Online market research initiative from IIM-L

A team of five students of Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow, have conceived and developed a web-based plan for collecting data about computer gamers in India. This is the first academic project on computer games in the country. The project aims to gain consumer information and preferences regarding computer gaming in India and to find out the reasons behind the unpopularity computer gaming in India.

They plan to use the data in designing computer games based on Indian situations. The concept of web-based surveys helps to get over geographical limitations by the use of the internet. An automated website like this will help researchers to collect data from all corners of the desired geographical area. "It also helps to gain first hand experience of the new and upcoming technique of "web-based surveys", says the proponents. It was their busy academic schedule which prompted them to look at new ways to connect to people dispersed all over the country.

Prof M Janakiraman and Prof PC Purwar are the Guides of the project. The team comprises Nagaraj Potti, Vikram Sahajpal, Dejul Shah, Sumit Dhingra and Rakesh Kumar Singh all of who are second year students of the MBA programme. Computer game sector is almost unnoticed in the country, said the team members. The response to the website www.iiml.ac.in/game is promising so far according to the reports.