Marketing Strategy MKT – 306 Assignment Brief – 2016 London Campus Module Deliverer: Vipin Nadda Email: [email protected] to the Assignment: Please read all instructions and information carefully. You are required to submit your work under the University Infringement of Assessment Regulations. Your assignment must be submitted to Sunspace for Turnitin and JIRA/Webservices with an accurately and clearly completed title page and remember to type your student code and assignment code clearly onto the title page. Your assignment must be submitted in conjunction with a Turnitin© report to JIRA. You will need to achieve an overall mark of 40% in order to successfully complete this module. Assignment Details: Mode of Assessment: Individual Report Weighting: 100% Word Count: 3,500 (+/- 10%) Hand in: SunSpace & JIRA/Webservices Deadline: Tuesday 28th February 2017 at 16:00Assignment Brief: The Car Manufacturing Business is one of the most versatile and resilient businesses hit by the current economic crisis. From viral marketing to advanced retail and brand management, fundamentals of marketing strategy govern the way in which some of the car manufacturers operate and flourish. The recent changes in consumer purchase-power and geo-demographics of the target markets in this industry certainly make it an interesting sector to investigate as part of this assignment. The task is divided into two parts (Part 1 & Part 2) and candidates are expected to address both. Your task is to identify a branded Car Company; and then analyse, evaluate and prepare an individual report (3,500 +/- 10% words) addressing the following issues…  Part 1:  Using appropriate sources, undertake a full marketing audit (external and internal environments) and also assess strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to your chosen organisation. Include details about the organisation’s position relative to other industry members including market shares.  Provide a critical evaluation of the organisation’s competitive edge (USP). Demonstrate the organisation’s effectiveness by providing an evaluation of competitive performance. Include other relevant market performance data to underpin your evaluation (e.g. growth, sales trends and/or profitability). [Weighting - 50%]  Part 2:  Based on your Part 1 analysis and using your chosen brand select target segment/s and set clear marketing objectives to increase brand awareness, market share, and growth in sales volume and/or profitability. Your new marketing strategy should address these objectives with the application of the marketing mix to your chosen brand.  These suggestions should be your own ideas but may include marketing tactics and strategies used by other successful organisations or companies preferably from different industry sectors. [Weighting - 50%]Candidates are encouraged to evaluate, analyse, and recommend marketing strategies for their chosen company within a specific context of their choice (i.e. UK, Germany, Malaysia, Trinidad etc.). For the purpose of this assessment students need to focus on marketing strategies being used at the B2C level. Your arguments, findings and recommendations should be supported by theories, facts and figures published within academic books, journal articles, recognised business magazines and market intelligence reports. * Your chosen brand owner should be nationally and or internationally recognised (at least), and it MUST have a website. N.B. Please note the maximum word count excludes Appendix and References. Assignment Structure: This is an individual assignment as a single report in two parts. Candidates are encouraged to be creative with their analysis and recommendations by using theories covered in the lectures and workshops. The below is the structure that candidates must follow for this report: Part 1.  Title page  Executive Summary  Table of contents  Introduction  Situational analysis – (PESTLE) (SWOT)  Competitive advantage (USP)  Evaluation of current marketing strategy Part 2.  Segmentation Targeting & Positioning (STP)  Recommended objectives and goals (SMART)  Recommend marketing strategies, based on the application of the marketing mix to your chosen brand.  Conclusion  Bibliography (with references)Submission Policies: 1. You are required to submit your work within the bounds of the University Infringement of Assessment Regulations. 2. Your assignment must be submitted to Sunspace and JIRA in electronic form with an accurately and clearly completed title page. 3. All Students must submit a Turnitin© report along with their assignment to JIRA. If under any circumstances the assignment is submitted without this, the final mark will be withheld and there will be potential delays. 4. Students may submit drafts through Turnitin and generate reports prior to submission. The last submission prior to the deadline will be deemed to be the final submission for assessment purposes. Please note that you need to allow 24 hours between submissions through Turnitin to generate a fresh/new/different report so please do not leave submission to the last moment. 5. All works submitted MUST be original. If under any circumstances a student is found to be violating any of the 'Academic Integrity' rules, the university deserves the right to take legal and disciplinary actions against the individual.Marking Scheme 1st (70+%) An excellent assignment. It demonstrates a high level of understanding of the learning outcomes. The report provides evidence of significant understanding of marketing strategy theory/techniques and its application to the selected organisation. All decisions are logical, coherent, fully justified, explained succinctly and coherently, but also demonstrates a high level of insight and originality. The presentation is of a very high standard demonstrating a professional approach which is generally free of errors. 2:1 (60-69%) A very good assignment. It demonstrates a reasonably high level of understanding of the learning outcomes. The assignment provides evidence of understanding of marketing strategy theory/techniques and its application to the selected organisation. All decisions are logical, justified and explained however are less strong in terms of insight and originality. The presentation is of a high standard and predominantly free from errors. 2.2 (50-59%) A good assignment. It demonstrates a sound understanding of the learning outcomes. The report provides evidence of understanding of marketing strategy theory/techniques and its application to the selected organisation, though this may be somewhat limited. Most decisions are appropriate however are less strong in terms of insight, logic and originality. The presentation is adequate. 