Bangor Business School - Semester 1, 2023/2024
Bangor Business School - Semester 1, 2023/2024
ABJ/ASB 4006 Marketing Strategy
ASSESSMENT
This Coursework represents 100% of the module mark. It is to be completed individually and submitted through Turn-it-inby Thursday January 18th at the latest.
Your assignment isin report style and is broken down into the following:
Task 1: Find a real company of your choice. Select a well-known company which operates in competitive marketplace.
Tip: If it has extensive global operations be specific about the strategic business unit (SBU) and country base you are focussing on and the market (s) it serves. Also be specific as whether it operates in a B2B or B2C market or both.If in any doubt discuss with the module leader. It is beneficial for you if the product or service that you select has a reasonable amount of information on the internet e.g. proposed price, product details etc. Be careful on your selection of industry as this module assessment covers 4.0 and disruptive competitors. You are advised to select a company whichoperates in a competitive market. Getting this right will help you with task 2(as a guide 300 words).
Task 2: Once you have decided on your product or service you should carry out an audit of the companysmacro and micro-environment, evaluatingany impact to markets faced by the company post-pandemic.The audit should also include current research of the product/service and industry/market sectors.
Tip: You should use environmental analysis tools to evaluate the external environment i.e. PEEST and identify any current issues for the company. You should consider the opportunities and challenges your product or service may facei.e. SWOT. Your answer should include the current marketing mix and competitive forces i.e. Porters 5 forces. It may include supply chain, distribution, market demand for your companys product or service etc and may include other macro/micro models as relevant (as a guide-1200 words).
Aspects to consider:
External environment- what is the current situation of the company given that most countries/regions are still experiencing post-pandemic recovery effects?(use of analysis tools covered in the module and Mintel Oxygen Database)
Analyse how your product or service captures and demonstrates customer value (using the marketing mix, the 4, 7 or 8Ps, CLV, relationship marketing,augmented products/services, brand value perception etc, etc).
Is your product truly innovative or is it just a slight variation of an existing product? (incremental or radical innovation) and what type of customers does the company focus on, early adopters, etc..
How does it differentiate itself from competitors rival products and/or services?
Evaluate the companys commitment (or not) to sustainable marketing.
You should focus on the theories and concepts we have explored during the module and make use of Mintel Oxygen Database and relevant Reports.
Task 3: Based ontask 2- your analysis of the environment and product/service, make evidenced and theory-based recommendations and designan integrated marketing strategy, whichincludes futuredirections and decisions for the company. (as a guide-1500 words)
Tip: This should include details of your proposed marketing strategy. It should include integration of sustainable(green) marketing approachesconsideringevidence in Task 2 particularly competitor actionsand overcoming current threats and taking advantage of new opportunities(i.e. the 3 Is, digital and social media marketing).
This sectionmight include proposals for innovative new products and services, different target markets and differentmarket segmentation,re-positioning of brands, pricing strategies, advertising, supply decisions, etc).Remember to future proof for resilience.
It is expected that the recommended marketing strategy will have logic- and resolve issues or challenge(s) for the company that you have identified for the company in task 2.
Guidance on the structure of the assessment
The structure of the assessment should follow a report format with clear use of headings and subheadings where appropriate.
You are expected to refer, critique and apply relevant theory, tools and models to demonstrate your viewpoint and findings within the report. All references should be cited and a reference list should be included at the end of the report, including Mintel reports.
You are permitted to use relevant tables, diagrams, models and figures. This material should be developed by you and should be based on the data collected from websites, social media, current journal papers, theory and media reports. Marketing information on the positioning of the companies/organisations should come from the company or organisations websites. Avoid copy and pasting tables etc into your report they should be created, customised and annotated to show a clear understanding and application. (Except when using Mintel which has downloadable tables from their reports).
Sources of information and academic references should be acknowledged appropriately within the text using Harvard referencing style, and the References page should follow the Harvard format.
The report should be clearly organised and divided into the 3 Tasks.
The total word count for this assessment is 3000 words, with a 10% +/- allowance. Title page, Contexts Page, Reference List and Appended items are excluded from the word count. If further description is needed on the company as background, you may include this in a 1 page appendix, this will be excluded from the word count. Any words in models, tables, figures or illustrations are also excluded from the word count.
Please state your word total (of the parts that count) in the first page of the assignment.
Referencing
You are expected to reflect on module material and discussions held during the module and demonstrate more comprehensive reading.
