiries to a minimum can help a
persons credit rating A lender may perceive many inquiries over a short period of time on a
persons report as a signal that the person is in financial difficulty and is looking for loans and will
possibly consider that person a poor credit risk
26
Credit cards that are not used - Although it is believed that having too many credit cards can have
an adverse effect on a credit score closing these lines of credit will not improve your score The
credit rating formula looks at the difference between the amount of credit a person has and the
amount being used so closing one or more accounts will reduce your total available credit And the
lower the percentage of available credit the more the credit score will drop The credit formula also
factors in the length of time credit accounts have been open so closing an account with several
years of history is another avoidable credit mistake
Understanding credit reports and scores
The Government of Canada offers a free publication called Understanding Your Credit Report and
Credit Score This publication provides sample credit report and credit score documents with
explanations of the notations and codes that are used It also contains general information on how
to build or improve credit history and how to check for signs that identity theft has occurred The
publication is available online at httpwwwfcacgcca the site of the Financial Consumer Agency
of Canada Paper copies can also be ordered at no charge for residents of Canada
Credit History of Immigrants
Credit history usually applies to only one country Even within the same credit card network
information is not shared between different countries For example if a person has been living in
Canada for many years and then moves to the United States when they apply for credit cards or a
mortgage in the US they would usually not be approved because of a lack of credit history even
if they had an excellent credit rating in their home country and even if they had a very high salary
in their home country
An immigrant must establish a credit history from scratch in the new country Therefore it is
usually very difficult for immigrants to obtain credit cards and mortgages until after they have
worked in the new country with a stable income for several years
Adverse Credit
Adverse credit history also called sub-prime credit history non-status credit history
impaired credit history poor credit history and bad credit history is a negative credit rating
27
A negative credit rating is often considered undesirable to lenders and other extenders of credit for
the purposes of loaning money or capital
In the US a consumers credit history is compiled by credit rating agencies more commonly
referred to as consumer reporting agencies or credit bureaus The data reported to these agencies
are primarily provided to them by creditors and includes detailed records of the relationship a
person has with the lender Detailed account information including payment history credit limits
high and low balances and any aggressive actions taken to recover overdue debts are all reported
regularly (usually monthly) This information is reviewed by a lender to determine whether to
approve a loan and on what terms
As credit became more popular it became more difficult for lenders to evaluate and approve credit
card and loan applications in a timely and efficient manner To address this issue credit scoring
was adopted
Credit scoring is the process of using a proprietary mathematical algorithm to create a numerical
value that describes an applicants overall creditworthiness Scores frequently based on numbers
(ranging from 300-850 for consumers in the United States) statistically analyze a credit history in
comparison to other debtors and gauge the magnitude of financial risk Since lending money to a
person or company is a risk credit scoring offers a standardized way for lenders to assess that risk
rapidly and without prejudiceAll credit bureaus also offer credit scoring as a supplemental
service
Credit scores assess the likelihood that a borrower will repay a loan or other credit obligation The
higher the score the better the credit history and the higher the probability that the loan will be
repaid on time When creditors report an excessive number of late payments or trouble with
collecting payments the score suffers Similarly when adverse judgments and collection agency
activity are reported the score decreases even more Repeated delinquencies or public record
entries can lower the score and trigger what is called a negative credit rating or adverse credit
history
When a lender requests a credit score it can cause a small drop in the credit score That is because
as stated above a number of inquiries over a relatively short period of time can indicate the
consumer is in a financially difficult situation
28
Consequences
The information in a credit report is sold by credit agencies to organizations that are considering
whether to offer credit to individuals or companies It is also available to other entities with a
permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act The consequence of a negative
credit rating is typically a reduction in the likelihood that a lender will approve an application for
credit under favorable terms if at all Interest rates on loans are significantly affected by credit
historymdashthe higher the credit rating the lower the interest while the lower the credit rating the
higher the interest The increased interest is used to offset the higher rate of default within the low
credit rating group of individuals
In the United States in certain cases insurance housing and employment can also be denied based
on a negative credit rating
Note that is not the credit reporting agencies that decide whether a credit history is adverse It is
the individual lender or creditor which makes that decision each lender has its own policy on what
scores fall within their guidelines The specific scores that fall within a lenders guidelines are most
often NOT disclosed to the applicant due to competitive reasons In the United States a creditor is
required to give the reasons for denying credit to an applicant immediately and must also provide
the name and address of the credit reporting agency who provided data that was used to make the
decision
More than One Credit History Per Person
In some countries people can have more than one credit history For example in Canada although
most Canadians are not aware of it every person who applied for credit before obtaining a Social
Insurance Number has two separate credit histories one with SIN and one without SIN This is due
to the credit reporting structure in Canada This can lead to two completely separate parallel
histories and often leads to inconsistencies (although typically the person in question will never
notice the inconsistencies) because when a lender asks for someones credit report with SIN what
the lender gets is different from what he would have gotten if he asked the report without providing
the SIN This is because contrary to popular belief when someone gets a new SIN for whatever
reason the two credit files are never merged unless the person requests specifically As a result a
29
record with SIN zeroed out is kept separately from a record with SIN Note this happens without
the person even knowing it
Credit score
A credit score is a numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a persons credit files to
represent the creditworthiness of that person which is the perceived likelihood that the person will
pay debts in a timely manner A credit score is primarily based on credit report information
typically sourced from credit bureaus credit reference agencies
Lenders such as banks and credit card companies use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk
posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt Lenders use credit
scores to determine who qualifies for a loan at what interest rate and what credit limits The use of
credit or identity scoring prior to authorizing access or granting credit is an implementation of a
trusted system
Credit scoring is not limited to banks Other organizations such as mobile phone companies
insurance companies employers and government departments employ the same techniques Credit
scoring also has a lot of overlap with data mining which uses many similar techniques
30
CHAPTER- 3
INTRODUCTION
OF
SMERA
SMERA ndash AN INTRODUCTION
31
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Companies like Standard amp Poors Moodys and Dun and Bradstreet provide such information for a
fee
For example a distributor selling its products to a troubled retailer may attempt to lessen credit risk
by tightening payment terms to net 15 or by actually selling fewer products on credit to the
retailer or even cutting off credit entirely and demanding payment in advance Such strategies
impact sales volume but reduce exposure to credit risk and subsequent payment defaults
Credit risk is not really manageable for very small companies (ie those with only one or two
customers) This makes these companies very vulnerable to defaults or even payment delays by
their customers
The use of a collection agency is not really a tool to manage credit risk rather it is an extreme
measure closer to a write down in that the creditor expects a below-agreed return after the
collection agency takes its share (if it is able to get anything at all)
Faced by individuals
Consumers may face credit risk in a direct form as depositors at banks or as investorslenders They
may also face credit risk when entering into standard commercial transactions by providing a
deposit to their counterparty eg for a large purchase or a real estate rental Employees of any firm
also depend on the firms ability to pay wages and are exposed to the credit risk of their employer
In some cases governments recognize that an individuals capacity to evaluate credit risk may be
limited and the risk may reduce economic efficiency governments may enact various legal
measures or mechanisms with the intention of protecting consumers against some of these risks
Bank deposits notably are insured in many countries (to some maximum amount) for individuals
effectively limiting their credit risk to banks and increasing their willingness to use the banking
system
24
Credit history
Credit history or credit report is in many countries a record of an individuals or companys past
borrowing and repaying including information about late payments and bankruptcy The term
credit reputation can either be used synonymous to credit history or to credit score
In the US when a customer fills out an application for credit from a bank store or credit card
company their information is forwarded to a credit bureau The credit bureau matches the name
address and other identifying information on the credit applicant with information retained by the
bureau in its files
This information is used by lenders such as credit card companies to determine an individuals
credit worthiness that is determining an individuals willingness to repay a debt The willingness
to repay a debt is indicated by how timely past payments have been made to other lenders Lenders
like to see consumer debt obligations paid on a monthly basis
The other factor in determining whether a lender will provide a consumer credit or a loan is
dependent on income The higher the income all other things being equal the more credit the
consumer can access However lenders make credit granting decisions based on both ability to
repay a debt (income) and willingness (the credit report) as indicated in the past payment history
These factors help lenders determine whether to extend credit and on what terms With the
adoption of risk-based pricing on almost all lending in the financial services industry this report
has become even more important since it is usually the sole element used to choose the annual
percentage rate (APR) grace period and other contractual obligations of the credit card or loan
How credit rating is determined
Credit ratings are determined differently in each country but the factors are similar and may
include
Payment record - a record of bills being overdue generally being more than 30 days will lower
the credit rating
25
Control of debt - Lenders want to see that borrowers are not living beyond their means Experts
estimate that non-mortgage credit payments each month should not exceed more than 15
percent of the borrowers after tax income
Signs of responsibility and stability - Lenders perceive things such as longevity in the
borrowers home and job (at least two years) as signs of stability
Re-Aging - Through re-aging a credit history is re-written and you are given a fresh start on
that particular account This can dramatically improve the credit score In 2000 the Federal
Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFEIC) clarified guidelines on re-aging accounts
for delinquent borrowers
Credit outstanding--Lenders dont like to see the amount of credit owed bumping up against the
credit limit of a card Generally a good idea is to owe no more than one-third of your total
credit limit on a credit card
Credit inquiries ndash An inquiry is a notation on a credit history file There are several kinds of
notations that may or may not have an adverse effect on the credit score Soft pulls dont affect
the credit score and are characteristic of the following examples
A credit bureau may sell a persons contact information to an advertiser wanting to offer credit
cards loans and insurance based on certain criteria that the lender has established A creditor also
checks a persons credit periodically Or a credit counseling agency with the clients permission
can obtain a clients credit report with no adverse action Each of the preceding examples are
commonly referred to as a soft credit pull
However hard credit inquiries are made by lenders when consumers are seeking credit or a loan
Lenders when granted a permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act can
check a credit history for the purposes of extending credit to a consumer Hard inquiries from
lenders directly affect the borrowers credit score Keeping credit inquiries to a minimum can help a
persons credit rating A lender may perceive many inquiries over a short period of time on a
persons report as a signal that the person is in financial difficulty and is looking for loans and will
possibly consider that person a poor credit risk
26
Credit cards that are not used - Although it is believed that having too many credit cards can have
an adverse effect on a credit score closing these lines of credit will not improve your score The
credit rating formula looks at the difference between the amount of credit a person has and the
amount being used so closing one or more accounts will reduce your total available credit And the
lower the percentage of available credit the more the credit score will drop The credit formula also
factors in the length of time credit accounts have been open so closing an account with several
years of history is another avoidable credit mistake
Understanding credit reports and scores
The Government of Canada offers a free publication called Understanding Your Credit Report and
Credit Score This publication provides sample credit report and credit score documents with
explanations of the notations and codes that are used It also contains general information on how
to build or improve credit history and how to check for signs that identity theft has occurred The
publication is available online at httpwwwfcacgcca the site of the Financial Consumer Agency
of Canada Paper copies can also be ordered at no charge for residents of Canada
Credit History of Immigrants
Credit history usually applies to only one country Even within the same credit card network
information is not shared between different countries For example if a person has been living in
Canada for many years and then moves to the United States when they apply for credit cards or a
mortgage in the US they would usually not be approved because of a lack of credit history even
if they had an excellent credit rating in their home country and even if they had a very high salary
in their home country
An immigrant must establish a credit history from scratch in the new country Therefore it is
usually very difficult for immigrants to obtain credit cards and mortgages until after they have
worked in the new country with a stable income for several years
Adverse Credit
Adverse credit history also called sub-prime credit history non-status credit history
impaired credit history poor credit history and bad credit history is a negative credit rating
27
A negative credit rating is often considered undesirable to lenders and other extenders of credit for
the purposes of loaning money or capital
In the US a consumers credit history is compiled by credit rating agencies more commonly
referred to as consumer reporting agencies or credit bureaus The data reported to these agencies
are primarily provided to them by creditors and includes detailed records of the relationship a
person has with the lender Detailed account information including payment history credit limits
high and low balances and any aggressive actions taken to recover overdue debts are all reported
regularly (usually monthly) This information is reviewed by a lender to determine whether to
approve a loan and on what terms
As credit became more popular it became more difficult for lenders to evaluate and approve credit
card and loan applications in a timely and efficient manner To address this issue credit scoring
was adopted
Credit scoring is the process of using a proprietary mathematical algorithm to create a numerical
value that describes an applicants overall creditworthiness Scores frequently based on numbers
(ranging from 300-850 for consumers in the United States) statistically analyze a credit history in
comparison to other debtors and gauge the magnitude of financial risk Since lending money to a
person or company is a risk credit scoring offers a standardized way for lenders to assess that risk
rapidly and without prejudiceAll credit bureaus also offer credit scoring as a supplemental
service
Credit scores assess the likelihood that a borrower will repay a loan or other credit obligation The
higher the score the better the credit history and the higher the probability that the loan will be
repaid on time When creditors report an excessive number of late payments or trouble with
collecting payments the score suffers Similarly when adverse judgments and collection agency
activity are reported the score decreases even more Repeated delinquencies or public record
entries can lower the score and trigger what is called a negative credit rating or adverse credit
history
When a lender requests a credit score it can cause a small drop in the credit score That is because
as stated above a number of inquiries over a relatively short period of time can indicate the
consumer is in a financially difficult situation
28
Consequences
The information in a credit report is sold by credit agencies to organizations that are considering
whether to offer credit to individuals or companies It is also available to other entities with a
permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act The consequence of a negative
credit rating is typically a reduction in the likelihood that a lender will approve an application for
credit under favorable terms if at all Interest rates on loans are significantly affected by credit
historymdashthe higher the credit rating the lower the interest while the lower the credit rating the
higher the interest The increased interest is used to offset the higher rate of default within the low
credit rating group of individuals
In the United States in certain cases insurance housing and employment can also be denied based
on a negative credit rating
Note that is not the credit reporting agencies that decide whether a credit history is adverse It is
the individual lender or creditor which makes that decision each lender has its own policy on what
scores fall within their guidelines The specific scores that fall within a lenders guidelines are most
often NOT disclosed to the applicant due to competitive reasons In the United States a creditor is
required to give the reasons for denying credit to an applicant immediately and must also provide
the name and address of the credit reporting agency who provided data that was used to make the
decision
More than One Credit History Per Person
In some countries people can have more than one credit history For example in Canada although
most Canadians are not aware of it every person who applied for credit before obtaining a Social
Insurance Number has two separate credit histories one with SIN and one without SIN This is due
to the credit reporting structure in Canada This can lead to two completely separate parallel
histories and often leads to inconsistencies (although typically the person in question will never
notice the inconsistencies) because when a lender asks for someones credit report with SIN what
the lender gets is different from what he would have gotten if he asked the report without providing
the SIN This is because contrary to popular belief when someone gets a new SIN for whatever
reason the two credit files are never merged unless the person requests specifically As a result a
29
record with SIN zeroed out is kept separately from a record with SIN Note this happens without
the person even knowing it
Credit score
A credit score is a numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a persons credit files to
represent the creditworthiness of that person which is the perceived likelihood that the person will
pay debts in a timely manner A credit score is primarily based on credit report information
typically sourced from credit bureaus credit reference agencies
Lenders such as banks and credit card companies use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk
posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt Lenders use credit
scores to determine who qualifies for a loan at what interest rate and what credit limits The use of
credit or identity scoring prior to authorizing access or granting credit is an implementation of a
trusted system
Credit scoring is not limited to banks Other organizations such as mobile phone companies
insurance companies employers and government departments employ the same techniques Credit
scoring also has a lot of overlap with data mining which uses many similar techniques
30
CHAPTER- 3
INTRODUCTION
OF
SMERA
SMERA ndash AN INTRODUCTION
31
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Credit history
Credit history or credit report is in many countries a record of an individuals or companys past
borrowing and repaying including information about late payments and bankruptcy The term
credit reputation can either be used synonymous to credit history or to credit score
In the US when a customer fills out an application for credit from a bank store or credit card
company their information is forwarded to a credit bureau The credit bureau matches the name
address and other identifying information on the credit applicant with information retained by the
bureau in its files
This information is used by lenders such as credit card companies to determine an individuals
credit worthiness that is determining an individuals willingness to repay a debt The willingness
to repay a debt is indicated by how timely past payments have been made to other lenders Lenders
like to see consumer debt obligations paid on a monthly basis
The other factor in determining whether a lender will provide a consumer credit or a loan is
dependent on income The higher the income all other things being equal the more credit the
consumer can access However lenders make credit granting decisions based on both ability to
repay a debt (income) and willingness (the credit report) as indicated in the past payment history
These factors help lenders determine whether to extend credit and on what terms With the
adoption of risk-based pricing on almost all lending in the financial services industry this report
has become even more important since it is usually the sole element used to choose the annual
percentage rate (APR) grace period and other contractual obligations of the credit card or loan
How credit rating is determined
Credit ratings are determined differently in each country but the factors are similar and may
include
Payment record - a record of bills being overdue generally being more than 30 days will lower
the credit rating
25
Control of debt - Lenders want to see that borrowers are not living beyond their means Experts
estimate that non-mortgage credit payments each month should not exceed more than 15
percent of the borrowers after tax income
Signs of responsibility and stability - Lenders perceive things such as longevity in the
borrowers home and job (at least two years) as signs of stability
Re-Aging - Through re-aging a credit history is re-written and you are given a fresh start on
that particular account This can dramatically improve the credit score In 2000 the Federal
Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFEIC) clarified guidelines on re-aging accounts
for delinquent borrowers
Credit outstanding--Lenders dont like to see the amount of credit owed bumping up against the
credit limit of a card Generally a good idea is to owe no more than one-third of your total
credit limit on a credit card
Credit inquiries ndash An inquiry is a notation on a credit history file There are several kinds of
notations that may or may not have an adverse effect on the credit score Soft pulls dont affect
