Module Title: Marketing

Module Handbook 2020/21 Module Code: MKT703 (CRN88001)

Department of Management, Leadership and Marketing

Hello and welcome to the MKT703 Marketing module.

Effective marketing is not about learning a series of facts but comes from systematic critical thinking and reasoned application of underlying principles in a dynamic marketplace. Whether you are applying for a job with a consumer goods firm, or in business-to-business marketing, or in a museum; whether you are seeking a better way to market your company’s product, or seeking private or government funding; or a publisher for your latest novel or a way to convince people to give up dangerous habits such eating junk food; you will be more successful if you understand what marketing is, how it works, and the effect it can have upon people and society.

Within this handbook, you will find content of the module, the learning outcomes and information relating to the module assessment. Please read this document before the start of the delivery and during your time undertaking this module. It will provide you with the information you need to know to help you with the learning processes. Use this handbook as a guide during the semester.

Lectures and seminars will provide a solid foundation for learning, but you are also expected to undertake independent research and reading outside the recommended text as business insight cannot be understood simply through theory.

This is a dynamic module as we will discuss real life situations as and when they occur. It is important that you attend all classes and participate in the discussions as this will enhance your knowledge base and ensure successful completion of the module.

The module teaching team aim to provide an exciting and stimulating environment, where innovation and dynamism can flourish. We hope you have an enjoyable and rewarding semester and look forward to working with you in your learning and success.

Module Overview and Communication Course/s: MBA

Module Rationale

This module will provide you with an understanding of the fundamental concepts of marketing.

“Marketing is the distinguishing, unique function of the business. Marketing is so basic that it cannot be considered a separate function within the business, on a par with others such as manufacturing or human resource management, it is first a central dimension of the entire business. It is the whole business seen from the point of view of its final result; that is from the customers` point of view. Concern and responsibility for marketing must, therefore, permeate all areas of the enterprise” (Peter Drucker).

This Marketing module focuses on the challenges management face in developing and implementing both a marketing philosophy and successful marketing programmes. The critical importance of marketing arises from its role as the boundary function between the organisation and the marketplace. Changes in the market require changes from the company; changes made by the company create changes in the market. Marketing is concerned with managing this ever-changing relationship. The logic of marketing is deceptively simple; achieving marketing advantages over competitors, however, but this requires a broad set of competences. These issues and more form the basis of this module.

Marketing provides an organisation wide ethos, which help nurture success by focusing on the customer. The aim of this module is to provide students with an understanding and appreciation of the fundamental concepts and principles of marketing. In addition, it aims to develop student understanding regarding the relevance of these concepts to successful performance within the organisation. In today`s competitive environment, marketing represents a key requirement for survival. As such, the context and methods of marketing continue to change. This module should therefore equip students not only with understanding but also the thirst to examine marketing practice further and provide a contemporary appreciation for how this discipline is evolving and how best to overcome associated challenges and complexities to maximise profit impact for all organisations

Overall Aim of the Module

This module aims to familiarise students with the management issues of marketing analysis, marketing planning and marketing implementation in a range of contexts, including private and public sectors, goods and services industries, and in industrial and consumer markets. The course also demonstrates the role of marketing and marketing thought in other areas of businesses activity, particularly in business strategy.

On completion of the course, students will be able to:

• To recognise the role of marketing in management thinking and practice;
• To develop an understanding of the nature of markets in a dynamic, global, information- intensive environment;
• To understand fundamental concepts, processes and managerial frameworks of marketing;
• To develop competence in the application of tools and techniques for marketing analysis, planning and implementation.

Successful students will be able to:

Learning Outcomes

1 Understand the importance of the consumer in all aspects of marketing and evaluate this.

2 Discuss and explain the difference between the various elements of the process of marketing and their interrelationships.

3 Understand the importance of market research and its role in informing marketing decisions and activities.

4 Identify the altering importance of marketing mix elements within different business contexts

Assessment and Feedback

Assessment Task

“Based on an organisation of your choice, please prepare a marketing analysis and strategy based on the key concepts and models delivered in this module using the structure outlined below. This should clearly reflect the marketing concepts, tools and marketing mix: product, promotion, price, place, people, process and physical evidence as discussed in class.”