3rd (40-49%) A satisfactory assignment. It demonstrates an understanding of the learning outcomes. The report provides evidence of understanding of marketing strategy theory/techniques and its application to the selected organisation, although this is limited. Decisions are appropriate however lack coherence, insight and logic. The presentation is adequate, but lacks cohesion. Grade F (<40%) An unsatisfactory assignment which demonstrates a lack of understanding of the learning outcomes and has not answered the question. It contains some elements of marketing strategy/techniques applied to the context however is not wholly appropriate. The assignment lacks logic, coherence, originality and insight. The presentation is poor with a number of errors.Generic Assessment Criteria – Undergraduate These should be interpreted according to the level at which you are working and related to the assessment criteria for the module Categories Grade Relevance Knowledge Analysis Argument and Structure Critical Evaluation Presentation Reference to Literature Pass 86 – 100% The work examined is exemplary and provides clear evidence of a complete grasp of the knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. There is also ample excellent evidence showing that all the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that Level are fully satisfied. At this level it is expected that the work will be exemplary in all the categories cited above. It will demonstrate a particularly compelling evaluation, originality, and elegance of argument, interpretation or discourse. 76- 85% The work examined is outstanding and demonstrates comprehensive knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. There is also excellent evidence showing that all the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that level are fully satisfied. At this level it is expected that the work will be outstanding in the majority of the categories cited above or by demonstrating particularly compelling evaluation and elegance of argument, interpretation or discourse. 70 – 75% The work examined is excellent and is evidence of comprehensive knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. There is also excellent evidence showing that all the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that level are satisfied At this level it is expected that the work will be excellent in the majority of the categories cited above or by demonstrating particularly compelling evaluation and elegance of argument, interpretation or discourse. 60 – 69% Directly relevant to the requirements of the assessment A substantial knowledge of relevant material, showing a clear grasp of themes, questions and Good analysis, clear and orderly Generally coherent and logically structured, using an appropriate mode of argument and/or theoretical mode(s) May contain some distinctive or independent thinking; may begin to formulate an independent position in Well written, with standard spelling and grammar, in a readable style with acceptable format Critical appraisal of up-to-date and/or appropriate literature. Recognition of different perspectives. Very good use of source material. Uses aissues therein relation to theory and/or practice. range of sources 50 – 59% Some attempt to address the requirements of the assessment: may drift away from this in less focused passages Adequate knowledge of a fair range of relevant material, with intermittent evidence of an appreciation of its significance Some analytical treatment, but may be prone to description, or to narrative, which lacks clear analytical purpose Some attempt to construct a coherent argument, but may suffer loss of focus and consistency, with issues at stake stated only vaguely, or theoretical mode(s) couched in simplistic terms Sound work which expresses a coherent position only in broad terms and in uncritical conformity to one or more standard views of the topic Competently written, with only minor lapses from standard grammar, with acceptable format Uses a variety of literature which includes some recent texts and/or appropriate literature, though not necessarily including a substantive amount beyond library texts. Competent use of source material. 40 – 49% Some correlation with the requirements of the assessment but there is a significant degree of irrelevance Basic understanding of the subject but addressing a limited range of material Largely descriptive or narrative, with little evidence of analysis A basic argument is evident, but mainly supported by assertion and there may be a lack of clarity and coherence Some evidence of a view starting to be formed but mainly derivative. A simple basic style but with significant deficiencies in expression or format that may pose obstacles for the reader Some up-to-date and/or appropriate literature used. Goes beyond the material tutor has provided. Limited use of sources to support a point. Weak use of source material. Fail 35 – 39% Relevance to the requirements of the assessment A limited understanding of a narrow range of Heavy dependence on description, and/or on Little evidence of coherent argument: lacks development and may be repetitive Almost wholly derivative: the writer’s contribution rarely goes Numerous deficiencies in expression and presentation; the writer may Barely adequate use of literature. Over reliance on material provided bymay be very intermittent, and may be reduced to its vaguest and least challenging terms material paraphrase, is common or thin beyond simplifying paraphrase achieve clarity (if at all) only by using a simplistic or repetitious style the tutor. The evidence provided shows that the majority of the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that Level are satisfied – for compensation consideration. 30 – 34% The work examined provides insufficient evidence of the knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. The evidence provided shows that some of the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that Level are satisfied. The work will be weak in some of the indicators. 15- 29% The work examined is unacceptable and provides little evidence of the knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. The evidence shows that few of the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that Level are satisfied. The work will be weak in several of the indicators. 0-14% The work examined is unacceptable and provides almost no evidence of the knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. The evidence fails to show that any of the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that Level are satisfied. The work will be weak in the majority or all of the indicators. Ver 1.3 13/02/2008 SJS