As a result, corporate organisations are seen to be gauging the marketability of social issues, rather than finding durable solutions to long-standing problems, be it in the realm of environment or road safety. Apart from mixing up the marketing functions with a social agenda, many of these organisations are in fact seen to be projecting their role in the social sector as a matter of philanthropy.

But few realise that the budget for their social agenda (read marketing blitzkrieg) is derived from what the consumer pays. Moreover, many of these organisations have so far prospered because of the state support they received during the heydays of protectionism. They certainly owe a great deal to the public, and it is hoped that this repayment is notgift-wrapped as a social development programme, with all the trappings of a marketing gimmick.

Maruti Udyog Ltd (MUL), a company that has enjoyed near monopoly in the car segment till recently, is waking up to the intense competition building up in this segment. The ideal way to meet this competition would have been to tighten its own quality consciousness. But that is a long-drawn programme and may not create a sudden impact in the minds of the consumer.

MUL takes credit for sparking off anti-pollution campaigns in the metros. The company has been organising free pollution check-up camps ``for the past four years''. It has also organised pollution check-up camps for all makes of two-wheelers. Moreover, the company is also required to meet the European emission standards for its cars by the turn of the century.

Road safety is another issue on MUL's social agenda. MUL, in association with Rediffusion DY&R, developed more than a dozen audio-visual clips on road safety, which have been broadcast onDoordarshan and Sony TV. One look at these clips will tell you how misplaced the campaign is. There is nothing wrong with the theme.

Road safety concerns everybody. But the question is, who are the people who need to be sensitised to the issue? The average person behind the wheel is not one who is familiar with the nursery rhymes and jingles that have been used for these films, and is less likely to be drawn to the presentation on TV. It appears that the elitist mode of road safety campaign was launched by MUL with one eye on the upper-crust of the auto buyers' segment.

There are gaps in the way MUL has gone about its social agenda. But one cannot overlook some of the firsts achieved by the company in this area. MUL has provided three Maruti Gypsy Interceptors to the Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE), a non-profit institution working in the area of road education.

The interceptors are reportedly the most modern high-tech traffic surveillance and enforcement vehicles. They are equipped with abuilt-in studio with recording, viewing and printing facilities, a state-of-the-art laser-based speed measuring device, a breath analyser for measuring alcohol concentration, and pollution gas analysers. MUL is said to be spending over Rs 20 lakh for equipping four Gypsy vans with these facilities.

The company has also collaborated with the Department of Transport to sponsor a handbook detailing safe driving habits, targeted at learners seeking driving licences.

In December 1996, MUL organised the `Maruti Skills and Thrills Contest' in Delhi, which stressed the importance of safe driving -- driving at a controlled speed within the prescribed speed limits. Participants had to drive along a fixed route of about 83 kms in and around Delhi, maintaining a given average speed at each sector of the route.

Truly, competition does wonders. For the first 10 years of its existence, MUL did not feel the heat of competition and hence, made no moves to project itself as a socially responsible organisation. But timesare changing. MUL, too, feels the need to make a fashion statement -- that it is a socially responsible organisation. Let us hope the company will not restrict itself to tinkering with the surface, but will actually shoulder the responsibility of triggering social change in the country.