the credit score and are characteristic of the following examples
A credit bureau may sell a persons contact information to an advertiser wanting to offer credit
cards loans and insurance based on certain criteria that the lender has established A creditor also
checks a persons credit periodically Or a credit counseling agency with the clients permission
can obtain a clients credit report with no adverse action Each of the preceding examples are
commonly referred to as a soft credit pull
However hard credit inquiries are made by lenders when consumers are seeking credit or a loan
Lenders when granted a permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act can
check a credit history for the purposes of extending credit to a consumer Hard inquiries from
lenders directly affect the borrowers credit score Keeping credit inquiries to a minimum can help a
persons credit rating A lender may perceive many inquiries over a short period of time on a
persons report as a signal that the person is in financial difficulty and is looking for loans and will
possibly consider that person a poor credit risk
26
Credit cards that are not used - Although it is believed that having too many credit cards can have
an adverse effect on a credit score closing these lines of credit will not improve your score The
credit rating formula looks at the difference between the amount of credit a person has and the
amount being used so closing one or more accounts will reduce your total available credit And the
lower the percentage of available credit the more the credit score will drop The credit formula also
factors in the length of time credit accounts have been open so closing an account with several
years of history is another avoidable credit mistake
Understanding credit reports and scores
The Government of Canada offers a free publication called Understanding Your Credit Report and
Credit Score This publication provides sample credit report and credit score documents with
explanations of the notations and codes that are used It also contains general information on how
to build or improve credit history and how to check for signs that identity theft has occurred The
publication is available online at httpwwwfcacgcca the site of the Financial Consumer Agency
of Canada Paper copies can also be ordered at no charge for residents of Canada
Credit History of Immigrants
Credit history usually applies to only one country Even within the same credit card network
information is not shared between different countries For example if a person has been living in
Canada for many years and then moves to the United States when they apply for credit cards or a
mortgage in the US they would usually not be approved because of a lack of credit history even
if they had an excellent credit rating in their home country and even if they had a very high salary
in their home country
An immigrant must establish a credit history from scratch in the new country Therefore it is
usually very difficult for immigrants to obtain credit cards and mortgages until after they have
worked in the new country with a stable income for several years
Adverse Credit
Adverse credit history also called sub-prime credit history non-status credit history
impaired credit history poor credit history and bad credit history is a negative credit rating
27
A negative credit rating is often considered undesirable to lenders and other extenders of credit for
the purposes of loaning money or capital
In the US a consumers credit history is compiled by credit rating agencies more commonly
referred to as consumer reporting agencies or credit bureaus The data reported to these agencies
are primarily provided to them by creditors and includes detailed records of the relationship a
person has with the lender Detailed account information including payment history credit limits
high and low balances and any aggressive actions taken to recover overdue debts are all reported
regularly (usually monthly) This information is reviewed by a lender to determine whether to
approve a loan and on what terms
As credit became more popular it became more difficult for lenders to evaluate and approve credit
card and loan applications in a timely and efficient manner To address this issue credit scoring
was adopted
Credit scoring is the process of using a proprietary mathematical algorithm to create a numerical
value that describes an applicants overall creditworthiness Scores frequently based on numbers
(ranging from 300-850 for consumers in the United States) statistically analyze a credit history in
comparison to other debtors and gauge the magnitude of financial risk Since lending money to a
person or company is a risk credit scoring offers a standardized way for lenders to assess that risk
rapidly and without prejudiceAll credit bureaus also offer credit scoring as a supplemental
service
Credit scores assess the likelihood that a borrower will repay a loan or other credit obligation The
higher the score the better the credit history and the higher the probability that the loan will be
repaid on time When creditors report an excessive number of late payments or trouble with
collecting payments the score suffers Similarly when adverse judgments and collection agency
activity are reported the score decreases even more Repeated delinquencies or public record
entries can lower the score and trigger what is called a negative credit rating or adverse credit
history
When a lender requests a credit score it can cause a small drop in the credit score That is because
as stated above a number of inquiries over a relatively short period of time can indicate the
consumer is in a financially difficult situation
28
Consequences
The information in a credit report is sold by credit agencies to organizations that are considering
whether to offer credit to individuals or companies It is also available to other entities with a
permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act The consequence of a negative
credit rating is typically a reduction in the likelihood that a lender will approve an application for
credit under favorable terms if at all Interest rates on loans are significantly affected by credit
historymdashthe higher the credit rating the lower the interest while the lower the credit rating the
higher the interest The increased interest is used to offset the higher rate of default within the low
credit rating group of individuals
In the United States in certain cases insurance housing and employment can also be denied based
on a negative credit rating
Note that is not the credit reporting agencies that decide whether a credit history is adverse It is
the individual lender or creditor which makes that decision each lender has its own policy on what
scores fall within their guidelines The specific scores that fall within a lenders guidelines are most
often NOT disclosed to the applicant due to competitive reasons In the United States a creditor is
required to give the reasons for denying credit to an applicant immediately and must also provide
the name and address of the credit reporting agency who provided data that was used to make the
decision
More than One Credit History Per Person
In some countries people can have more than one credit history For example in Canada although
most Canadians are not aware of it every person who applied for credit before obtaining a Social
Insurance Number has two separate credit histories one with SIN and one without SIN This is due
to the credit reporting structure in Canada This can lead to two completely separate parallel
histories and often leads to inconsistencies (although typically the person in question will never
notice the inconsistencies) because when a lender asks for someones credit report with SIN what
the lender gets is different from what he would have gotten if he asked the report without providing
the SIN This is because contrary to popular belief when someone gets a new SIN for whatever
reason the two credit files are never merged unless the person requests specifically As a result a
29
record with SIN zeroed out is kept separately from a record with SIN Note this happens without
the person even knowing it
Credit score
A credit score is a numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a persons credit files to
represent the creditworthiness of that person which is the perceived likelihood that the person will
pay debts in a timely manner A credit score is primarily based on credit report information
typically sourced from credit bureaus credit reference agencies
Lenders such as banks and credit card companies use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk
posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt Lenders use credit
scores to determine who qualifies for a loan at what interest rate and what credit limits The use of
credit or identity scoring prior to authorizing access or granting credit is an implementation of a
trusted system
Credit scoring is not limited to banks Other organizations such as mobile phone companies
insurance companies employers and government departments employ the same techniques Credit
scoring also has a lot of overlap with data mining which uses many similar techniques
30
CHAPTER- 3
INTRODUCTION
OF
SMERA
SMERA ndash AN INTRODUCTION
31
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Control of debt - Lenders want to see that borrowers are not living beyond their means Experts
estimate that non-mortgage credit payments each month should not exceed more than 15
percent of the borrowers after tax income
Signs of responsibility and stability - Lenders perceive things such as longevity in the
borrowers home and job (at least two years) as signs of stability
Re-Aging - Through re-aging a credit history is re-written and you are given a fresh start on
that particular account This can dramatically improve the credit score In 2000 the Federal
Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFEIC) clarified guidelines on re-aging accounts
for delinquent borrowers
Credit outstanding--Lenders dont like to see the amount of credit owed bumping up against the
credit limit of a card Generally a good idea is to owe no more than one-third of your total
credit limit on a credit card
Credit inquiries ndash An inquiry is a notation on a credit history file There are several kinds of
notations that may or may not have an adverse effect on the credit score Soft pulls dont affect
the credit score and are characteristic of the following examples
A credit bureau may sell a persons contact information to an advertiser wanting to offer credit
cards loans and insurance based on certain criteria that the lender has established A creditor also
checks a persons credit periodically Or a credit counseling agency with the clients permission
can obtain a clients credit report with no adverse action Each of the preceding examples are
commonly referred to as a soft credit pull
However hard credit inquiries are made by lenders when consumers are seeking credit or a loan
Lenders when granted a permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act can
check a credit history for the purposes of extending credit to a consumer Hard inquiries from
lenders directly affect the borrowers credit score Keeping credit inquiries to a minimum can help a
persons credit rating A lender may perceive many inquiries over a short period of time on a
persons report as a signal that the person is in financial difficulty and is looking for loans and will
possibly consider that person a poor credit risk
26
Credit cards that are not used - Although it is believed that having too many credit cards can have
an adverse effect on a credit score closing these lines of credit will not improve your score The
credit rating formula looks at the difference between the amount of credit a person has and the
amount being used so closing one or more accounts will reduce your total available credit And the
lower the percentage of available credit the more the credit score will drop The credit formula also
factors in the length of time credit accounts have been open so closing an account with several
years of history is another avoidable credit mistake
Understanding credit reports and scores
The Government of Canada offers a free publication called Understanding Your Credit Report and
Credit Score This publication provides sample credit report and credit score documents with
explanations of the notations and codes that are used It also contains general information on how
to build or improve credit history and how to check for signs that identity theft has occurred The
publication is available online at httpwwwfcacgcca the site of the Financial Consumer Agency
of Canada Paper copies can also be ordered at no charge for residents of Canada
Credit History of Immigrants
Credit history usually applies to only one country Even within the same credit card network
