MC6P09 - Marketing and Communications Project (2017/18)
Module specification | Module approved to run in 2017/18 | ||||||||||||||||
Module title | Marketing and Communications Project | ||||||||||||||||
Module level | Honours (06) | ||||||||||||||||
Credit rating for module | 30 | ||||||||||||||||
School | Guildhall School of Business and Law | ||||||||||||||||
Total study hours | 300 | ||||||||||||||||
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Assessment components |
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Running in 2017/18(Please note that module timeslots are subject to change) |
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Module summary
The Marketing and Communications Project is a compulsory component and distinguishing characteristic of the final year for the BA in Marketing, BA in Advertising and Marketing Communications, BA in Advertising and Marketing Communications and Public Relations students, BA Fashion Marketing and Business Management
BA Fashion Retail Management
It is a module that depends almost entirely on independent research and individual learning. For most of the undergraduate students, this final document submitted for assessment represents the most extensive piece of written academic work that they have ever attempted! The choice for topic largely rests with the students, however, it is important that the chosen topic is feasible, interesting and stimulating.
Module aims
The aim of this module is to equip students with a thorough understanding of research methodology and to enable them to apply their knowledge of Marketing, Marketing Communications or Creative Industries subjects in a practical way through a six to eight month project. The key areas emphasised are research methods and methodology.
The module therefore has four main objectives:
- To teach students how to work on a complex assignment that will be of value and interest to them and others, e.g. academia, businesses, over an extended period of time
- To teach students how to collect information from a variety of sources, apply investigatory, analytical and critical skills, present meaningful outcomes and draw relevant conclusions and recommendations
- To teach students how to draw selectively and critically upon a body of knowledge, wisdom and information so as to produce new insights, ideas and perspectives
- To improve employability through generating evidence of individual student’s knowledge and specialism in an area of marketing/marketing communications/creative industries practice
Specifically, the module will assist students in the development of the following skills:
1. Researching
2. Analysing data
3. Critical thinking and writing
4. Numeracy/quantitative
5. Self/time management including efficacy
6. Academic writing/literacy
7. Enterprise skills, including taking initiative, being creative, leadership, completing tasks and projects, taking calculated risks
8. Career management
If successfully completed, the Project will be an impressive piece of work, which is likely to make a good impression on potential employers, in that it will reflect self-motivation, independence of thought, commitment and work effort.
Syllabus
• Introduction to applied research; research questions vs. hypotheses
• Defining the marketing /communications research problem and developing a research approach
• Research design
• Literature sources: where and how to look for data; how to choose the most relevant sources
• Conceptual frameworks & literature review; critical literature review
• Referencing systems
• Secondary data collection and analysis
• Research strategy; the Onion model
• Ethics in research
• Access
• Quantitative vs. qualitative research methods
• Case study research
• Surveys
• Causal research
• Sampling strategies
• Research approaches
• Triangulation
• Research philosophies
• Questionnaire writing
• Preparing for the interview
Learning and teaching
The module is taught over a 30-week period and consists of: 3 hour-workshops and individual student/supervisor meetings. Early in the module students will be required to submit a proposal and literature review to their supervisor and will receive formative feedback.
The module uses a blended learning and teaching strategy, comprising of: workshops, library visits, WebLearn interaction, guest lectures and one-to-one supervision. The use of WebLearn is important to the delivery of module handbook, case studies, journal articles, external web links and student feedback. The module relies heavily on workshop delivery due to fact that students need to be introduced to and allowed to explore advanced e-research techniques, netnography, online building questionnaire software, online textbooks and online video cases. Students have to have access data analysis tools such as SPSS, in order to code, practice writing and analyse their questionnaires. Some of the workshop time will be allocated for independent research in a group and students will use the time to share their project experience and learn from each other under the supervision of a member of staff.
A key component of the learning process in this module consists of additional reading and private study to be carried out between workshop sessions. This allows students the opportunity to reflect upon their experiences.
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of the Project the student will:
- Understand all theoretical and practical aspects involved in carrying out a piece of academic research
- Demonstrate advanced analysis, and marketing/marketing communications/social science research skills
- Gain greater confidence in their ability to organise and write authoritative studies or reports
- Demonstrate their managerial skills, especially entrepreneurial and communication skills, which are essential when working in a marketing/creative industries environment
Assessment strategy
The assessment of the Project comprises of three elements, namely:
• The research proposal (2000 words) is due in week 9 and does not contribute to the final grade. However, students will be given an indicative grade. The proposal will introduce the research area, question or hypotheses and a plan showing how the objectives will be achieved; it must be convincing and accompanied by a fully referenced literature review. The basis for the proposal will have been introduced at level 5 in the 30 credit module Consumer Culture and Behaviour or in a module such as Applied Research with similar marketing research content. The proposal must be submitted to the student’s supervisor via Turnitin.
