Conclusions
In this section the research findings will be discussed in light of the hypotheses that were developed from the literature review. A discussion of implication findings and recommendations will also be included.
Through this research and survey findings, issues hindering GPS growth in India are highlighted. Many useful recommendations have been received from different GPS/GIS vendors throughout the country, which will help to improve the GPS/GIS industry in India. This will help in reducing the communication gap between the vendors and GPS policy makers in future. Through this study the GPS/GIS vendors get a chance to voice the common problems they face in their businesses
The vast size of the country and the large population make India a great opportunity for foreign investors. The first hypothesis of this study states that government policies are not viable for the growth of GPS in India. The survey response from Figure 7 (page 37) shows that 45% of the respondents’ rate Indian markets lower for the sales of GPS/GIS products as compared to other Asian countries. Survey respondents agree that there is a great disparity between the size of the GPS market in India and in western countries. The responses to the open-ended survey questions suggest that lack of GPS infrastructure in the country, overall low awareness among the citizens, and rigid and non-encouraging government policies have caused a detrimental effect on these multinational GPS vendors.
It was assumed that social awareness of GPS is a very important aspect for successful penetration of the GPS market in urban India. The second hypothesis of this study highlights this factor. The survey response from Figure3 (page 31) indicates current lack of professionals for GPS/GIS related jobs. The Pearson Product Moment tests further supports this survey finding, that awareness will increase the availability of more GPS professionals in the country. This increase in awareness will encourage more college graduates to pursue careers in the GPS/GIS field. The survey response in Figure 4 (page 32) suggests that only 8% of the senior management is aware of GPS technology while Figure 8 (page 39) indicates 63% of the responses support least use of GPS/GIS by general public. Open ended questions responses suggested that GPS be introduced in the curriculum of schools and universities for the students. It is therefore recommended that seminars and workshops need to be organized to educate officials in different organizations. Such a spread of awareness is important, because consumers for whom the cost is not the deterring factor can purchase GPS related items as a luxury commodity only if they know its advantages and uses.
The responses further implied that for the local GPS companies it is a real challenge to thrive under such conditions, a situation which is fuelled by high import taxes. There is an urgent need to reduce import taxes and custom duties on GPS equipments. The point was made that it’s high time for the government to recognize GPS/GIS as an industry and not just as another government department. The government needs to reduce its role when deciding on the policy recommended by the GPS/GIS organizations.
With proper feedback and responses, business in this industry can be more feasible for many private GPS/GIS companies. The survey responses from Figure 11 (page 42) indicate that 45% of them agree that Indian government incorporates feedback from the vendors to a less extent. Both the private and public GPS vendors’ opinions should be considered in forming policies regarding GPS/GIS. In order to promote more use of GPS among civilians, restrictions on the use of maps should be removed, thus making GPS more affordable to everyone.
Some of the open-ended questions suggested that the high over-head cost GPS/GIS resulting from the high cost of hardware and software can be reduced by having this component manufactured in India itself. It is recommended that self-reliance will help significantly to make GPS cheaper in the country, thus making it accessible to all kinds of consumers.
A shortcoming of this research was that survey respondents did not include individual users of GPS. The survey population consisted of only GPS and GIS vendors. Most of these GPS/GIS vendors seem to be private companies. From the survey feedback it was not possible to distinguish if the respondents were from public or private companies. Obtaining responses from public companies which are operated through government could have pointed out government views on the existing GPS/GIS policies. The survey did not target the users of GPS/GIS in the defense sectors. Conducting personal interviews would have given a more detailed picture of the present Indian GPS/GIS market scenario.
In future, surveying individual users of GPS will give a more thorough insight into the problems faced by GPS technology. This research can continue to progress in studying GPS consumer behavior. Solutions to the needs of individual users will ensure long-term success for the GPS industry in India.
Other researchers, too, can use the same approach as discussed in this study for other upcoming technology like wireless. Researching the issues can help these new technologies give a better edge to the Indian market worldwide.
In this research the researcher has been asking the vendors perspectives about Government policies related to GPS technology. The research can continue by further actually examining only Government policies to see if they really address issues associated with the use of GPS technology. Personal Interview and group discussion can be used to obtain more relevant information on these topics
Finally, this study has highlighted the factors inhibiting the growth of GPS technology in India. Social awareness is found to be the key factor for the growth of the GPS market in India. The research suggests that India has a potential to become a leading destination for the multinational GPS companies in Asia. The recommendations provided in this study can help to achieve this goal.