information is not shared between different countries For example if a person has been living in
Canada for many years and then moves to the United States when they apply for credit cards or a
mortgage in the US they would usually not be approved because of a lack of credit history even
if they had an excellent credit rating in their home country and even if they had a very high salary
in their home country
An immigrant must establish a credit history from scratch in the new country Therefore it is
usually very difficult for immigrants to obtain credit cards and mortgages until after they have
worked in the new country with a stable income for several years
Adverse Credit
Adverse credit history also called sub-prime credit history non-status credit history
impaired credit history poor credit history and bad credit history is a negative credit rating
27
A negative credit rating is often considered undesirable to lenders and other extenders of credit for
the purposes of loaning money or capital
In the US a consumers credit history is compiled by credit rating agencies more commonly
referred to as consumer reporting agencies or credit bureaus The data reported to these agencies
are primarily provided to them by creditors and includes detailed records of the relationship a
person has with the lender Detailed account information including payment history credit limits
high and low balances and any aggressive actions taken to recover overdue debts are all reported
regularly (usually monthly) This information is reviewed by a lender to determine whether to
approve a loan and on what terms
As credit became more popular it became more difficult for lenders to evaluate and approve credit
card and loan applications in a timely and efficient manner To address this issue credit scoring
was adopted
Credit scoring is the process of using a proprietary mathematical algorithm to create a numerical
value that describes an applicants overall creditworthiness Scores frequently based on numbers
(ranging from 300-850 for consumers in the United States) statistically analyze a credit history in
comparison to other debtors and gauge the magnitude of financial risk Since lending money to a
person or company is a risk credit scoring offers a standardized way for lenders to assess that risk
rapidly and without prejudiceAll credit bureaus also offer credit scoring as a supplemental
service
Credit scores assess the likelihood that a borrower will repay a loan or other credit obligation The
higher the score the better the credit history and the higher the probability that the loan will be
repaid on time When creditors report an excessive number of late payments or trouble with
collecting payments the score suffers Similarly when adverse judgments and collection agency
activity are reported the score decreases even more Repeated delinquencies or public record
entries can lower the score and trigger what is called a negative credit rating or adverse credit
history
When a lender requests a credit score it can cause a small drop in the credit score That is because
as stated above a number of inquiries over a relatively short period of time can indicate the
consumer is in a financially difficult situation
28
Consequences
The information in a credit report is sold by credit agencies to organizations that are considering
whether to offer credit to individuals or companies It is also available to other entities with a
permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act The consequence of a negative
credit rating is typically a reduction in the likelihood that a lender will approve an application for
credit under favorable terms if at all Interest rates on loans are significantly affected by credit
historymdashthe higher the credit rating the lower the interest while the lower the credit rating the
higher the interest The increased interest is used to offset the higher rate of default within the low
credit rating group of individuals
In the United States in certain cases insurance housing and employment can also be denied based
on a negative credit rating
Note that is not the credit reporting agencies that decide whether a credit history is adverse It is
the individual lender or creditor which makes that decision each lender has its own policy on what
scores fall within their guidelines The specific scores that fall within a lenders guidelines are most
often NOT disclosed to the applicant due to competitive reasons In the United States a creditor is
required to give the reasons for denying credit to an applicant immediately and must also provide
the name and address of the credit reporting agency who provided data that was used to make the
decision
More than One Credit History Per Person
In some countries people can have more than one credit history For example in Canada although
most Canadians are not aware of it every person who applied for credit before obtaining a Social
Insurance Number has two separate credit histories one with SIN and one without SIN This is due
to the credit reporting structure in Canada This can lead to two completely separate parallel
histories and often leads to inconsistencies (although typically the person in question will never
notice the inconsistencies) because when a lender asks for someones credit report with SIN what
the lender gets is different from what he would have gotten if he asked the report without providing
the SIN This is because contrary to popular belief when someone gets a new SIN for whatever
reason the two credit files are never merged unless the person requests specifically As a result a
29
record with SIN zeroed out is kept separately from a record with SIN Note this happens without
the person even knowing it
Credit score
A credit score is a numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a persons credit files to
represent the creditworthiness of that person which is the perceived likelihood that the person will
pay debts in a timely manner A credit score is primarily based on credit report information
typically sourced from credit bureaus credit reference agencies
Lenders such as banks and credit card companies use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk
posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt Lenders use credit
scores to determine who qualifies for a loan at what interest rate and what credit limits The use of
credit or identity scoring prior to authorizing access or granting credit is an implementation of a
trusted system
Credit scoring is not limited to banks Other organizations such as mobile phone companies
insurance companies employers and government departments employ the same techniques Credit
scoring also has a lot of overlap with data mining which uses many similar techniques
30
CHAPTER- 3
INTRODUCTION
OF
SMERA
SMERA ndash AN INTRODUCTION
31
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Credit cards that are not used - Although it is believed that having too many credit cards can have
an adverse effect on a credit score closing these lines of credit will not improve your score The
credit rating formula looks at the difference between the amount of credit a person has and the
amount being used so closing one or more accounts will reduce your total available credit And the
lower the percentage of available credit the more the credit score will drop The credit formula also
factors in the length of time credit accounts have been open so closing an account with several
years of history is another avoidable credit mistake
Understanding credit reports and scores
The Government of Canada offers a free publication called Understanding Your Credit Report and
Credit Score This publication provides sample credit report and credit score documents with
explanations of the notations and codes that are used It also contains general information on how
to build or improve credit history and how to check for signs that identity theft has occurred The
publication is available online at httpwwwfcacgcca the site of the Financial Consumer Agency
of Canada Paper copies can also be ordered at no charge for residents of Canada
Credit History of Immigrants
Credit history usually applies to only one country Even within the same credit card network
information is not shared between different countries For example if a person has been living in
Canada for many years and then moves to the United States when they apply for credit cards or a
mortgage in the US they would usually not be approved because of a lack of credit history even
if they had an excellent credit rating in their home country and even if they had a very high salary
in their home country
An immigrant must establish a credit history from scratch in the new country Therefore it is
usually very difficult for immigrants to obtain credit cards and mortgages until after they have
worked in the new country with a stable income for several years
Adverse Credit
Adverse credit history also called sub-prime credit history non-status credit history
impaired credit history poor credit history and bad credit history is a negative credit rating
27
A negative credit rating is often considered undesirable to lenders and other extenders of credit for
the purposes of loaning money or capital
In the US a consumers credit history is compiled by credit rating agencies more commonly
referred to as consumer reporting agencies or credit bureaus The data reported to these agencies
are primarily provided to them by creditors and includes detailed records of the relationship a
person has with the lender Detailed account information including payment history credit limits
high and low balances and any aggressive actions taken to recover overdue debts are all reported
regularly (usually monthly) This information is reviewed by a lender to determine whether to
approve a loan and on what terms
As credit became more popular it became more difficult for lenders to evaluate and approve credit
card and loan applications in a timely and efficient manner To address this issue credit scoring
was adopted
Credit scoring is the process of using a proprietary mathematical algorithm to create a numerical
value that describes an applicants overall creditworthiness Scores frequently based on numbers
(ranging from 300-850 for consumers in the United States) statistically analyze a credit history in
comparison to other debtors and gauge the magnitude of financial risk Since lending money to a
person or company is a risk credit scoring offers a standardized way for lenders to assess that risk
rapidly and without prejudiceAll credit bureaus also offer credit scoring as a supplemental
service
Credit scores assess the likelihood that a borrower will repay a loan or other credit obligation The
higher the score the better the credit history and the higher the probability that the loan will be
repaid on time When creditors report an excessive number of late payments or trouble with
collecting payments the score suffers Similarly when adverse judgments and collection agency
activity are reported the score decreases even more Repeated delinquencies or public record
entries can lower the score and trigger what is called a negative credit rating or adverse credit
history
When a lender requests a credit score it can cause a small drop in the credit score That is because
as stated above a number of inquiries over a relatively short period of time can indicate the
consumer is in a financially difficult situation
28
Consequences
The information in a credit report is sold by credit agencies to organizations that are considering
whether to offer credit to individuals or companies It is also available to other entities with a
permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act The consequence of a negative
credit rating is typically a reduction in the likelihood that a lender will approve an application for
credit under favorable terms if at all Interest rates on loans are significantly affected by credit
historymdashthe higher the credit rating the lower the interest while the lower the credit rating the
higher the interest The increased interest is used to offset the higher rate of default within the low
credit rating group of individuals
In the United States in certain cases insurance housing and employment can also be denied based
on a negative credit rating
Note that is not the credit reporting agencies that decide whether a credit history is adverse It is
the individual lender or creditor which makes that decision each lender has its own policy on what
scores fall within their guidelines The specific scores that fall within a lenders guidelines are most
often NOT disclosed to the applicant due to competitive reasons In the United States a creditor is
required to give the reasons for denying credit to an applicant immediately and must also provide
the name and address of the credit reporting agency who provided data that was used to make the
