module specification

You will be presented with the latest developments in strategic marketing thinking and development of marketing plans. You will be given the opportunity in collaboration with either the university small business clinic and or Riipen and or CIM Pitch and or an external organisation. To work with an organisation and engage with their set ‘live’ company brief to    develop their assessed organisations strategic marketing plan. You will critically evaluate the linkages between strategic marketing planning and corporate planning, organisations marketing competencies in relation to competitive advantage, market performance, customers, competitors, product and service portfolios, current and future positioning and value proposition. You will also apply appropriate analytical frameworks, tools and techniques suitable for planning, implementation, measurement and evaluation of marketing plans for the given ‘live’ organisation brief.

Employability Planning & development
As a level 6 student you need to consider your graduate employability prospects & professional development to enhance your career prospects on graduating & exit strategies ie applying for a Master programme and or a graduate training scheme. Building on your previous level 4 & 5 employability modules. This module seeks to further develop & build on enhancing your graduate employability prospects. You will continue to address the module requirements & access the Gateway to Success a business school resource to continue your career development and skill enhancement.  The resource & the careers service will support you in the tools, insights, and support needed to achieve your professional goal and build evidence of personal development. Additionally, students earn points for completing activities across learning and careers areas. Achieving the required points by graduation signals strong engagement and commitment to professional growth, which is formally recognised on the degree transcript.

Aims of the module:
•    Foster an appreciation of the skills, advantages & limitations of working on a ‘live’ brief.
•     Develop knowledge and understanding of relevant theories, models, concepts and context of strategic marketing and the planning process.
•     Systematically conduct a marketing audit, develop an effective marketing strategy and tactical marketing plan using suitable analytical tools and frameworks.
•     Foster a critical awareness and understanding of current issues in strategic marketing and planning in context of theory and practice.
•     Develop academic writing, application of knowledge and decision-making skills.
•    Develop & conduct the practical application of the development of competencies for successful graduate employability
 

Standard university entry requirements for level 6.
Available for Study Abroad YES

Development and application of strategic audit (LO1):

- Examination of key MACRO, MICRO, Internal resources/capabilities and SWOT analysis.

Tactical planning based on evaluation of situational analysis (LO2):

- Discussion of the product/service marketing mix elements including product, place, price, promotion, people, process and physical evidence.

Strategic marketing planning utilising appropriate analytical tools and techniques including assessment of the recommendations (LO3):

- Evaluation of Ansoff’s Growth Matrix, Porter’s Generic Strategies, Techniques & priorities for customer acquisition, conversion and retention & CRM Lifetime Value  STP (Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning), Market Positioning Strategies, Contingency/Scenario Planning, Metrics, Implementation/Monitoring/Control, Budgeting, Budgeting Methods. Justify the most viable analytical tools and techniques utilised as part of the recommendations to facilitate decision-making processes in the future.

Practical application of the development of competencies for successful graduate employability (LO4):

- Update personal skills audit for CV, Conduct effective graduate job searches, Demonstrate effective application and interview technique skills, Understand the recruitment process e.g. graduate training schemes, Appreciate the role of networking and the creation of a LinkedIn profile.

The module will be delivered over a 12-week period, which will include a 1-hour lecture and 2-hours seminar each week. The module uses a blended learning and teaching strategy, comprising of lectures/seminars, video case studies, WebLearn interaction and class discussions. The use of WebLearn facilities is central to the delivery of case studies, journal articles and student feedback.

The weekly sessions will focus on marketing strategy issues and will be supplemented with relevant resources. The classes will also cover discussions, debates, question and answer sessions to build on the key topic areas of marketing strategy. The main focus will be on the development of research and critical thinking. Students will be expected to read extensively from the module reading list and supplement it using suggested readings and various online resources. During the sessions, students will be encouraged to construct small learning groups and work together on analysing and critically interpreting case studies, academic journal articles and other current real-life scenarios. Students will also be encouraged to share their own experiences of working in a strategic marketing context within differing cultural backgrounds in order to adopt an inclusive teaching strategy as well as enhance employability skills.

On successful completion of this module, you will be able to: 
1.    Develop a comprehensive strategic audit based on current research and critically apply the findings within a given scenario (LO1). 
2.    Devise a tactical plan evaluating the situational analysis in order to assist strategic marketing planning (LO2).
3.    Construct a well-justified strategic marketing plan that evaluates appropriate analytical tools and techniques, which can be realistically implemented and monitored. Assess the recommendations which can be developed as part of the marketing plan in order to facilitate decision-making processes in the future (LO3).
4.    Competent in the practical application of the development of competencies for successful graduate employability (LO4).
 

Library Reading List link

https://rl.talis.com/3/londonmet/lists/665AC020-7940-1A45-D458-49C278A15F0D.html?lti1p3LaunchId=lti1p3_launch_68bb1ac0397e72.75485557&existingResourceLinkId=db2565cd-e77d-4442-a39e-21

Core Reading 
West D. Ford J.  Ibrahim E. and Montecchi M. (2022) Strategic Marketing Creating Competitive Advantage, 4th Edition, Oxford University Press.
Additional Reading
Burk Wood M. (2017) Essential Guide to Marketing Planning, Pearson.
Hooley G. Nicoulaud B. Rudd J M. and Lee N. (2024) Marketing Strategy and Competitive Positioning, 8th Edition, Pearson.
McDonald M. Wilson H. and Chaffey D. (2024) Marketing Plans: Profitable Strategies in the Digital Age, 9th Edition, Wiley.
Journals 
Journal of Strategic Marketing
Strategic Management Journal
The Journal of Business Strategy
Journal of Marketing Research
Marketing Intelligence & Planning
Journal of Marketing
Journal of the Academy Marketing Science
European Journal of Marketing
Journal of Marketing Management
Journal of Business Management
Journal of Targeting Measurement & Analysis for Marketing