Your work should be supported by academic theory (theoretical underpinning), using Harvard-style referencing. A reference list should be supplied and is not included in the word count. Any models, figures, or illustrations must also be referenced. If you use appendices, you must refer to them in the main text by including '(see Appendix N)' within the main body of work.
You are reminded not to copy material from any sources without properly referencing it, as this constitutes plagiarism: cases of plagiarism will be referred to the Business School Academic Integrity Officer and will be subject to a deduction of marks, which can result in an overall mark of 0%.
The copying of material extends to the use of essay mills and AI technology such as ChatGPT. You are reminded that the use of such services to generate work in substitute of your own original contributions contravenes Bangors Academic Integrity policy. Any detected attempt to use such tools will also result in referral to the Business School Academic Integrity Officer.
Module Overview
The module commences with a review of the philosophy and process of marketing, including service operations, before considering the challenges of planning in the marketing environment. Planning requires market research to understand the consumer and needs to reflect the behaviour of organisations as buyers and suppliers. The overall objective of marketing strategy is to create value for all customers, through managing competition and managing products. This requires not only communicating value for customers, and versus competitors, but also the implementation of an integrated marketing strategy which recognises current & future threats and opportunities (Internet, International and Integrity).
Learning Outcomes
Analyse specific situations and propose appropriate marketing strategies.
Appreciate the wide-ranging applications in which marketing applies and the adjustments required.
Demonstrate basic understanding, critical awareness and knowledge of concepts of marketing.
Evaluate the challenges of implementing effective strategies.
Assessment Criteria
Marking Scheme Weighting %
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the marketing function within the company and related concepts such as- marketing audit, marketing planning and research and, market analysis techniques in the context of the example.
25
Effectively applybusiness/marketing management tools, carry out marketing research(using secondary data) to support analysis which clearly informs the marketing audit taking place in the context of the example.
25
Criticallyanalyse marketing theory from the module and more widely to inform sound proposals for development of a coherent marketing strategy which considersrelevant module topics and more specifically the following: sustainable marketing practices andthe actions of competitors. 20
Evaluation ofthreats (risks) and opportunities for the company that acknowledge relevant post-pandemic market/industry effects- for examplechanges in consumer behaviour (for B2C operations) or buying behaviour of companies and supply resilience (for B2B operations). 20
Use of appropriate referencing and theoretical underpinning 10
Grading Criteria
To achieve Grade A [First Class] the assessment must:
Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge and detailed understanding of the subject
area.
Demonstrate extensive background study.
Be well structured and highly focussed.
Contain logically presented and defended arguments.
Be free of factual/computational errors.
Include significant elements of original interpretation.
Demonstrate an ability to identify, develop and present new links between topics.
Include new approaches to analysing and/or explaining a problem.
Be presented to very high standards with very accurate communication.
To achieve Grade B [Upper Second Class] the assessment must:
Demonstrate strong knowledge and understanding of most of the subject area.
Demonstrate evidence of background study.
Be well structured and focussed.
Contain coherently presented arguments.
Be mostly free of factual/computational errors.
Include some elements of original interpretation.
Describe well known links between topics.
Analyse and/or explain problems using existing methods/approaches.
Be presented to high standards with accurate communication.
To achieve Grade C [Lower Second Class] the assessment must:
Demonstrate knowledge of key areas/principles.
Have some, if only limited, evidence of background study.
Be focussed on the question (assessment brief) with only some irrelevant material
and weaknesses in structure.
Attempt to present relevant and logical arguments.
Not contain a large number of factual/computational errors.
Describe major links between topics.
Attempt to analyse and/or explain problems.
Be free of major weaknesses in presentation and accuracy.
To achieve Grade D [Third Class] the assessment must:
Demonstrate knowledge of some key areas/principles.
Have some, if only limited, evidence of background study.
Attempt to present an answer on the question (assessment brief) with only some
irrelevant material and weaknesses in structure.
Attempt to present relevant and coherent arguments.
Not contain a large number of factual/computational errors.
Describe some links between topics.
Provide some analysis and/or explanation of problems.
Demonstrate an attempt to avoid major weaknesses in presentation and accuracy.
The assessment will be given Grade E-F [Fail Classification] if it does not fulfil the associated learning outcomes and contains:
Insufficient detail.
Deficiencies in knowledge even of key areas/principles.
No evidence of understanding, even of the main areas.
No evidence of background study.
Tangential material, lacking a coherent structure.
No arguments.
Many factual/computational errors.
No original interpretation.
No description of links between topics.
No attempt to solve problems.
A weak presentation with many inaccuracies
