BUS5SMM Individual assignment 2 (Marketing) – more detailed guidelines Marketing background of the chosen company • Key information about the industry indicating where the company fits and/or positions itself • Pay special attention to sustainable practices – i.e. what have been done to balance economic, environmental, social benefits. • Who are the targeted customers/segments? • How the company and its products are positioned in the market (against the rivals’ offering)? • Useful references: • PPT slides for Marketing planning and strategy • The company’s website • Industry and company information databases accessible via La Trobe’s library, such as IBIS, Factiva, EBSCO, Company 360 • Kotler’s Marketing Management book with chapter(s) relevant to Segmentation, Targeting, Positioning Product vs. sustainability • What products/product range are being offered by the company? • Key decisions for product policy (some, but not limited to): • Productquality/features • Packaging,labelling • Designandmaterials • Production • Supply chain management • Considerations for consumption and disposal • How can sustainability be incorporated into those key decisions? • Useful references: • PowerPoint slides for Product policy • Thecompany’swebsite • Book section: “Sustainability goods” (pages 50-69) from Readings and cases in sustainable marketing: A strategic approach to social responsibility book (to log in with LTU username & password) • Leonidou, C., Katsikeas, C., & Morgan, N. (2013) "Greening" the marketing mix: do firms do it and does it pay off?. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 41(2), 151-170. (especially “Green marketing program” section) (to log in with LTU username & password) • Kotler’s Marketing Management book with chapter(s) relevant to Product policy Price vs. sustainability • What are the general pricing strategies (e.g. value-based, cost-based or competition-based) and their relevant sub-type(s) being used by the company? • Do and how they adopt any new-product pricing strategies? • What are their product mix pricing strategies (if applicable)? • How are their product prices normally adjusted? • Has any sustainable pricing practice been applied? • Useful references: • PowerPoint slides for Pricing policy • The company’s website • Book section: “The last mile: Pricing for life” (pages 294-302) from Readings and cases in sustainable marketing: A strategic approach to social responsibility book (to log in with LTU username & password) • Leonidou, C., Katsikeas, C., & Morgan, N. (2013) "Greening" the marketing mix: do firms do it and does it pay off?. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 41(2), 151-170. (especially “Green marketing program” section) (to log in with LTU username & password) • Kotler’s Marketing Management book with chapter(s) relevant to Price policy Promotion vs. sustainability • What and how key elements of the promotion mix are being used (e.g. advertising, PR, sales promotion, online marketing etc)? • How has the firm attempted to design communications to inform stakeholders about its efforts, commitment, and achievement toward balancing/addressing economic, social and environmental benefits? • Useful references: • PowerPoint slides for Promotion policy • The company’s website • Book section: “Strategic brand promotions: Prospects for sustainability marketing” (pages 303-309) from from Readings and cases in sustainable marketing: A strategic approach to social responsibility book (to log in with LTU username & password) • Leonidou, C., Katsikeas, C., & Morgan, N. (2013) "Greening" the marketing mix: do firms do it and does it pay off?. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 41(2), 151-170. (especially “Green marketing program” section) (to log in with LTU username & password) • Kotler’s Marketing Management book with chapter(s) relevant to Promotion policy Place/distribution vs sustainability • What marketing channels are being used by the company to distribute its products? • How has the firm been managing its marketing intermediaries? • How has the firm managed to achieve sustainable distribution? • Useful references: • PowerPoint slides for Place/Distribution policy • The company’s website • Book section: “Sustainable distribution” (pages 163-175) from Readings and cases in sustainable marketing: A strategic approach to social responsibility book (to log in with LTU username & password) • Leonidou, C., Katsikeas, C., & Morgan, N. (2013) "Greening" the marketing mix: do firms do it and does it pay off?. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 41(2), 151-170. (especially “Green marketing program” section) (to log in with LTU username & password) • Kotler’s Marketing Management book with chapter(s) relevant to Place policy Comparison to rivals • Compare the marketing mix (Product, Price, Place, Promotion) to its closest competitors (1 or 2 closest rivals) Recommendations • Make recommendations for improving the marketing mix to achieve stronger competitiveness (to consider including relevant sustainability aspects) • Make sure that the recommendations are well justified and connected to previous analyses of the marketing background, internal/external environmental situation, and marketing mix analyses. Appendices • SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats for the chosen firm) • Positioning chart for the firm: see PowerPoint slides for Marketing planning and strategy. See also the example below for the car makers Other requirements • Report format with headings and sub-headings • Approximately 2,500 words (+/- 10% accepted; excluding executive summary & list of references) • Use Microsoft Word format only, Times New Roman 12 point font, 1.5 line spacing • Use Harvard referencing. • 15-20 references are expected (including at least 5 academic references) • See the Subject Learning Guide for marking rubric, and other information in LMS • All submissions MUST be made via LMS (Turnitin), otherwise the work won’t be marked. • Late penalty will be applied; extension (if any) will need to be made by logging application for Special Consideration via Ask La Trobe.