An important part of the proposal is the (critical) literature review. A literature review is an important part of the final project and has the purpose of a summarising, synthesising (criticising) and evaluating contemporary thinking in the proposed area. Students should be able to discover conflicting debates within their area of research, introduce them and discuss them. The literature review is based on extensive reading of academic journal articles, books, Internet sites or even conference papers. Students may find that the theory conflicts in part with what they know from practice, or that there are gaps which require further research. Guidance on how to construct the literature review is given in the workshops. This assignment is submitted to the module leader or the supervisor and must be completed in order for the primary research tools to be carried out at a later date.
• The 8-10,000 word project is due in week 27 – worth 70%
This must be submitted to the UG office and must contain all your research in at least 5 parts, i.e., introduction, literature review, methodology, analysis, conclusions and recommendations. The project must also have the progress monitoring sheets attached in the appendices, together with the evidence of primary research.
• The 20 minute presentation is due in weeks 27-29 – worth 30%
This presentation will be formally confirmed closer to the deadline, and detailed guidance on how to present this important project will be given in class. It is likely that two members of staff will assess each presentation, and students are expected to use PowerPoint presentations or other forms of electronic technology to support their speech. Students must submit a copy of their overheads to the assessors at the time of the assessment. Part of the 30% will also be a 5% mark which will be added to those students who have attended at least 75% of the workshops between week 1 and week 26.
Assessment strategy | Learning Outcomes | Skill Development – main skills |
Individual oral presentation | 1,2,4 | Researching, communicating/presenting orally and in writing including inter-cultural communication, analysing data, numeracy, self/time management, including efficacy, enterprise skills |
Marketing and communications project (written disserta tion) | 1,2,3,4 | Academic reading, advanced writing, researching and analysing data, application of knowledge, self/time management, including efficacy, enterprise skills critical thinking and writing, career management |
Bibliography
The core textbook for this module is:
Saunders, M., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2012) Research Methods for Business Students, 6th edition, Financial Times Press, ISBN-10: 0273750755
Other Books
Churchill, G.A. and Brown, T.J. (2007) Basic Marketing Research, 6th edition, Thomson, UK.
De Pelsmacker, P., Van Kenhove, P., Janssens, W. and Wijnen, K. (2008) Marketing Research with SPSS, Pearson Education
Burns, A. and Bush, R.F.(2010) Marketing Research: Global Edition, 6th edition, Pearson Education
Schmidt, M. and Hollensen, S. (2006) Marketing Research: An International Approach, Pearson Education
Glesne, C. (2011) Becoming Qualitative Researchers: An Introduction: International Edition, 4th edition, Pearson Education
Neuman, W. L. (2007) Basics of Social Research: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches: International Edition, 2nd edition, Pearson Education
O Dochartaigh, N. (2002) The Internet Research Handbook, A Practical Guide for Students and
Researchers in the Social Sciences, London: Sage
Saunders M.N.K, Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2009) Research Methods for Business Students, 5th edition, Pearson Education
Ghauri, P., Gronhaug.K. (2010) Research Methods in Business Studies, 4th edition, Pearson Education
Fisher, C. (2010) Researching and Writing a Dissertation: An essential guide for business students, 3rd edition, Pearson Education
Deane, M. (2010) Academic Research, Writing & Referencing, Longman, ISBN-13:9781408236987
The University also holds Electronic Journal Databases, which are available on any PC in the network. These databases are crucial in helping students in this module. Academic journals include:
Journal of Marketing Communications, Journal of Brand Management, Journal of Brand Strategy, Events Management, International Journal of Mobile Marketing, Journal of Direct, Data and Digital marketing practice, International Journal of Research in Marketing, Journal of Applied Quantitative Methods, International Journal of Qualitative Methods, Qualitative Market Research, Journal of Consumer Marketing, Journal of Database Marketing, Journal of Database Marketing & Customer Strategy Management, Journal of Targeting, Measurement and Analysis for Marketing, European Journal of Marketing, Journal of Euro-marketing, Journal of Management and Marketing research.
Chartered Institute of Marketing: http://www.cim.co.uk/resources/commschannels/digital.aspx
ESOMAR: www.esomar.nl
Advertising Age: http://adage.com/