MR is covered under Sales Promotion Act. Usually MR is member of trade union which may be a State Unit or affiliate of National Body. Some companies have internal Council.
Due to difference in tax structure of various state infiltrations started. Now the business of infiltration has become a monster difficult to handle. It is said companies used to push stocks out of factories without paying duties to cover their unavoidable and unaccounted expenses. Stocks supplied to various institutions at subsidized rates would eventually come out in open market which is corruption.
The result is stock in the market which is not sold by stockiest of the company if the area allocated to MR.
Thus one needs to generate prescripttion from doctors to fetch demand so as to generate requirement at the level of chemist to cater to patients and thus stockiest to cater to chemists and hence company to cater to stockiest.
The impact of infiltration may vary from area to area.
If Delhi infiltrates to UP the sales of Delhi goes up and with passage of time becomes part of game and base of Delhi goes up. In years to come Delhi shall get growth targets over and above base of Delhi.
The company provides inputs to MR's e.g. samples, gifts, sponsorships to promote business etc.
For some companies the facts are like a clear writing on the wall. Everyone knows everything. The promoters are helpless as they hire marketing and sales brains which is mix of VP's, GM's, product management teams, marketing teams, medico marketing teams etc....,to promote their interest to boost prescripttion base and these masters join to earn their fat packages and they do their bit and move.
MR is protected by unions. Let the matter be brought in the notice of unions and unions push the promoters in HO. This friend of yours should take precaution as many of the leaders in the union also indulge in infiltration either to please their masters, or save their own jobs (as many of them don't work honestly).
You have cited a peculiar problem since MR also has to contribute to achieve the targets and keep the jobs.
It shall be better if MR becomes a member of most effective union, works on daily basis, reports on daily basis, keeps all assignments up to date, improves the demand by prescripttions which should be clearly visible in the market, and then takes some position in the union, and later may refuse to be a party to malpractices. He should not overcharge in tour bills.While he becomes a performer in the market he shall have the option of joining some good company with good work, culture/HR practices, and which is also a good paymaster e.g. Novo Nordisk, Serdia, Sun Pharma etc...
It shall be waste to be with the present company.
