Developing Market Insights, Ethnographic Research Skills, and Compassion Through Field Studies in Impoverished Markets

Abstract

The article reports on pedagogical interventions designed to integrate the lived realities of impoverished consumer segments into marketing education. Drawing on teaching experiences from the Rural and Inclusive Marketing (RIM) course at an Indian business school, it describes two field-based experiential projects, Ethnographic Story and Unpacking Markets. These projects enabled students to interact directly with impoverished consumers, reducing initial disconnectedness. It also honed ethnographic research skills, cultural sensitivity, and compassion toward marginalized consumer groups. The analysis highlights the importance of sensitization, collaborative and co-creative learning, and narrative-driven outputs in equipping students to critically interpret impoverished consumers’ lifeworlds. By engaging students in real-world contexts, the interventions helped cultivate contextual literacy and methodological preparedness, while also addressing gaps in conventional business curricula. More broadly, the study demonstrates how experiential learning can address blind spots in marketing education and enrich understanding of impoverished markets. It further shows how such learning can be implemented to understand other such markets globally and contribute to the development of inclusive marketing strategies aligned with broader goals of equity and social justice.