module specification

This module is at the heart of what marketing is about: serving customers’ needs profitably. It also adds an international perspective. It picks up from the Principles and Practice marketing module introduced at level 4 and extends it with other important marketing dimensions such as service and societal marketing as well as CSR. It also covers a significant amount of consumer psychology to help the learner understand the customer needs so as to create relevant products and promote them to the relevant target groups. The global perspective adds another dimension that businesses may contend with to evaluate the international opportunities available to them. Understanding the consumer behaviour dimension is also a pre-requisite topic by the Chartered Institute of Marketing for gaining recognition towards the professional Certificate in Marketing. Towards the end of the module the students will review briefly the topic of operations management to remind them about the link between understanding customers, developing a worthwhile marketing strategy to capitalise on the understanding and designing operations that help implement the products or services according to the marketing plan. Students will be encouraged to appreciate business innovation and creativity throughout the course.In terms of developing skills students will engage in problem solving and decision making, both oral and written communication, and the critical and analytical skills required by professional marketers.

Hence overall the module enables the learner to develop a rounded-up picture of business dimensions that help them become savvy businessmen and women.

A brief outline of the indicative syllabus in narrative form identifying key subject areas to be addressed in discreet elements of the course

• Definitions, scope of the dimensions of the module and their interdependence LO1

• The various facets of customers and the models accounting for consumer behaviour LO1

• The psychological dimensions of the customers (cognitive, personality and motivational aspects) LO1

• Global customer differences including culture LO2

• The marketing planning context and tools LO2

• Marketing in a non-commercial context LO2

• The role of ethics and CSR in business LO2

• Marketing in a global context LO2

• Communicating effectively with customers using traditional and non-traditional media LO2

• The role of operations management, quality and supply chain and its impact on product/service offerings LO3

• Delivering the appropriate products and services that match the organisation’s strategy LO3

The module will be delivered over a 30-week period consisting of 2 hour weekly sessions. The module will use a blended learning delivery approach covering lectures/workshops, video demonstrations and student projects. We will use extensively Weblearn for both delivery of teaching and practice material as well as for the submission of assessment.

The lectures will focus on the following dimensions reflected in the title of the module: understanding the needs and wants of the customer in a local and global context and delivering a strategy that meets the needs profitably. Each seminar will include introductions to key concepts as well as opportunities for practice of the concepts using real-life examples. Students will be given the opportunity to prepare for sessions by encouraging them to undertake tasks before sessions.

During classes students will be encouraged to present their reflections about tasks so they may also develop their ability to speak confidently to audiences.
Students will be encouraged to keep a learning log to help them see how they are developing and note any areas of difficulties which can be discussed with the tutor.

On successful completion of the module students should be able to:

1. Appreciate the interdependence between understanding consumers and applying marketing principles to designing sought after products and services. Research and develop understanding of consumer behaviour and the variety of factors that affect it through using relevant models and tools
2. Apply the marketing orientation and planning to business in the context of commercial and non-profit enterprises in domestic and international markets. Appreciate the impact of global context, including socio-cultural factors and trends, in developing socially responsible products and services and promoting them responsibly. Review the link between operations principles and marketing theory.
3. Evaluate and synthesise the learning acquired in 1 and 2 and apply them in the context of a business simulation. Practice with the simulation to develop an integrative view between theory and practice and develop business acumen in the context of the business simulation.

The assessment strategy consists of 4 components: One formative and three summative assessments. All assessment assesses not only the level of familiarity with the concepts covered but also the ability to apply them critically in a real-life context.
The assessment also combines reports exams and group presentations to ensure all dimensions of learning are covered.

All assessments address the content covered in the learning. The assessment components are as follows:

Formative assessment (0 weighting)
This aims to address any early difficulties with the view to maximise the effectiveness of learning of the students.

Assessment 1: Written Assignment (Weighting: 30%)
This assignment is based on a case study with a view to enable the students to demonstrate their learning of the first dimension of the module – consumer behaviour. This dimension is also covered to keep the recognition by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) in place for covering this dimension of their Professional Certificate.

Assessment 2: Open Book Exam (Weighting: 30%)
This exam will be based on a case study that the student is introduced to several weeks before the exam to enable the student to prepare for any question associated with the marketing dimension (the second aspect of this module). This exam will build on the previous understanding of the factors that influence customers within a local and global context and develop a marketing strategy that help capitalise on the understanding. By this time, it is believed that the student is ready to apply the marketing concepts covered in the course on the selected topic.

Assessment 3 (Group presentation) (40%)
This is a group assessment that is based on a business simulation. The aim of the simulation is to encourage students to integrate all the previously accumulated knowledge and skills to apply it to a real-life situation. Students will work in groups, as management board members, to understand the weekly business context of the simulation and make decisions that maximise the chances of success of the company.  Each of the weekly sessions is also an opportunity for the students to discuss with the tutors the difficulties they may be facing with their business simulation and how they intend to meet them.