STRUCTURE OF ASSIGNMENT

1. Executive Summary — summarising points 2–5. (5%)
2. Organisation overview—provide an up-to-date critique of the organisation; a brief historical background of the organisation and its current marketing strategy (and any major changes they may have made to their marketing strategy over the last few years) (15%)
3. Critical Literature review – present the results of your critical literature review into current thinking on the concept of marketing in a digital world; clearly outline the difference between what the experts and current theory term ‘contemporary/digital’ and ‘traditional’ marketing (20%)
4. Market Research approach–Outline the research approach adopted (quantitative and/or qualitative, including a rationale for your selection), data collection and analysis technique(s) adopted and your approach to sampling (15%)
5. Findings – discuss and present findings from secondary and primary market research undertaken PESTLE, SWOT, competition; customers, and segmentation, targeting and positioning approach including the organisation’s approach (both traditional and digital) to the following elements of the marketing mix, (20%):

1. Product — the product and service portfolio
2. Promotion — pull or push communication strategy including choice of medium — digital and/or traditional
3. Price — i.e. premium, skimming, economy/value or penetrative pricing
4. Place — choice of distribution strategy
5. People – the people who make contact with customers in delivering the product or service
6. Process – the key systems and processes that deliver a product to a customer
7. Physical evidence – the elements of the physical environment that the customer experiences
8. Conclusions and Recommendations — Provide suggestions for change to enhance their current marketing strategy and to make it more effective. (15%).
9. Reflective statement – Highlight your learning experiences from the module (to be included in the Appendices) (10%).

Assessment submission deadline

The final submission should be no longer than 3,000 words (excluding appendices, tables, charts and references) with the word limit clearly stated on the cover page. The report element (the first 6 bullet points above) should be no longer than 2,500 words and the reflective statement should be no longer than 500 words. Please use Arial 12-point font, single-spaced and single sided, A4 and justified.

The final report should be completed and submitted via Turnitin to the Blackboard Learn Module area no later than 12 noon on Sunday 10^th January 2021. This date and time is final, and a late submission will be penalised by the deduction of marks.

Coursework Feedback

We aim to provide feedback on the assessment via Blackboard within four weeks of submission date. Speak to the Module Coordinator if you want additional feedback

Standard Assessment Guidance

The following guidance is applicable to all coursework items.

1) Marks are awarded for content, quality of discussion and effective use of referencing. To achieve high marks, students will be expected to demonstrate a familiarity with the wider literature in the subject area, and not merely an ability to re-produce the lecture notes. Higher marks will also be awarded to students who provide strong evidence of analysis and critical evaluation of the various marketing concepts and techniques identified and their application to real world situations.

2) Work should include references to books and journal articles and other relevant publications, and should be properly laid out using the Harvard system of referencing as indicated below:

Buzzell R., (1968) ‘Can you standardise multinational marketing’, Harvard Business Review, (Nov-Dec) 46, pp102-113.

Jeannet J.P. and Hennessey H.D., (2004) Global Marketing Strategies. 6^th ed. Houghton Mifflin.

More detailed guidance is available in the ‘Guide to Referencing in the Harvard Style’. We encourage you to avail of the Academic Support via the Library’s Support Service, further details in the Library Support Services Section.

3) Marks will be deducted for incomplete or inaccurate referencing.

4) Students may make multiple submissions in advance of the due date to receive feedback via Turnitin on their academic writing style (similarity score) and any potential plagiarism issues. A similarity score of less than 20% is acceptable.

5) Students must adhere to the word limit policy so as to avoid penalties as follows:

+10% – no penalty

+>10% – 20% – 5% penalty

+>20% – 30% – 10% penalty

+>30% – 40% – 15% penalty

+>40% – 50% – 20% penalty

+>50% – maximum mark of

Learning Resources

Library’s Support Services

QA Library website.

QA’s library website is a great place to start your research. This site brings together the resources provided by Ulster University library and the resources provided by QAHE library. Everything you need is in one place!

• The Ulster University page includes links to databases, eBook collections, open access sources, referencing, and much more.

• The Homepage contains information on research skills, extracting information from textbooks and accessible learning recommendations.

• The contact us page contains a live chat box so you can ask questions and receive immediate answers from a librarian. You can also book one-to-one sessions or join the regular ‘online hangout with a librarian’. There are lots of ways to ask for help with your research!

SCONUL

Ulster University is part of the SCONUL network. This allows students to visit other university libraries and use their books. If you’d like to do this, contact QA Library and we will arrange SCONUL membership for you.

Studiosity

Ulster University subscribes to Studiosity, which enables students to receive feedback on draft assignments. Simply upload your draft, select the type of feedback you want (e.g. grammar, referencing etc), and submit. Feedback will be provided within 24 hours.

Blackboard Learn Student Orientation Course

It is highly recommended that you complete the above online course to get familiar with Ulster’s Virtual Learning Platform, Blackboard Learn. The course is accessible from your ‘Course List’ in your Blackboard Area

Organisation and Management

MKT703 Marketing, is a 15-credit point module, this requires 150 hours of your commitment, distributed through the following learning and teaching activities over the 12-week semester:

The teaching and learning plan provide a more detailed overview of content on a weekly basis. Module delivery will consist of weekly lecture material and a weekly seminar. Lectures and seminars will be delivered live online. Students are expected to be online at the time they have been scheduled to engage with the teaching staff and other students. Attendance will be monitored. Contact the attendance team and the Module Coordinator if for any reason you cannot attend the lecturers or seminars