A STUDY ON CHANGING MINDSET OF INDIAN METROPOLITAN WOMEN

- Sachin Sharma

2

Objective of study Approach Constructs Phases of metropolitan women Dream and desires Fears and hopes Conflicts and resolutions Commonality in different phases Suggestions

Structure

To understand the woman living in

metros in India

To study her mindset – Her deep rooted motives, desires and fears

To understand the changes that take place during the journey of her life

Objective

Establishing the null hypothesis Secondary research through

Dissertations and papers published, Books namely – Mother Pious Lady and Babe Bible Popular culture – from cinema namely – Life in a metro,

Dharavi and ad films – Saffola, Frankfinn Academy, lyrics of songs from film– Life in a metro

Personal life experiences

Validation and verification Primary research by in-depth interviews with

Women living in metros, HR managers of MNCs and Indian Companies (For

perspective on women as employees)

Null hypothesis – “The women can be studied in two categories – Working women and housewives”

Approach

The concepts of Self and Society are actual and not ideal

Construct Notion of self and society

Self Body –

Meaning - identity, imagery Treatment - pamper, pain, pleasure Feel - healthy, sexy, fit etc.

Mood Meaning – Joyous, bitter Balance– time out for herself etc.

Self worth Importance Time/money spent

Society Peer Group

Support and reference system

Family and extended families Mother and other

Body

Mood

Self Wort

h

Peer Grou

p

Family

Self

Society

Highest “notion of self”

Notion of

“selflessness”

Independent Asserting independenceFighting for independenceSelf content & dependent

Conflict Continuum

1 2 3 4

Size of the circle represents the relative importance given to it.

Society

SocietySelf

Self

Society

Self

Society

Independent Asserting independence

Fighting for independence Satisfied housewife

Self

Interplay of circles

312

4

FOUR Groups to study women

Family – MIL/ FIL and husband

Marital status – Married Age – 27 Profession – Media Sales Education – MBA Meaning of Family – Cage,

Limitations Meaning of work – Opening

up to outside world Peer Group – Colleagues,

Family

Family – Mom and dad…and younger brother

Marital status – Single Age – 29 Profession – Freelancer artist

and faculty in art schools Education – MA fine arts Meaning of Family – My comfort

zone Meaning of work – Self

expression/ passion/ satisfaction Peer Group - Colleagues and

friends

Family – Husband Marital status – married Age – 29 Profession – Entrepreneur

(Runs a fitness center) Education – Post graduate

MBA Meaning of Family – My

support system Meaning of work – financial

Independence and justice to self worth

Peer Group - Colleagues and friends

Family – MIL/ FIL, Husband and a 2 yr old son Marital status – Married Age – 29 Profession – Housewife Education – MBA Meaning of Family – My world Meaning of work – Trade off between self and family

(I like taking care of my family, my family is the extension of my self)

Peer Group –Family and neighbors

1234

She aspires to break free and desires to mark her own territory – Both

professionally and personally

She aspires to be the

iconic figure in her profession and desires

a balanced personal life

She aspires to be

successful in her

professional life and desires a relationship that gives her

personal space

She aspires to maintain the status quo and desires to

create moments of fame

1234Dreams &Desire

s

Her fear is to lose her identity and her hope is to

live through her child

Her fear is that she might

die alone and her hope is to find a true

companion for life

Her fear is not being able to sustain her

independence and

her hope is to be able to chase her passion

Her fear is her family in trouble and her hope is to

witness her children fairing well in their lives

1234Fears

&Hopes

Contradiction – Life is like a Boomerang

Resolution – She invests her hope in her child

Contradiction – Seeking dependence in personal life

Resolution – strike a relationship

Contradiction – Black holes in her universe

Resolution – She seeks a supportive partner in life

Contradiction – Resolution –

1234Contra-dictions

&Resolutio

ns

Accidents / TraumaEmotional threshold

Kids growing upSelf actualizations

MarriageCommitments

AgeAccidents / trauma

KidsRelationships

Trauma

Accidents / TraumaKids growing up

Self actualizations

1234Ruptur

e

• All of them hate step changes and love spike changes in day to day life

• All of them are explorers by nature – through jobs, through traveling, through kids’ school books and cartoon network

• The culture is shifting from making the food Heating the food• All of them cherish (will cherish) the memories of their

marriage• They are nostalgic about the past ….and at times about the

future• The value of materialistic things is actually intangible – A ‘car’

is a drive together / alone, A ‘diamond’ is a relationship, A ‘honeymoon’ trip is romance

• They all are educated …for different reasons though!• They all love their moms, some try to be like them, some

don’t• Three kinds of pressures biological, social, and professional• The women move from more money-less time to less money-

more time which could manifest itself into a change in the shopping behavior.

Commonalities

• Metropolitan Index – based on migration level, degree of freedom, education, type of profession etc.• How to offend a woman?• Idea of actual self concept

and ideal self concept• Raymond’s – the complete

man!

Suggestion

THANK YOU!