Module Number: CBM822
Module Title: Marketing Strategy
CW:
Module Coordinator:
HANDING IN ASSESSMENT WORK
Coursework should be submitted electronically via the designated Assignment Dropbox in the Module Study Area in CampusMoodle.
The University operates a Fit to Sit Policy which means that if you undertake an assessment then you are declaring yourself well enough to do so.
Deferrals – If you are not fit to sit an assessment, you should complete a ‘Deferral Request Form’.
Extensions – If you require a short extension, you should complete and submit a ‘Coursework Extension Form’.
These forms are available on the RGU website at: www.rgu.ac.uk/academicregulationsstudentforms or through the RGyoU Portal under the ‘My Results’ tab. You should submit the form through your RGU email account to your School-specific email address, which can be found listed on the same student forms webpage, by scrolling further down. Supporting evidence should be scanned and included with the email.
Coursework received late, without valid reason, will be regarded as a Non-Submission (NS) and one of your assessment opportunities will be lost.
PLAGIARISM
“Plagiarism is the practice of presenting the thoughts, writings or other output of another or others as original, without acknowledgement of their source(s). All material used to support a piece of work, whether a printed publication or from electronic media, should be appropriately identified and referenced and should not normally be copied directly unless as an acknowledged quote. Text translated into the words of the ind.ividual student should in all cases acknowledge the source.”
Before submitting assignments, you should check through it to ensure that:
all material identified as originally from a previously published source has been properly attributed by the inclusion of an appropriate citation in the text;
direct quotations are marked as such (using “quotation marks” at the beginning and end of the selected text), and
full details of the reference citations have been included in the Reference List (in RGU Harvard format).
Students are encouraged to review their work using the Turnitin Plagiarism Detection Service via CampusMoodle before final submission.
For further information on academic honesty, see:
http://campusmoodle.rgu.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=76611
For further information on academic writing, see:
http://www4.rgu.ac.uk/energy/induction/page.cfm?pge=48530
For further information on RGU Harvard Referencing, see:
http://libguides.rgu.ac.uk/rguharvard
WORD COUNT
If the word count of an assessment is considered critical, then this will be reflected in the assessment criteria for that assessment.
Generally, the title page, executive summary (or abstract), contents page, lists of tables and figures, glossary (if required), reference list, bibliography (if required) and any appendices are not part of the word count.
Everything in the main body of text, including headings, sub-headings, citations and direct quotes, is included in the word count.
Anything you consider essential for your marker to read should be in the main body of text. Anything that is supplementary or supporting material should be in the appendices. Regarding tables in the main body of text:
A table containing mainly numeric content would not be considered part of the word count.
A table containing mainly text content would be considered part of the word count.
Coursework Title: Marketing Plan (and Supporting Activities) to Gain and Sustain Competitive Advantage for an International company
Coursework Aim: The objective of this assignment is to allow students to demonstrate understanding of the main concepts related to marketing theory and models, specifically inviting them to undertake marketing analysis and preparation of a marketing plan in a practical context.
Coursework Objectives
1. Explain the theoretical concepts related to market analysis, and planning.
2. Identify and evaluate (through research and market place understanding) the influence of internal and external forces on how to sustain competitive advantage.
3. Identify and evaluate elements of a marketing plan that align with the organisation’s principal business objectives.
4. Draw upon academic theory, and integrate this theory within the practical context.
TASK: You are required to write a marketing plan for an existing international company of your choice for the launch of a new product or service in the UK (this can be based on your interests/related to your degree programme). You will be responsible for developing the idea for this new product, on which this marketing plan will be based. It is VITAL that all recommendations in the marketing plan are related back (with the use of supporting RGU Harvard referencing) to the relevant underpinning theories addressed in lectures to show your understanding of the concepts being addressed.
The quality / viability of the new product itself is not the focus of this work it is HOW the marketing of it should be conducted.
Section One: The Company and Situational Analysis (30%)
A brief outline of the company and a brief overview of the new product/service being proposed;
Detailed analysis of the market which the product/service will be launched into; size, trends, PEST(LE) and SWOT analyses, buyer behaviour and competitor analysis
Section Two: New Product/Service Objectives and STP (20%)
For the new product/service propose SMART marketing objectives for the first year;
Identify the target audience, specifying the segmentation variables used;
Propose a targeting strategy
Justify the positioning of the new product/service (USP)
Section 3: New Product/Service Marketing Mix: (30%)
Provide recommendations on the product, price, place, promotion elements of the marketing mix for the new product/service for the launch and any other of the service (extended marketing mix) related to your venture.
Section 4: Evaluation, Implementation & Control
Plan (10%)
Propose an evaluation, implementation & control plan
Section 5: Professionalism and Presentation (10%)
Ensure cohesion of the document overall (thus demonstrating clear group working skills
ALL sections must be underpinned by relevant academic theories/discussion
Ensure a detailed and informative executive summary is provided
Answers that are entirely theoretical or purely anecdotal will inevitably be restricted in terms of the marks they will achieve. The key is to undertake appropriate research with the aim of delivering a well-written, well presented and well edited summary of the organisational practice in relation to relevant theory. It should be noted that a formal marketing plan may not be accessible, so reasonable assumptions can be made e.g. you may not be able to access financial information for budgeting but can make reasonable assumptions as to the costs involved in your proposed approach.
It is important that the plan be based on secondary research and supported with a wide range of credible references from industry/academic texts and journals (textbooks alone are not enough), both within the body of the text and with a supporting reference list – if in doubt ask your tutors.
Report Writing Guidelines
report should be a MAXIMUM of 5,000 words, (excluding executive summary, contents list, headings, tables, appendices (maximum of 6 pages) and reference list/bibliography) The report should be written in report writing style (in third person), and should include:
1. A title page (including title, module name, matriculation number and word count)
2. An executive summary
3. A contents page with any sub-section headings and page numbers
4. Sectioned body of text – separate numbered heading for each element
5. References and bibliography
6. Appendices where relevant
The Executive Summary (ES) should be written last and should appear at the front of the report. It should be no longer than one page. The ES should not be an introduction to the report, or a methodology. It should summarise the contents of the report and should be specific regarding key findings from the market research (e.g. trends), what the main objectives set out are, what critical recommendations have been made regarding the marketing mix and summarising the main evaluation methods set out. Most importantly, it should capture the imagination and attention of the reader and make them want to read further.
The report should be referenced using the RGU Harvard system of referencing. Use the library guide on referencing and adhere to these guidelines. It is expected that a wide range of sources will be used, including journal articles. Guidance on the University’s recommended version of Harvard is available from the University Library module on referencing on CampusMoodle
http://campusmoodle.rgu.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=74227
Appendices should support the man body of the report – not replace the report. All key aspects of discussion should be drawn into the body of the discussion. In addition, the appendices should be capable of being understood on their own. Any tables, figures or supporting images should be included in the body of the report and not the appendices.