decision
More than One Credit History Per Person
In some countries people can have more than one credit history For example in Canada although
most Canadians are not aware of it every person who applied for credit before obtaining a Social
Insurance Number has two separate credit histories one with SIN and one without SIN This is due
to the credit reporting structure in Canada This can lead to two completely separate parallel
histories and often leads to inconsistencies (although typically the person in question will never
notice the inconsistencies) because when a lender asks for someones credit report with SIN what
the lender gets is different from what he would have gotten if he asked the report without providing
the SIN This is because contrary to popular belief when someone gets a new SIN for whatever
reason the two credit files are never merged unless the person requests specifically As a result a
29
record with SIN zeroed out is kept separately from a record with SIN Note this happens without
the person even knowing it
Credit score
A credit score is a numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a persons credit files to
represent the creditworthiness of that person which is the perceived likelihood that the person will
pay debts in a timely manner A credit score is primarily based on credit report information
typically sourced from credit bureaus credit reference agencies
Lenders such as banks and credit card companies use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk
posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt Lenders use credit
scores to determine who qualifies for a loan at what interest rate and what credit limits The use of
credit or identity scoring prior to authorizing access or granting credit is an implementation of a
trusted system
Credit scoring is not limited to banks Other organizations such as mobile phone companies
insurance companies employers and government departments employ the same techniques Credit
scoring also has a lot of overlap with data mining which uses many similar techniques
30
CHAPTER- 3
INTRODUCTION
OF
SMERA
SMERA ndash AN INTRODUCTION
31
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
A negative credit rating is often considered undesirable to lenders and other extenders of credit for
the purposes of loaning money or capital
In the US a consumers credit history is compiled by credit rating agencies more commonly
referred to as consumer reporting agencies or credit bureaus The data reported to these agencies
are primarily provided to them by creditors and includes detailed records of the relationship a
person has with the lender Detailed account information including payment history credit limits
high and low balances and any aggressive actions taken to recover overdue debts are all reported
regularly (usually monthly) This information is reviewed by a lender to determine whether to
approve a loan and on what terms
As credit became more popular it became more difficult for lenders to evaluate and approve credit
card and loan applications in a timely and efficient manner To address this issue credit scoring
was adopted
Credit scoring is the process of using a proprietary mathematical algorithm to create a numerical
value that describes an applicants overall creditworthiness Scores frequently based on numbers
(ranging from 300-850 for consumers in the United States) statistically analyze a credit history in
comparison to other debtors and gauge the magnitude of financial risk Since lending money to a
person or company is a risk credit scoring offers a standardized way for lenders to assess that risk
rapidly and without prejudiceAll credit bureaus also offer credit scoring as a supplemental
service
Credit scores assess the likelihood that a borrower will repay a loan or other credit obligation The
higher the score the better the credit history and the higher the probability that the loan will be
repaid on time When creditors report an excessive number of late payments or trouble with
collecting payments the score suffers Similarly when adverse judgments and collection agency
activity are reported the score decreases even more Repeated delinquencies or public record
entries can lower the score and trigger what is called a negative credit rating or adverse credit
history
When a lender requests a credit score it can cause a small drop in the credit score That is because
as stated above a number of inquiries over a relatively short period of time can indicate the
consumer is in a financially difficult situation
28
Consequences
The information in a credit report is sold by credit agencies to organizations that are considering
whether to offer credit to individuals or companies It is also available to other entities with a
permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act The consequence of a negative
credit rating is typically a reduction in the likelihood that a lender will approve an application for
credit under favorable terms if at all Interest rates on loans are significantly affected by credit
historymdashthe higher the credit rating the lower the interest while the lower the credit rating the
higher the interest The increased interest is used to offset the higher rate of default within the low
credit rating group of individuals
In the United States in certain cases insurance housing and employment can also be denied based
on a negative credit rating
Note that is not the credit reporting agencies that decide whether a credit history is adverse It is
the individual lender or creditor which makes that decision each lender has its own policy on what
scores fall within their guidelines The specific scores that fall within a lenders guidelines are most
often NOT disclosed to the applicant due to competitive reasons In the United States a creditor is
required to give the reasons for denying credit to an applicant immediately and must also provide
the name and address of the credit reporting agency who provided data that was used to make the
decision
More than One Credit History Per Person
In some countries people can have more than one credit history For example in Canada although
most Canadians are not aware of it every person who applied for credit before obtaining a Social
Insurance Number has two separate credit histories one with SIN and one without SIN This is due
to the credit reporting structure in Canada This can lead to two completely separate parallel
histories and often leads to inconsistencies (although typically the person in question will never
notice the inconsistencies) because when a lender asks for someones credit report with SIN what
the lender gets is different from what he would have gotten if he asked the report without providing
the SIN This is because contrary to popular belief when someone gets a new SIN for whatever
reason the two credit files are never merged unless the person requests specifically As a result a
29
record with SIN zeroed out is kept separately from a record with SIN Note this happens without
the person even knowing it
Credit score
A credit score is a numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a persons credit files to
represent the creditworthiness of that person which is the perceived likelihood that the person will
pay debts in a timely manner A credit score is primarily based on credit report information
typically sourced from credit bureaus credit reference agencies
Lenders such as banks and credit card companies use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk
posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt Lenders use credit
scores to determine who qualifies for a loan at what interest rate and what credit limits The use of
credit or identity scoring prior to authorizing access or granting credit is an implementation of a
trusted system
Credit scoring is not limited to banks Other organizations such as mobile phone companies
insurance companies employers and government departments employ the same techniques Credit
scoring also has a lot of overlap with data mining which uses many similar techniques
30
CHAPTER- 3
INTRODUCTION
OF
SMERA
SMERA ndash AN INTRODUCTION
31
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Consequences
The information in a credit report is sold by credit agencies to organizations that are considering
whether to offer credit to individuals or companies It is also available to other entities with a
permissible purpose as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act The consequence of a negative
credit rating is typically a reduction in the likelihood that a lender will approve an application for
credit under favorable terms if at all Interest rates on loans are significantly affected by credit
historymdashthe higher the credit rating the lower the interest while the lower the credit rating the
higher the interest The increased interest is used to offset the higher rate of default within the low
credit rating group of individuals
In the United States in certain cases insurance housing and employment can also be denied based
on a negative credit rating
Note that is not the credit reporting agencies that decide whether a credit history is adverse It is
the individual lender or creditor which makes that decision each lender has its own policy on what
scores fall within their guidelines The specific scores that fall within a lenders guidelines are most
often NOT disclosed to the applicant due to competitive reasons In the United States a creditor is
required to give the reasons for denying credit to an applicant immediately and must also provide
the name and address of the credit reporting agency who provided data that was used to make the
decision
More than One Credit History Per Person
In some countries people can have more than one credit history For example in Canada although
most Canadians are not aware of it every person who applied for credit before obtaining a Social
Insurance Number has two separate credit histories one with SIN and one without SIN This is due
to the credit reporting structure in Canada This can lead to two completely separate parallel
histories and often leads to inconsistencies (although typically the person in question will never
notice the inconsistencies) because when a lender asks for someones credit report with SIN what
the lender gets is different from what he would have gotten if he asked the report without providing
the SIN This is because contrary to popular belief when someone gets a new SIN for whatever
reason the two credit files are never merged unless the person requests specifically As a result a
29
record with SIN zeroed out is kept separately from a record with SIN Note this happens without
the person even knowing it
Credit score
A credit score is a numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a persons credit files to
represent the creditworthiness of that person which is the perceived likelihood that the person will
pay debts in a timely manner A credit score is primarily based on credit report information
typically sourced from credit bureaus credit reference agencies
Lenders such as banks and credit card companies use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk
posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt Lenders use credit
scores to determine who qualifies for a loan at what interest rate and what credit limits The use of
credit or identity scoring prior to authorizing access or granting credit is an implementation of a
trusted system
Credit scoring is not limited to banks Other organizations such as mobile phone companies
insurance companies employers and government departments employ the same techniques Credit
scoring also has a lot of overlap with data mining which uses many similar techniques
30
CHAPTER- 3
INTRODUCTION
OF
SMERA
SMERA ndash AN INTRODUCTION
31
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
record with SIN zeroed out is kept separately from a record with SIN Note this happens without
the person even knowing it
Credit score
A credit score is a numerical expression based on a statistical analysis of a persons credit files to
represent the creditworthiness of that person which is the perceived likelihood that the person will
pay debts in a timely manner A credit score is primarily based on credit report information
typically sourced from credit bureaus credit reference agencies
Lenders such as banks and credit card companies use credit scores to evaluate the potential risk
posed by lending money to consumers and to mitigate losses due to bad debt Lenders use credit
scores to determine who qualifies for a loan at what interest rate and what credit limits The use of
credit or identity scoring prior to authorizing access or granting credit is an implementation of a
trusted system
Credit scoring is not limited to banks Other organizations such as mobile phone companies