All assessments outcomes will be accompanied by feedback to students on the positive aspects of their submissions as well as areas for improvements.

Where possible, the most current version of reading materials is used during the delivery of this module.  Comprehensive reading lists are provided to students in their handbooks.  Reading Lists will be updated annually.

Textbooks:

1.  Customer Psychology & Influences on Buyer Behaviour
- Schiffman, L.G., Kanuk, L.L. & Hansen, H. (2012). Consumer Behaviour – A European Outlook. 2nd ed. Harlow: Pearson. Or, as alternative:
- Hoyer, Wayne D.; MacInnis Deborah J.; Pieters, Rik (2018). Consumer Behavior, 7th Edition. UK: Cengage Learning.

2. Managing Marketing
- Baines, Paul and Fill, Chris (2014) Marketing, 3rdh edition Oxford University Press and supporting on-line resources for student.
Or:
- Jobber, D. and Ellis-Chadwick, F. (2013). Principles and Practice of Marketing. 8th ed. London: McGraw-Hill.

Other Texts:

- Blythe J. (2013) Consumer Behaviour. 2nd ed. London: Sage Publications
- Bowe H, Martyn K & Manns, H. (2014)  Communication Across Cultures. 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press.
- Buttle. F. (2007) Customer Relationship Management. London: Elsevier.
- Hill, A. and Hill, T. (2012). Operations Management, 3rd Ed. London: Palgrave.
- Dibb,S., Simpkin, L., and Ferrell, O.C. (2006) Marketing Concepts and Strategies, Boston : Houghton Mifflin
- Donnelly, R. and Harrison G, (2009) The Marketing Planning Process. London: Butterworth-Heinemann.
- Fourali, C (2016). The Promise of Social Marketing: A powerful tool for changing the world for good. London: Routledge.
- Fourali, C. (2017). Qualitative Research Methods: Elements of a Good Design, in Benzo, R., Gad-Mohsen, M. and Fourali, C. (Eds). Marketing Research: Planning, Process, Practice. London: Sage.
- Fourali, C. (2017). From Theory to Practice: Illustrating the Qualitative Research Process, in Benzo, R., Gad-Mohsen, M. and Fourali, C. (Eds). Marketing Research: Planning, Process, Practice. London: Sage.
- Gronroos, C (2007) Service Management and Marketing: Customer Management in Service Competition, 3rd ed. London: Wiley.
- Hill A. & Hill T. (2011) Essential Operations Management. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
- Hill, C. L. (2008), International Business: Competing in the Global Marketplace, 7th Edition. McGraw-Hill International Edition.
- Hollensen, S. (2014) Global Marketing, , 6th Edition, UK: FT/Prentice Hall, Pearson Education Ltd.
- Janson-Boyd, C.V. (2010). Consumer Psychology. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
- Johnson R  & Clark G. (2008) Service Operations Management. Prentice Hall
- Meredith J R (2010) Operations Management 4th ed. London: John Wiley.
- Palmer A (2011) Principles of Service Marketing 6th ed. London: McGraw Hill.
- Perloff, R. (2017). The Dynamics of Persuasion: Communication and Attitudes in the Twenty-First Century. 6th Edition. London: Routledge.
- Rapaille C (2007) The Culture Code. London: Broadway Books.
- Shaprio, A. (2011) Users Not Customers. London: Penguin.
- Slack N, Brandon-Jones A and Johnson R (2014) Operations Management 7th. Harlow: FT Prentice Hall (also in e-book format)
- Slack, N. and Lewis, J. O (2011) Operations Strategy. London: Pearson.
- Solomon, M et al. (2010). Consumer Behaviour – A European Perspective. 4th ed. Harlow: Prentice Hall.
- Trompenaas F & Wooliams P (2003) Business Across Cultures. London: Capstone.
- Van der Pligt, Joop and Vliek , Michael (2017). The Psychology of Influence
Theory, research and practice. London: Routledge.
- Wilson, A (2011) Marketing Research An Integrated Approach, 2nd ed. London: FT Prentice Hall.
- Wilson, Alan; Zeithaml, Valarie A; Bitner, Mary Jo and Gremler; Dwayne D. (2012). Services Marketing: Integrating Customer Focus Across the Firm, First European Edition, McGraw-Hill

Journals:

International journal of research in marketing
International Marketing Review
Journal of International Marketing
Journal of International Consumer Marketing
Journal of consumer behaviour: an international research review
European Journal of Marketing,
Journal of Marketing
Journal of marketing Research
Advances in Consumer Research

Websites:

Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM)
http://www.cim.co.uk

Electronic Databases:
Keynote, Mintel Marketing Intelligence, Euromonitor.

Other:
Financial Times, The Economist, Harvard Business Review, Marketing Week, Business Week.