insurance companies employers and government departments employ the same techniques Credit
scoring also has a lot of overlap with data mining which uses many similar techniques
30
CHAPTER- 3
INTRODUCTION
OF
SMERA
SMERA ndash AN INTRODUCTION
31
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
CHAPTER- 3
INTRODUCTION
OF
SMERA
SMERA ndash AN INTRODUCTION
31
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Smera stands for small and the hon Finance minister shri launched medium enterprises rating
agency of India limited on The 5th September 2005 P Chidambram and it is a joint initiative
between 11 major banks and financial institutions
Since the major rating agency like crisil icra care and fitch focus more on the large corporate
sector the intricacies of small and medium sector industry can not be captured through the model
prepared for the large sector Keeping in view of this aspect the joint initiative of the above player
has brought in smera to the task of rating the sme
SMERA ndash INITIATIVE OF LEADERS
SME rating agency of India limited is a joint initiative by SIDBI (SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK) DUN amp BRADSTREET Credit information bureau (India) ltd And
several leading banks in the banks in the country
BANK OF BARODA INDIAN BANK
BANK OF INDIA ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
CANARA BANK PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CIBIL SIDBI
CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LIMITED STANDARD CHARTED BANK
DampB STATE BANK OF INDIA
ICICI BANK LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
SMERA is the countryrsquos first amp only dedicated rating agency that focuses primarily on the SME
segment SMERArsquos objective is to provide enterprise ratings that are comprehensive transparent
and reliable to facilitate easier and adequate credit from the banking sector to SMEs It is adjudged
as the ldquoOutstanding development projectrdquo for development of SME by association of development
financing institution in Asia and Pacific (ADIFIAP)
SMERA seeks to fill the information gap for SMEs through ratings which would enable them to
get credit on attractive terms
32
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Breeding ground for entrepreneurship- first generation is always SMEs- info Microsoft
Size matters- need for peer to peer comparison
Absence of instruments ndash therefore enterprise rating meaningful
Nuances of parameters are very pronounced across industries
Monitoring of credit quality at regular intervals
Greater role of risk management for both banks and SMERA
WHAT IS SMERA RATING
SMERA rating is an independent third party comprehensive assessment of the overall condition
of an SME
It takes into account not only the financial condition of the SME unit but also several qualitative
parameters that have bearing on credit worthiness of the SME unit
SMERA rating consists
Size indicator- categories SMES based on size to enable fair evaluation of each SME
amongst its peers
Condition indicator ndash consist of composite appraisal based on financial and qualitative
parameters
Why SMERA rating
With each bank having separate rating processes and disclosure requirements for the purpose of the
disbursing loans SMES find themselves spending significant time and effort while approaching
different banks for credit SMERAS comprehensive transparent and reliable rating process has a
wide acceptance within the banking system of the country SIDBI and a large number of public and
private banks in country actively support SMERA Such wide acceptance facilitates faster and
easier flow of credit from financial institutions to SMEs Further SMERA rating provides a
snapshot of strength and weakness of the SME unit that could be used by SME unit as vital for
self-improvement
33
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
INSTITUTIONAL INFRASTRUTRE
SMERA launched on September 05 2005 by finance minister P Chidambaram
Joint initiative of SIDBI DampB CIBIL AND 11 BANKS
SIDBI - 22
DampB INDIA - 15
ICICI BANK - 11
SBI - 95
CITIGROUP - 5
CIBIL - 5
STANDARD CHARTED BANK - 45
7 PSBs 4 EACH - 28
Indiarsquos first and only rating agency dedicated to the SME segment
MOU PARTNERS
SMERA has tied up with leading banks that accept SMERA Rating in supplementing their
credit decisions relating to SME lending
ALLAHABAD BANK UNION BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF BARODA UNITED BANK OF INDIA
BANK OF INDIA VIJAYA BANK
BANK OF MAHARASHTRA WEST BENGAL FINANCIAL
CORPORATION CANARA BANK
CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA CITIGROUP FINANCE (INDIA) LTD
CORPORATION BANK DENA BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD INDIAN BANK
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK STATE BANK OF BIKANER amp JAIPUR
STATE BANK OF INDIA STATE BANK OF PATIALA
SYNDICATE BANK UCO BANK
34
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
COMPETITIVE RATING FEE
The rating fee charged by SMERA is very completive It is further subsided to the extent of 75
for eligible SSI units under
lsquoNSIC ndash SMERA performance amp credit rating scheme
Revised SMERA Rating Fee May 1 2008
A NSIC SMERA Rating Fee for SSI Units eligible for subsidy
C A T E G O
RY
N E T W O R T
H
T U R N O V E R
lt 50
LAKH
50-200
LAKH
gt200
LAKH
A gt Rs 20 Crore 6742 10534 34270
B 5 Crore to 20
Crore 6742 10534 20225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore 6742 10534 15730
D Upto 1 Crore 6742 10534 12641
B For SME units not eligible for rating fee subsidy
35
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
(all figures in INR)
Category Networth Fee payable (Rs)
A gt 20 Crore 74270
B 5 Crore to 20 Crore) 60225
C 1 Crore to 5 Crore) 55730
D Upto 1 Crore 50562
Rating fees mentioned above are inclusive of applicable Service Tax (currently 1236)
The Rating fees applicable at the time of payment would be charged
Damp B D-U-N-S NUMBER
The DampB duns number is unique nine-digit identification number that facilities global recognition
for businesses The DampB duns number is recognized recommended and or required by 50 global
industry and trade associations
PEER EVALUATION
SMERA Ratings categories SMES based on size so that each SME is evaluated amongst its peers
This enables rational comparison of companies of the same size and industry segment thus ensuring
that the smaller companies are not at a disadvantage while applying for credit
RATING PARAMETERS
36
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Enhanced Market Standing
An SME unit having SMERA rating take into benchmarking SME performance in the backdrop of
industry dynamics and industry averages
TRAINING amp ADVISORY SERVICES
SMERA provides focused inputs on the rating rationale to the SME within the view to the help
SME in identifying the areas for self-improvement and capitalizing on the strengths of the
individual SME
FAVORABLE BORROWING TERMS
37
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
SMERA Ratings facilitate banks-lending institutions in reducing the turnaround time in processing
credit loan applications thereby providing SMEs access to timely and adequate credit A better
rating from SMERA leads to more favorable credit terms such as
Access to timely and adequate credit
Lower interest rate collateral requirement
Simplified lending norm
The following are the financial institutions providing preferential treatment for
well SMERA rated customershellip
BANK OF INDIA PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK
CANARA BANK SIDBI
CORPORATION BANK SYNDICATE BANK
GLOBAL TRADE FINANCE LTD UNION BANK OF INDIA
INDIAN BANK UNITED BANK OF INDIA
ORIENTAL BANK OF COMMERCE VIJAYA BANK
SMERA- USP
SME focus- independent transparent comprehensive rating
Partnership with banks spanning the Indian banking
DampB as knowledge partner with global rating experience and expertise
Systematic and scientific basis for industry specific rating models
SCHEME OF RATING FACTORS
38
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
ADVANTAGE ndash EXTERNAL RATING
Internal risk rating models
Mostly financial parameters
Industry benchmarking- nil or limited
Generalization of SMES across geographic boundaries
Banks are involved as financiers
Looking to the past
Enterprise rating by SMERA
Rating beyond financials
Robust industry Industry benchmarking and also linked to size
Consideration to parameters specific to a geographic location
Ratings are neutral credit enhancement measures are not reckoned Looking beyond
NON- FINANCIAL PARAMETERS
39
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Employee count amp quality
Yearrsquos inexistence
Legal status
Main premises
Management qualifications
Management experience
Statutory compliance
Raw material Buyer supplier base
Energy plan
Capacity utilization
Sales- Dom amp exports
Nature of industry
Product line
Salespurchase from sister companies
Marketing network
Research amp development
Insurance converge
Litigation
Accounts audited certified
Awards amp qualitative certification
Location advantage
Site visit observation
Banking facilities
Achievability of financials
Analyst evaluation
BENEFITS OF SMERA RATING TO SMEs
40
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Ratings serve as motivation to adopt good governance practices which are beneficial in the long
run
Ratings help in international trade and commerce and serve as first point to generate interest
among potential trading partners
Good margins and improved profitability In business as a rated entity constantly drives itself on
path of progress and innovation
Provides additional comfort to the lenders in the form of independent third party transparent
assessment process
Supplements and supports internal decision making through third party validation
Rating robustness enhanced with CIBIL score
Strengths of SME units captured as model also considers qualitative parameters in addition to
financial results
Added credibility to the status of the SME unit
Access to bank finance much easier and simpler
Adequate quantum
Competitive rate of interest
Faster turnaround
Open doors to deal with large companies esp those who deal with a big number of vendors
Ratings convey intrinsic strength of the company While giving due respect to confidentially
requirements Qualitative services at competitive prices
Joint initiative of SIDBI DUN amp BRADSTREET and CIBIL and 11 leading banks operating in
S M E segment
Launched on the 5th September 2005 by the honorable Finance Minister Shri P Chidambaram
Completed around 2200 ratings till date
Greater acceptability in banks 13 banks offer interest rate and security concessions for well
rated SMERA customers
Wide recognition and acceptance and becoming key requirement in the loan application
process And also simplify the process of credit requests and make the process more cost
effective
Favorable borrowings terms This could include lower collateral requirement
41
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Lower interest rates- reduction in rate of interest from some nationalized banks ranging
between 25-1percent for well-rated S M E customers
Simplified lending norms
Faster access to credit
Fair evaluation amongst peers
Industry ndash benchmarked ratings
SMERA ndash CONTRIBUATION amp CHALLENGES
SMERA has undertaken risk profiling of S M E clusters as an ongoing activity
Participated organized more than 250 seminars workshops customers meets etc
Published emerging S M Es in India in association with DampB ndash auto components textiles food
processing and pharmaceutical Engineering and chemicals segments
Highlights of SMERA ratings
Provides ratings that are
gt Independent Neutral risk assessment
gt Comprehensive conducts an exhaustive due to Diligence process
gt Transparent Rating Rationale discussed with Rated entities
Enables S M Es in getting credit from banking sector at better terms Several banks have
internalized SMERA ratings and extend benefits to S M E customers rated by SMERA
42
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Milestones
Generated more than 2500 mandates from across the country
MOUs with 23 banks covering large section of Indian banking sector
SMERA has been sanctioned technical assistance under the World Bank led multi-lateral SME
Financing amp Development Programme
Adjudged as best SME Development Project in Asia-Pacific region
Offices at 12 locations ahmedabad Bangalore chandigarh Chennai combatore Delhi
Hyderabad jamshedpur kolkata amp ludhiana Mumbai surat amp pune
25 of SMERA rated clients received better credit terms from lenders
Distribution of rated cases
1) Auto Ancillary 68 2) Chemical 35
3) Electrical amp Engineering goods 203 4) Food and Agro 38
5) IT amp ITES 31 6) Manufacturing ndash Sundry 137
7) Mechanical 36 8) Metals amp Metal products 61
9) Others 139 10) Paper and Packaging 3
11) Pharmaceutical 45 12) Plastic 69
13 Rubber 17 14) Textile 87
43
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Chapter-4
THE STUDY
OF
ORGANISATION
44
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
SOURCES OF DATA
Internal data
Internal data are data available within the organization for which the research is being conducted
The information may be in a ready to use format or may require processing In our organization
data was found on the company server
External data
External data are data that originate external to the organization This data was found on company
websites it included published material online databases and some syndicated services
45
PRIMARY DATA
QUALITATIVE DATA QUANTITATIVE DATA
DESCRIPTIVE CAUSAL
SURVEY
OBSERVATIONAL AND OTHER DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
SECONDARY DATA
INTERNALEXTERNAL
READY TO USE
REQUIRES FURTHER
PROCESSING
PUBLISHED MATERIAL
COMPUTERIZED DATABASES
SYNDICATED SERVICES
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Qualitative research
An unstructured exploratory research methodology based on small samples that provides insights
and understanding of the problem setting
Quantitative research
A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data and typically applies some form of
statistical analysis Our research involved quantity we had a large number of representative cases
which had structured data collection and we also recommended a final course of action
SAMPLING
Sampling Design
The sample chosen from the target population for credit rating was based on the size of the
particular area of Dist Ferozpur as well as the number of SSI units present in that particular area
This was also done on the basis of convenience sampling
The customers were sampled on the basis of convenience sampling
Sample Size
The sample size from CHANNELS AND CORPORATES are 33 this included Abohar Fazilka
Guruharshai Jalalabad and Ferozpur The survey comes marketing was done in this area because
SMERA is an initiative for the development of the SME so it was a dual job
The market research was based on convenient sampling
46
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
OBJECTIVES
In lieu of the given project at hand the objectives can be categorized into two classes
Macro level
It is always helpful to get familiar with the market place where one trades
Macro objectives
To get familiar with the financial products used for credit rating in the business
It includes the organized as well as unorganized sector
Micro level
Micro objectives
To understand the contribution of the credit rating products for the development of the SSI
units
To understand the process of credit rating of a concern
To analyze the industry awareness regarding the SMERA products
To study the different market players their penetration and respective share
Some other objectives are
To explore more market opportunities Whatever opportunities those are in the market
To see consumer perception towards credit rating products To know what consumer thinks
about the SMERA products
To study market strategies How a company deals with the markets current scenario
SCOPE OF STUDY
The research is categorically classified into three sub-researches on the basis of the products
provided by the company Although the products provide similar solutions of billing through IT
solutions they essentially differ in their positioning and target markets The scope of this study
essentially includes the regions areas and the product categories in which the surveys have been
conducted The scope of the study can be broadly categorized into three scopes namely
Geographical scope
Product scope
47
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Time scope or extent of study
Geographical scope
The geographical scope covers areas from where the samples have been taken As the target
markets for the company products was spread over a huge area hence i had different regions
covered for each survey For the credit rating potential survey samples from the town of the
DistFerozpur region were taken as follows
DistFerozpur Area
Abohar
Fazilka
Guruharshai
Jalalabad
Zira
Talwandi Bhai
Ferozpur City
Ferozpur Cannt
Product scope
The product scope features the product category in which the research has been carried out The
product category of this study is the CREDIT RATING FOR THE SSI units The campaign
was spread over these areas that include only FOUR main categories which are as follows
Bankers awareness for rating
Rating of colleges and Institutes
Rating awareness of SSI units in the region
Time scope
The time scope of this study pertains to the available secondary data as well as the time span
involved in the collection of data through examining the samples for the researches
The secondary data was obtained from bankers of the region
48
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
The primary data collection has been done in the following manner during the specific time
periods
In Abohar
Bankers covered during 15june to 20 June
SSI units and Edu Institution covered during 21june to 28 June
In Fazilka
Bankers cover during 29 June to 5 july
SSI units covered during 6 July to 11 july
In Ferozpur
Bankers covered 13 july to 18 july
SSI units covered during 19 july to 25 july
RESEARCH DESIGN
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project it
details the procedure necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure andor solve
marketing research problems The research design provides a specific detail as to how to implement
the approach A good research design will ensure that marketing research project is conducted
effectively and efficiently Typically a research design involves the following components or
tasks
Define the information needed
Design the exploratory descriptive and or causal phases of the research
Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
Construct and pretest the questionnaire or an appropriate form of data collection
Specify the sampling process and sample size
Develop a plan for data analysis
Research designs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive researches The primary
objective of exploratory research is to provide insights into and an understanding of the problem
confronting the researcher The information needed is only loosely defined at this stage and the
49
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
research process adopted is flexible and unstructured The primary data is qualitative in nature
Usually these researches are followed by further exploratory research or conclusive research
Conclusive research is done to assist the decision maker in determining evaluating and selecting
the best course of action to be taken in a given situation The objective of conclusive research is to
test specific hypotheses and examine specific relationships
The researches conducted in this study begin with a predominantly exploratory research design and
then continues towards a descriptive research design approach to arrive at the final findings and
courses of action The objective of the exploratory research is to explore or to search through the
problem or situation to provide insights and understanding exploratory researches can b used for
the following purposes
Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
Identify alternative courses of action
Develop hypothesis
Isolate key variables and relationships for further examination
Gain insights to develop an approach to a problem
Establish priorities for further research
50
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
Knowing what the client wants is the key factor to success in any type of business And the best
way to find this information is to conduct a research or a survey As desired by the company the
method of research adopted was - Questionnaire A questionnaire is a structured technique for data
collection that consists of a series of questions which might be multiple choice numeric open-
ended or text open-ended
Objectives of a Questionnaire
Any questionnaire has three specific objectives First it must translate the information needed into
a set of specific questions that the respondents can and will answer Developing questions that
respondents can and will answer and that will yield the desired information is difficult Two
apparently similar ways of posing a question may yield different information
Second a questionnaire must uplift motivate and encourage the respondent to become involved in
the interview to cooperate and to complete the interview Incomplete interview has limited
usefulness at best In designing the questionnaire we tried to minimize the respondent fatigue
boredom incompleteness and no response
Third a questionnaire should minimize response errors Response error arises when respondents
give inaccurate answers or their answers are misreported or misanalysis And a questionnaire can
be a major source of response error
Procedure for Data Collection
Data collection means gathering information to address those critical evaluation questions that may
be in the minds of the company researcher And the procedure for data collection to be adopted
depends on the requirements of the company As specified by SMERA Rating Agency of India
Ltd we were required to make a thorough research of the existing market as well as the potential it
posses for the credit rating that SMERA offers
For the purpose of data collection firstly we identified our target population which were spread
over huge area organized and unorganized market This was done with the help of internet
51
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
database provided by the company as well as cold callings
We identified some of the important issues in this regard These were
1 Availability We realized that there may be some information already available that can help
answer some questions or guide the development of new guidelines Hence we reviewed
information in prior records reports and summaries
2 Pilot Testing It was essential to test the information collection instrument or the process we
designed
3 Protocol Needs In many situations we needed to obtain appropriate permission or clearance to
collect information from people or other sources
4 Reactivity Reactivity refers to how the way of asking a question would alter the response we
would get It may also be a concern if our presence during data collection may possibly alter the
results
5 Reliability Will the evaluation process designed consistently measure what we want it to
measure That is whether multiple interviews settings or observers will consistently measure the
same thing each time In whatever instrument we design will people interpret our questions the
same way each time
6 Validity Validity means will the information collection methods designed produce information
that measures what we require to measure We should be sure that the information we collect is
relevant to the purpose in hand
Having kept these issues in mind we adopted the following methods for data
collection
1 Personal Interview
An interview is called personal when the Interviewer asks the questions face-to-face with the
Interviewee Personal interviews were conducted in malls organized as well as unorganized
markets Petrol Pumps bus stands etc These were mainly of the form of structured interviews
2 Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a structured technique for data collection that consists of a series of questions
that a respondent answers The questionnaire (which forms a part of the annexure) comprised of
multiple choice numeric open-ended as well as text-open ended questions depending on the nature
of the query
52
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Chapter-5
FINDINGS
amp
RESULTS
53
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Findings
We learned to convince top business executives to give us sometime from their busy schedule
so that we could apprise them in detail about our product by seeking their appointment in a
way that aroused their interest and curiosity in our product
We learned to find out the right person to contact for our purpose even without having any
reference or previous knowledge of the company
We learned to customize our way of presentation depending upon the target audience whether
it was Prop partnership company HUF
We learned to tempt these people to but our product
We learned to build a close relationship with people even if they are not willing to rate their
organization
We learned to extract sensitive information from our respondents
We got an insight about the work culture of corporate
54
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Market analysis for channel distribution
Q1 what is the Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
During my survey in District Ferozepur I had covered different towns and more emphasize was given over the SSI units of the Abohar and Fazilka As it covered different types of industries at the same time which almost reflect the industrial environment of the District Ferozepur
55
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Q2 what is the Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin amp Pressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
I had visited different type of industries but as there is a more expansion of agriculture based industries so I had visited Rice shellers and cotton ginning factories a lot
56
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Most of the people had not knowledge about credit rating The reason behind it that I have got entrepreneurs are not more educated and it is a backward as well as border area which left the influence over the industry
57
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
A
few entrepreneurs have little knowledge about the Crisil Care and Icra rating agencies because they are the oldest one and work in the many fields also
58
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
I have got none of the SSI unit rated among sample with any rating agency because of unawareness on the part of the entrepreneurs and the orthodox view they possessing
59
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
Due to MOU between SMERA and Banks I had visited only PSUBanks Most the credit limits are with SBI PNB and OBC banks
Q7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
60
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
As there are most of the agriculture units so their credit limits are also big Which include Rice Shellerrsquos and Cotton Mills They have to retain a huge stock of material to cater the needs of the market
61
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Q8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore (d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Sale of the SSI units mostly remains to the same if weather remains calm because agriculture produce is completely influenced by it The major purchaser of agriculture outputs in this field is government and some others mills of Ludhiana
62
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Q9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports (b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Little of the agriculture produce is exported like Rice Kinnow and Cotton Now By export of the Basmati Rice is banned by the government of India
63
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Q10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
there are some industries which are considering expansion in future In kinnow grading industry there is a huge demand from there states
64
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Q11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund based If yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion(c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance(e) Machinery Purchase
Most of the funds are raised for the Expansion working capital and machinery purchase Because agriculture posses based industry possesrsquo huge investment in this field being a seasonal Work
65
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Q12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Mostly rate of interest paid by the industry hugely depend on the invest made by the industry if the invest the fund in agriculture based industry paying rate of interest other wise there is no exemption for the investment in other industry
66
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Q13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) Having not
As I had noticed during my survey most of the industries do not bearing any certificate only few of them have ISO certification as they are exported units
67
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Q14Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Services of professional expert only used by the few of the 15 percent people in different mode to retain in the competition and cater there needs
68
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Q15 How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
By the overall the opinion of the industry people the future of the industry in Punjab is moderate
They stated that if govt of India amp Punjab avail the facilities like exemption in taxes electricity
subsidiesamp export orientation program then the future would be excellent
69
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
CHAPTER-6
LIMITATION
amp
CONCLUSION
70
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Limitations
Sample is not representative of organized unorganized sector across the nation
The authenticity of data collected is solely dependent on the information provided by the
respondent Their views may be biased or information may contain factual errors
Most of the people whom we interviewed were not the sole decision-maker for rating
It wasnrsquot possible for us to give trial sample in all the places visited Since the product is
technical in nature the perception of potential buyers may change after a trial
The time period wasnrsquot sufficient for an extensive analysis of various factors and applications
of the product range
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the companies expect the going to get tougher as the Indian market matures All avenues of
marketing are being explored - from price wars to value engineering to discounts But almost all the
companies that were covered by the study were increasingly looking beyond these parameters to
shore up bottom lines not just for immediate future but rather in a manner that would give them
competitive advantage
We have summarized our study of 8 weeks in the form of a SWOT Analysis
In the process of our market research regarding SMERA rating we realized that there are certain
aspects on which SMERA rating can capitalize we may call them the STRENGHT of the
company First the brand awareness as well as brand equity of CRISIL in the target market which
has been build over many years now is very high Even in the market of credit rating SMERA is at
neck to neck competition with DampB
Secondly the network of SMERA spreads across the many cities of country which accounts for
the long-standing relationship with customers
Thirdly SMERA has rated sixteen hundred SME units It has reached to many new areas as it has
opened more than twelve SME CONNECT
And fourthly SMERA offers a value for money products to its customers
71
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Coming on to the WEAKNESS part we realized that the main business deficiencies prevailing in
SMERA Credit Rating Agency are firstly the lack of proper and sufficient advertisements as a
result of which the target market is not fully aware of credit rating of SME Units in the country and
hence the company tends to loose its share at many instances For example the awareness level for
credit rating is very low
Secondly the after sales service which was one the most important attribute as pointed out by the
clients is not really up to the mark At some of the sites visited by us the clients complained of
defects in their existing SMERA setup about which they had been reporting to the company but
received no assistance Hence SMERA should take care of such lags since it would affect the
brand image of SMERA
SMERA has immense OPPORTUNITIES which still remains unexplored As per the ministry
credit rating has been made compulsory from next quarter of the year (under Basil 2 norms having
credit limit more than 5 cr)
Secondly since the after sales service is the most important attribute as pointed out by the
customers SMERA should either open up more SME CONNECT Centres or increase its
manpower in order to be prompt in this regard
Thirdly but very importantly as 75 of the credit rating fees of the SMERA for SSI units is
compensated by Govt of India
Fourthly having signed MOU with 22 nationalized banks which are proved to be good prospects
We also identified some THREATS that SMERA faces and hence must be aware of The first one
being the expanding networks of its major competitors DampB and CRISIL
Despite the increasing tendency among the customers for choosing better quality product services
parameters are still of prime importance Though it has always been difficult to predict the future
due to an element of uncertainty it can be safely said that companies who can be termed as
tomorrows market leaders would not be those who continue to concentrate only on their
unparalleled quality but on the aspects of both quality and service
72
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
ANNEXURE
73
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Ques 1 Area of work
(a) Abohar(b) Fazilka(c) Jalalabad(d) Guruharshai(e) Zira(f) Ferozpur
Ques 2 Area of business
(a) Food processing(b) Chemical amp allied products(c) Cotton gin ampPressing(d) Rice Sheller(e) And others
Ques 3 Do you know about credit rating
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques4 If yes than to which you have heard about
(a) Crisil(b) Icra(c) Care(d) Fitch(e) Onicra(f) Smera
Ques 5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques 6 To with which bank your credit limit is
(a) SBI(b) OBC(c) PNB(d) SBOP(e) CBI(f) And others
74
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
Ques7 How much would be your credit limit with the banks (In rupees)
(a) Less than 10 lakh(b) 10 to 30 lakh(c) 30 to 50 lakh(d) 50 to 75 lakh(e) 75 to 1 crore and above
Ques8 How much would be approximate annual sales turnover (In rupees)
(a) Less 40 lakh(b) 40 lakh to 70 lakh (c) 70 lakh to1 crore(d) 1 crore to 2 crore(e) 2 crore and above
Ques9 How much of your products are actually exported (In percentage)
(a) No exports(b) Up to 5(c) Between 5 - 10(d) 10 and over
Ques10 Do you intend to expand the overall capacity in the future If yes to what extent of present overall capacity do you plan to increase (In percentage)
(a) 0-5(b) 5-10(c) 10-30(d) Above 30
Ques11 Do you avail loans for managing business Facilities including non-fund basedIf yes purpose of funds
(a) Working Capital (b) Expansion (c) Diversification (d) Machinery Maintenance (e) Machinery Purchase
Ques12 How much interest do you pay against your loan from banks (In percentage)
(a) Below 9(b) 9-11
75
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
(c) 11-14(d) Above 14
Ques13 Has your company acquired any certification for adopting quality standards (Multiple Option possible)
(a) ISO 9000(b) ISO 14000(c) Any other (Specify)(d) No Having
Ques14 Do you use services of professional expert
(a) Yes(b) No
Ques15How is prospect of the industry in near future for the small amp medium units
(a) Excellent(b) Moderate(c) Bad(d) Good(e) Not good
76
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
BIBLIOGRAPHY
wwwwekipediacom
wwwsmerain
wwwnsiccom
Books
Research Methodology by CRKothari
77
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
-
- Sampling Design
-
- Macro level
-
- SCOPE OF STUDY
-
- Geographical scope
- Product scope
-
- Procedure for Data Collection
-
- Market analysis for channel distribution
-
- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
-
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
-
78
- Vikas Baghla
-
- Contents
-
- THE BACKGROUND
- CHAPTER-2
-
- Sovereign credit ratings
- Short term rating
- CREDIT RISK
- Credit risk is the risk of loss due to a debtorrsquos non payment of a loan or other line of credit( either the principal or interest (coupan) or both)
- Faced by lenders to consumers
- Faced by lenders to business
- Faced by business
- Faced by individuals
-
- Credit history
-
- How credit rating is determined
- Understanding credit reports and scores
- Credit History of Immigrants
- Adverse Credit
- Consequences
- More than One Credit History Per Person
-
- CHAPTER- 3 INTRODUCTION
- OF
- SMERA
-
- SME- DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
- Milestones
- Qualitative research
- Quantitative research
- SAMPLING
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- Sampling Design
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- Macro level
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- SCOPE OF STUDY
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- Geographical scope
- Product scope
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- Procedure for Data Collection
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- Market analysis for channel distribution
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- Q2 what is the Area of business
- Q 3 Do you know about credit rating
- Q4 If yes than about which you have heard about
- Q5 Have you got your company rated by any rating agency
- Q6 To with bank which your credit limit is
- Q14Do you use services of professional expert
- Limitations
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- BIBLIOGRAPHY
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